“I’ve got two careers that run in parallel,” says Teulo’s Technical Producer, Harley Neville. “My vocation is film-making.
I’m a producer and actor who creates content, feature films, shorts and web series. I also freelance as a multi-skilled broadcaster who does camera work, AV and graphics. That second piece of the puzzle includes the work that I do for Teulo.”
Harley first joined Teulo as a camera operator for live events and has since grown into the team’s technical all-rounder, supporting a variety of virtual and in-person activities. “Initially, I was doing freelance camera jobs for the company that was doing Teulo Ed and Teulo Talks events. When my senior at that company moved on, I inherited the relationship. I got thrown into the deep end with a steep learning curve at the beginning, for sure, but we quickly found a rhythm. Now, I run the live streams, operate or outsource the camera requirements, do the in-the-room tech and AV, oversee the online live streaming, or some combination of all of the above. I have also taken on Teulo’s editing requirements and, most recently, hosting and running Teulo Pods.”
A natural people-person, Harley enjoys connecting with the building community through Teulo’s podcasts and live events. “A great strength of mine is communicating well with people and making them feel comfortable. That’s really useful when they’re about to go on a live stream. My own experiences as a performer and a poet enable me to boost the confidence of the speakers I support at Teulo.”
Auckland-based Harley’s diverse career has spanned a range of activities across the entertainment and events industries. “I’ve been making movies with my best mate since I was 16. Now we’re 40 and living next door to each other with a studio out the back. It’s been a fairytale friendship and collaboration since we were in high school. I’ve also had amazing opportunities to do a range of broadcasting work all over the world, including graphics for the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, a role I’ll reprise next year in Paris.”
In addition to his work with Teulo, Harley and his filmmaking partner are looking forward to a big 2024, he says. “Last year, we made a short film funded by New Zealand Film Commission’s He Kauahi Catalyst Fund and we’re looking forward to bringing that to festivals toward the end of this year. We’re also using that concept as the basis for a full-length film that we’re working on now. The other thing on the radar is a new TikTok series, an adaptation of a cheesy Chinese soap opera reimagined for Western audiences. It’s a very ambitious project that will include 79 episodes of one or two minutes each.”
In his personal life, Harley is looking forward to moving into his recently purchased first home, a process he says has been informed, in part, by his work with Teulo. “Being involved with Teulo’s events has taught me so much about so many things that I would never have otherwise known about. The topics we’re covering are interesting and relevant beyond just the building and construction industry. Those discussions have educated me on different products and different ways of doing things. As my brother and I were looking to buy, I definitely had some of those industry insights in the back of my mind.”
Perhaps best known for a viral meme known as ‘hairy half man’, Harley is a good sport who is game to do whatever it takes to get his work seen. “I’m always doing hair-brained publicity stunts. Seven or eight years ago, I shaved half of my body with a fine vertical line that really showed the juxtaposition. It got lots of views and people took it and started photoshopping it and making memes. Eventually, someone from the Ellen DeGeneres Show reached out via my social media and asked to use it. I didn’t believe them at first, but it actually made it on the show. Millions of people saw the watermark and many started messaging me. I’ve also done publicity stunts like going on [New Zealand reality television show] First Dates. At the time, I did genuinely want to meet somebody, but it was also a fun thing to do that was good for my career. It’s all great publicity; whatever helps people find my films and my content. It’s all part of the show.”
To learn more and connect with Harley, you can find him on all your favourite social media channels including YouTube and Facebook, or visit https://www.pigvilleproductions.com/.
