Hard work reaps film reward
Former WHS student, Abby Kingi is 'out there doing it' as co-owner and co-founder of Whanganui multi-media business Lamp Studios.
PHOTO: Caleb Kingi.
Emma Russell continues her series charting the stories of former Whanganui students who have gone on to success in the big, wide world.
Behind the scenes of a successful Whanganui film-maker is a movie in the making.
Former Whanganui High School student Abby Kingi has co-created a multimedia business in the River City against the odds.
In 2007, when Abby started her degree in design, video and animation, the film industry was dominated by movie monopolies and small multimedia businesses were virtually non-existent.
Now, contracted to work for TV3 and recently shooting videos in Cambodia, business is taking off for her company Lamp Studios - but it's been a journey.
After finishing high school and being told by her mother that a career in film was a "dreamer's job", Abby attempted a degree in social work.
"It wasn't long before I pulled out and applied for film school in Wellington ... but I didn't tell mum that," she said.
Abby's hubby and co-owner of Lamp Studios, Caleb Kingi, shared a similar passion for media. He enrolled to study computer graphic design at the Whanganui School of Design.
"I intended to go to film school in Wellington but when I went along with Caleb to his interview I ended up enrolling in a three-year graphics design course that specialised in video and animation," she said.
"Before I started studying, I had never even opened up a design software, let alone drawn a picture, but I'd always been interested in film."
Studying until three in the morning as well as working 20 hours was a harsh reality that Caleb and Abby had to endure for the next three years as they completed their course - "but we loved every minute of it".
The couple used course projects as an opportunity to start building real clients and work as sole traders to set themselves up to run their own business.
"The whole time I was studying I was thinking, 'Why am I employable?' - work ethic is everything," Abby said.
"There are so many people that have video talent and, at the end of the day, being employed comes down to work ethic and personality."
In 2009 the couple graduated, both with distinction, and soon after launched Lamp Studios - a multi-media company offering web design, graphic design and video storytelling.
"The first two years were really challenging - we'd get busy patches and then gaps of no work. But we'd be at work 9am until 5pm five days a week - even when there wasn't work."
Four years ago Abby got word of a TV3 contracting job based in Whanganui.
"The problem was applicants were required to have $12,000 worth of gear, and I didn't have that.
"I was going to have to give up the opportunity, but amazingly a retired Whanganui businessman heard about it and bought all the gear so that I could take the job.
"He made a massive investment in my career, and I'm not sure if I would be here today in Whanganui without his support."
After Abby locked in the contract with TV3 she got a huge referral and word of mouth started to spread.
"We decided the business needed to focus on one area and we thought what do we want to be known for ... and that was video.
"It was really important for us to stay in Whanganui - our family is here and Caleb is a surfer so it's great for that. Our job allows us to be based anywhere because only 20 per cent of the work is on the road filming."
Lamp Studios now employs three full-time staff, filming all over New Zealand as well as a recent trip to Cambodia to shoot four films about children living in the slums for the Flame charity.
Looking to the future, Abby hopes to do more short term filming abroad but will continue to be based in Whanganui with Caleb and their toddler, Joseph.
By Emma Russell
Wanganui Chronicle 3/3/17
