Robin Scholes graduated from Auckland and Edinburgh universities, becoming a lecturer at both Essex and Auckland Universities in Art History and Film Studies.
She then went on to work for TVNZ, writing, directing and producing documentaries and various studio and magazine shows. In 1980 she attended the New York Film School as a Fulbright Scholar.
Scholes is the producer of several feature films, many of them with a Polynesian or Māori theme, including horror movie THE TATOOIST (2007) directed by Peter Burger; drama CROOKED EARTH (2001) directed by Sam Pillsbury; and the seminal ONCE WERE WARRIORS (1994) directed by Lee Tamahori. She was also executive producer of RAIN (2001).
In 1983 Scholes joined legendary producer Neil Roberts as one of the founding partners of Communicado, which soon grew to become one of New Zealand’s most successful independent production companies. At one point it employed more than 100 people.
Made on a low budget, ONCE WERE WARRIORS was Communicado’s (and Scholes’) first feature. The movie achieved international acclaim, provoked blockbuster box-office and state of the nation debate in Aotearoa, and brought director Lee Tamahori to the attention of Hollywood. Scholes followed it by producing inter-racial romance BROKEN ENGLISH, for director Gregor Nicholas. Like Warriors, it was a rare Kiwi feature in which the country’s dominant Pākehā culture hardly features; again the film screened widely overseas, and won rave reviews from a number of American critics.
Scholes has devised a wide range of factual programmes for television, including MAGIC KIWIS, HEROES, BUSINESS WORLD, SUCCESS, ANIMALS AND US, MONEY, FARMER and another 80s era show, NEW ZEALAND 2000. Her television drama credits include: GREENSTONE, THE CHOSEN, TRUE LIFE STORIES and black comedy BURYING BRIAN, which she co-produced with Julie Christie. In 2001 Scholes was appointed managing director of Communicado, overseeing its merger with Australian television company Screentime. She continued to work on a wide range of television programmes including THE BIG ART TRIP, LIFE GOES ON, and GRASS ROOTS BUSINESS.
Scholes joined Touchdown (now Eyeworks New Zealand) full-time in 2004, completing their first drama projects for film and television in 2006. She is managing a slate of films and TV drama series in various stages of development.
Scholes’ other projects include the feature film debut of Brendan Donovan, THE HOPES AND DREAMS OF GAZZA SNELL, and an adaptation of Lloyd Jones novel MISTER PIP. Scholes was chasing the rights to the latter when she learnt that director Andrew Adamson (THE LION THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE) was doing the same. The two joined forces. Shot partly on Bougainville Island, in Papua New Guinea, the film stars HOUSE’S Hugh Laurie and Kiwi Kerry Fox.
