ABOUT US

Based in Christchurch, New Zealand, Ruffells is a team of creatives with a 30 year long background in video production and rich media storytelling.

Talented people with a background in video, film, photography, animation, digital communications with access to marketing professionals who specialise in content planning, key messaging, strategic roll out, brand building, compliance… all of whom have successfully shaped an impressive list of New Zealand brands.

To do right and be just right

To give our clients the outcomes that suit them by getting to know them.

To help shape each brief into something truly engaging, to never be afraid to lose the gems, and always keep an eye on the big picture.

To be a trusted strategic partner, valued creative resource and - above all - a great team to work with.

  • MAKE IT PERSONAL

    Our business is made of client relationships. We create work that reflects your vision and values by operating as part of the team.

  • KEEP IT FLEXIBLE

    Not encumbered by the stratified hierarchy of the traditional agency model, we are able to deliver results in a prompt manner.

  • BE RESOURCEFUL

    We find who, what and where we need to get the job done.

 

PEOPLE

 

Tim McInnes

  • Cheesy as it sounds, I love it when our clients challenge us, trust us and allow us to help them achieve their goals.

    Outside of work I love doing projects at home with my family or in the vege garden or cooking over fire. Always with music and laughs. The simple things are best.

  • I started working professionally in 2001. Stopped part time jobs and got in the game.

  • I have an honours degree somewhere in a box but the most important education has come from working in hospitality during my uni days and travelling the world pretty extensively. Both give you a pretty good insight into what needs people truly have.

  • I translate. I take what they give me, understand the need and the market and then turn that into a tangible set of actions or outputs which make people feel something unexpected.

    We have the responsibility of coming up with solutions for our clients and making them and their audience feel comfortable with how those ideas are communicated.

    In order to do that you have to be aware of the elements at play, be invested in your shared vision and know not to take anything personally.

    That’s probably where I do alright. I think I’m actually pretty good at understanding the landscape as it is rather than pre-supposing too much and then understanding what hand to play to get results.

  • Photography and telling stories. I think stories are such an integral part of our existence as humans and telling our versions of ideas is what makes us who we are as individuals. Capturing a story in a photograph though? Bloody hard, but absolutely worth the challenge.

  • When I was 12 years old, I was told to focus on maths and the sciences, as I would never have a career in the Arts. Turns out I am surprisingly good at drawing realistic stick figure portraiture.

 

Harley Williams

  • An intern of ours once asked me that. In reply, I said, “Well, to cut a long story short…” Seriously though, I’m passionate about creating an emotive response to the content we make.

    I’m especially fond of laying down the perfect music to accompany the video and always delivering projects to deadlines.

    Personally - I’m passionate about music, playing football, my children and most recently trail running in the Port Hills.

  • I started professionally in 2005 cutting regional news items for ‘The Holmes Show’ Subsequently I was lucky enough to be offered a job at Ruffell Productions the following year. Fast forward to 2022, and I’m still here.

  • I studied music at Polytech originally, which helped lay a nice foundation for my Post Graduate Diploma in Digital Video Post-Production. I think having a musical education has helped me understand what audio combines well with video.

    I’ve organised a lot of musical events and tours where I’ve learnt a lot that I integrate into my professional career. The most important would be the value of clear communication.

  • Taking the clients’ story and editing it in an articulate, informative and emotive way.

  • I've always wanted to start a children’s only music venue and education centre. Would love to run that as a not-for-profit organisation.

  • Haha!

    One thing I’m surprisingly good at is falling over on purpose and making it look convincing.

 

Bianca Chinaglia

  • I love being a part of our clients' brand development, who sometimes go from having no brand at all to having a consistent, beautiful brand across all touchpoints.

    I love seeing the campaigns we created and produced going live to the world. Finding creative ways to communicate ideas.

    In my free time, you'll probably find me in a cinema or, doing something artsy (at the moment this means designing jewellery), writing blog posts about personal finance and investing, or simply hanging out with friends, family and cats.

  • After almost 7 years working in film and TV as a Makeup Artist, I started working with marketing and social media after joining the Ruffells team in 2019, and have been loving the growth that has come from it.

  • My education and previous experience in the film industry gave me a clear understanding of all the components of a project and how to manage them.

    It also gave me a good eye for design and a good ear for communications, and the ability to better understand different people from different walks of life - all of which are very handy skills to have when you’re creating content for a variety of audiences.

  • I organise our workflow. Make sure expectations are being met, assist in the development of campaigns and create engaging content for our client's social media.

    I get sh*t done!

  • Anything artsy. Some things personal finance and investing. Also, pet cats, (is ‘professional cat petter’ a thing yet?).

  • Making up lyrics to songs I don’t know the lyrics to. I’m pretty sure that’s what got me hired at Ruffells (Tim just confirmed).

 

Grace Woodward

  • I have always had an interest in graphic design and making an idea come alive through animation, and visual storytelling.

    The satisfaction I have after completing an effective piece of work motivates me to further my abilities and continue learning about motion graphics.

    As I progress professionally I get more of an opportunity to explore these interests and put them into practice when working with different clients and different stories.

    My personal time is usually spent lurking around the local thrift stores… or shredding iron at the gym. I enjoy a cheeky beverage with my friends on a night out and participating in uncoordinated dancing.

  • I recently finished studying TV and Screen production. I am now ready to make an impact on the industry.

    As I start off my career, my overall love and interest in film and technology will blossom and I will be able to gain knowledge and become a better, creative person.

  • I studied TV and Screen production at the New Zealand Broadcasting school for two and a half years before getting a job at Ruffells.

    The knowledge I would need to operate in a professional environment and the self confidence I required came from those years of study.

    Having a personal passion for creativity makes this job a lot easier because I am enthusastic about the work I do, and can put my all into a project without it feeling like a task.

    As I grow in this field of work I am developing more lifelong skills, such as time management, open communication, practical learnings and much more. I am excited to see where this can take me!

  • I believe my fresh perspective on problems offers clients a new way of thinking.

    This gives them the chance to approach a problem with an open mind and fluidity. Let's think outside the box!

  • Anything that requires creativity.

    I love to challenge my imagination and my capacity to produce artwork that reflects my character and at times my unsual way of thinking.

  • I’m pretty good at getting attacked by bugs… I guess they like me?