Manta Watch: Discovering Aotearoa's Gentle Giants

Journey with Manta Watch New Zealand’s team, along with citizen scientists, to track down the world’s most intelligent and most endangered fish, the Oceanic Manta Ray.

About the Director

MANTA WATCH is Rebecca's (25) second short film as Director, as part of her thesis assignment for her master’s degree at Auckland University of Technology.

Rebecca's work as a director/producer can be observed at an international level (Netflix, United Nations International Seabed Authority, Sailing La Vagabonde), and local (Manta Watch New Zealand, Project Reef, Love Rimurimu).

Raised on the dramatic West Coast of New Zealand, Bec often tells people "The ocean, to me, is a never-ending film set." To her, it's a place full of quirky characters, enchanting questions, and endless adventure.

In 2016, Rebecca was accepted to the University of Tasmania's Antarctic Marine Science Programme. However, this same year, she too became the youngest New Zealander (17yrs) to be waitlisted for the prestigious Juilliard Academy of Dramatic Art in NYC, US. Throughout this grueling two-month wait, it felt as if she were being pulled between two worlds - the scientific and the theatrical. That was until she discovered natural history documentary-making whilst studying at New York's Lee Strasberg Institute of Theatre & Film. The rest they say is history.

After studying for her Masters in Communication Studies [Environmental] at Auckland University of Technology, Rebecca founded Salty Slate Productions, to pursue her dream of directing stories about life below the blue horizon. Or as she'd say, "finding the theatrical heartbeat of life below water."