Bachelor of Communication takes alumni from Massey to the movies

For the Bachelor of Communication (BC) alumna, it's the latest chapter in a career that has taken her from foreign affairs and tourism to the global film industry, working across Aotearoa New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Europe.

Ellen is now a Publicity and Communications Manager at Wētā FX, where she helps tell the stories behind the studio's groundbreaking visual effects work and the talented people who bring it to life.

"I've been with Wētā FX since 2021 and have loved applying my PR and communications experience to the visual effects industry. I am so proud to be a cheerleader for some of our country's greatest creative and technical talent and have been honoured to support our people as they represent New Zealand's filmmaking expertise on the world stage."

Ellen graduated with a BC in public relations in 2010, entering the workforce at a time when the communications landscape was rapidly evolving.

"I graduated from Massey in 2010, about a month after Instagram was first released, so it's safe to say the media landscape and content consumption habits have changed drastically since then."

While platforms and technologies have transformed, she says the foundations of effective communication have remained consistent.

"We still identify target audiences, articulate the messages we want to tell them and figure out how to overcome barriers so our messages resonate and achieve the desired result."

Those foundations have supported a career spanning multiple industries and countries.

After spending several years at the Australian High Commission in Wellington, Ellen joined Tourism New Zealand, where she worked with international travel media to help share New Zealand with audiences around the world. The role eventually took her to London, where she promoted New Zealand by working with travel editors and journalists across the United Kingdom and Germany.

Ellen says the experience shaped her professional skills and personal outlook.

"If you have the opportunity, I cannot recommend travelling and working overseas highly enough. Not only do you get to explore new places, you get to learn about yourself and challenge your own preconceptions about the world and your place in it."

Working across different countries also highlighted the importance of understanding audiences and adapting communication approaches to different cultures and markets.

"Ultimately, people are people wherever you go, so communication skills are easily transferable, but every city and country has slightly different ways of working."

Like many New Zealanders overseas, Ellen's plans changed dramatically in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted international travel. While back in New Zealand on a work trip, border closures prompted an unexpected decision to remain at home.

She joined Tourism New Zealand's domestic team, in a role where she was helping to encourage New Zealanders to explore their own country through campaigns designed to support the tourism sector during a challenging period.

Today, Ellen brings those experiences together at Wētā FX, where no two days are the same. Her work ranges from supporting film releases and awards campaigns to creating content and working alongside international studio partners.

She says one of the most rewarding aspects of the role is helping spotlight the achievements of her colleagues.

As Ellen explains, the talent at Wētā FX continues to inspire her.

"We literally have world-class talent sitting in a quiet corner of Miramar in Wellington, and they are working on some of the coolest projects that the entire globe ends up watching."

Ellen credits Massey with providing the theoretical grounding and practical experience that helped launch her career.

"The practical theory I learned at university provided a ground truth foundation for me to build my work experience on. To this day, I lean on core concepts like news values and interpersonal communication models when building out strategies or providing guidance."

She also values the opportunities she had to gain hands-on experience while studying, including industry projects and internships that helped open doors after graduation.

For current and future students considering a career in communications, Ellen says the field offers opportunities limited only by a person's interests and willingness to explore them.

"I have made lots of friends during my career who have come from similar educational backgrounds, and we've all gone on to do really different, interesting things.

"A Bachelor of Communication is a great springboard to launch your career from as it's flexible enough to support your interests and whatever future you choose to pursue."