Meet the vision behind thewaitingroom
Discover the journey and unique perspective of our director, Declan, whose personal experiences and professional expertise converge to tell a deeply human story about end-of-life choices.
A personal journey into profound questions
Declan's profound connection to this documentary stems from a deeply personal place. The loss of his sister to multiple systems atrophy brought him face to face with the suffering associated with terminal illness. This experience, coupled with his own diagnosis of stage 4 melanoma in 2025 (currently responding well to immunotherapy), has provided him with an unparalleled insight into the complex questions surrounding end-of-life choices. Furthermore, his compassionate work as a volunteer photographer for Heartfelt, a charity supporting parents who have experienced stillbirths or infant mortality, has further honed his sensitivity to grief and loss. These cumulative experiences uniquely position him to explore the delicate nuances of this documentary.
Expertise honed by experience
Declan brings over a decade of high-level production experience to The Waiting Room. He successfully operated his own production company, collaborating with clients such as Fonterra, Telecom, and New Zealand Trade and Enterprise. His extensive portfolio includes producing and directing television commercials, as well as multi-camera IMAG productions at iconic venues like Waikato Stadium, Aotea Centre, and Sky City Casino. Beyond his commercial work, Declan is an accomplished landscape photographer, having served for several years as a photography book reviewer for *The New York Review of Books*. This blend of technical mastery and artistic sensibility ensures a visually compelling and thoughtfully constructed documentary.
The heart of a storyteller
Declan's unique life experiences and decades of technical skill as a cinematographer and photographer make him uniquely suited to bringing this story to the screen. He firmly believes that the most important skill of a director is gaining the trust of the people placed in front of the camera. They need to believe that their stories will be handled with the utmost sensitivity and care. This philosophy, combined with his deep understanding of the subject matter, ensures that The Waiting Room will be a documentary told with empathy, integrity, and profound respect for its participants.