As a young boy growing up in the middle of nowhere the thought of working in Hollywood was a distant dream for Northland's Atereano Mateariki.
But Hollywood is exactly where the 20-year-old Opahi man is heading next year.
Mr Mateariki was the recipient of an AUTInterNZ scholarship, a programme designed to connect local and international business with AUT graduates.
In February Mr Mateariki will begin a three-month internship as a studio assistant at Paramount Recording Studios in Los Angeles.
"It shows if you put your mind to it; and you put in the hard work; and you stick with it and know what you really desire, you will get it. It's a really amazing feeling," he said.