Wayne McCormack on trial at Auckland District Court. McCormack was convicted of two cases of indecent assault against younger female employees and is now working alongside one. Photo / Dean Purcell
A "concerned collective" of film industry figures has formally complained after it emerged an industry heavyweight convicted of sexual offences is being employed on celebrated New Zealand director Lee Tamahori's "swansong" film with a woman he indecently assaulted.
The Herald understands the victim has been retraumatised by her abuser's presence on the set of The Convert, starring Guy Pearce and Te Kohe Tuhaka.
It is understood steps have been taken to ensure the pair have no interaction on the film production.
The owner of a multimillion-dollar horse-wrangling business, Wayne McCormack — who has been described as running a "monopoly" within the New Zealand film industry — was convicted of two charges of indecent assault against younger female employees in 2020.
In March, the Herald reported McCormack was still reaping the rewards of his former Auckland-based horse wrangling/stunt business via a company set up in his wife's name following his January 2020 convictions.
In that time, this new company - NZ Film Horses Limited - worked on the billion-dollar The Lord of the Rings TV show, Jane Campion's Oscar-nominated Power of the Dog, teen drama Mystic and hit children's series Sweet Tooth.
Six months later, McCormack has been employed as horse master on the partially NZ Film Commission-funded The Convert.
The director of the production - currently being filmed in Auckland - is Lee Tamahori, whose credits include Once Were Warriors, The Sopranos and James Bond: Die Another Day.
Producer of The Convert, Robin Scholes, confirmed to the Herald both she and Tamahori were aware of McCormack's indecent assault convictions "and the decision to engage him on this production is not one we've taken lightly or in isolation".
Scholes said, "to my knowledge, there are no victims working on set with Mr McCormack".
McCormack is credited as "Horse Master" on the online movie database IMDb page for The Convert.
On Wednesday this week, a letter on behalf of a "concerned collective of long-term film and screen Industry contractors" who say they have worked in the industry for 20-plus years, was sent to The Convert producers, Equity New Zealand union and The Screen Guild.
"This letter's purpose is to voice our grave concerns over the current employment status of Horse Master Wayne McCormack on the Production 'The Convert'," the letter began.
"This person has been before the New Zealand courts on historical sexual assault charges and found guilty. As a collective, we respectfully request an answer to the question we pose, Why? Why after being convicted was this man offered the position of privilege above those of his victims? We ask that our voices be heard, not just for ourselves but also on behalf of all his victims who have so bravely fought to bring their truth to light and at such huge costs."
The letter goes on to say the "livelihoods and professional lives, not to mention their mental health" of McCormack's two victims have been "severely affected and altered".
"It is every crew member's right to work in an environment that is safe and supported by the Producers of each Production and we feel this is not the case on 'The Convert'. It is totally unbelievable and unacceptable ..." the letter says.
Equity union representative Katherine McAlpine told the Herald they have subsequently contacted the producers of The Convert asking that:
"- Horse Master Wayne McCormack be removed from the set immediately.
- Producers reach out to those on set who have been affected by Mr McCormack's offending in the past and offer sincere apologies along with practical support, such as access to counselling.
- Producers detail what current safety strategies and protocols are in place."
In a statement to the Herald, McAlpine lamented how McCormack's hire was contrary to years of industry progress instigated by Hollywood's #MeToo movement.
McAlpine described McCormack's presence on set as "extremely concerning and perplexing. We reiterated that all cast and crew deserve to have a safe, secure working environment".
"We reminded the producers that much work has been done in the last few years to create safe workspaces in the screen sector in New Zealand. Focus has been on changing a culture that has at times turned a blind eye to harassment, bullying, blacklisting and worse."
McAlpine said they have responded to their union members who have contacted them about McCormack's employment on The Convert, and proactively contacted all other members on set offering support and "assuring them of our advocacy".
The Herald has also obtained numerous photos of McCormack working on set, as well as a copy of a daily call sheet for crew on the set of The Convert, in which both he and one of his victims from his 2020 conviction are listed.
There is also evidence of wardrobe items assigned to McCormack to appear in shots on film as a stuntman/extra for The Convert.
McCormack's lawyer did not respond to the Herald's request for comment for this article.
The Herald has also spoken to film industry workers connected with the production of The Convert who say they are appalled by the situation.
It is understood some of the crew have personally raised their concerns around health and safety in relation to McCormack's presence with senior members of production on The Convert.
"I'm disgusted that people are backing something like that - the producers. I don't know, I'd walk on a job that he was on. Just supporting what's right with these other poor girls. Their lives have been changed and then they're just trying to get a job and then he's on there with them. Like, who does that?" a film industry source said.
Producer Scholes confirmed one senior crew member expressed concerns in early pre-production for The Convert.
"These concerns were fully discussed and the crew member decided to accept our decision to have Wayne on set," Scholes said.
"If someone had told us they didn't want to work on set because of Wayne we would have arranged for that person to work elsewhere for that day."
Scholes said McCormack has already "completed more than 60 per cent of his workload to date without issue" on The Convert. Entertainment news website Variety reported production for The Convert would begin on September 12 across several North Island locations.
"Anyone working on the production who has concerns has the opportunity to raise these concerns through appropriate channels including the onset crew representative or cast co-ordinator," Scholes said.
"The wellbeing and safety of the cast and crew of our production is a priority for us and our production has stringent health and safety protocols, including harassment policies that align with New Zealand screen industry standards."
An NZ Film Commission spokesperson confirmed to the Herald they are a funder of The Convert and that their film projects are contractually required to have a health and safety policy which all cast and crew are required to act in accordance with.
"NZFC became aware of this situation when [the Herald] contacted us," the spokesperson said.
"As a result, we have been in contact with the production. We take this matter very seriously and are working closely with producers to understand the situation and ensure the wellbeing of the cast and crew."
In March, the Herald reported on the enduring toll on one of McCormack's two victims, Eve Ainscow, after a six-month process to have her name suppression lifted following the court case.
Ainscow is not the woman now employed alongside McCormack on The Convert but has spoken to the Herald about being blacklisted from the film industry and banished from the job that she "loved" after speaking out against her offender.
Ainscow was indecently assaulted by McCormack during the filming of Spartacus in New Zealand in 2013.
"It was the end of the production and Mr McCormack said as he was laying his hand on me 'you look after me and I will look after you'. I was new working for his company, I didn't want to lose my job," 43-year-old Ainscow said.
McCormack's other victim - now employed on The Convert - was working for him on a production being filmed in Queenstown. She was groped repeatedly in front of other crew during a wrap party around a decade ago and left the room to get away from McCormack.
McCormack then tried to get into her hotel room that night.
Ainscow told the Herald she was sadly not surprised he had been openly employed again within the New Zealand film industry despite the past offending that was publicly exposed.
"I'm disgusted that that production company is allowing that. It's the industry which is allowing this. It makes me quite angry that I went through this massive journey and nothing at all changed."
CORRECTION: The original version of this story reported that McCormack's victim had been on set. This is incorrect. She has worked remotely so as not to be on set at the same time as McCormack. We apologise for the error.
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