About Hayley
Auckland-based Videographer, Photographer, and Content Creator
Hello, I’m Hayley — a writer, storyteller, and creative who believes every person has a story worth sharing. My work spans writing, film, and photography, but at its heart is the same purpose: to listen well, create with care, and preserve the stories that matter. I’m drawn to the stories that connect us.
My Story
When I started school, I spent many of my lunch breaks holding hands with Mrs Harrison…
She was an elderly dinner lady who never pressured me to join in games or make friends before I was ready. Instead, we'd walk together, sing little songs, and quietly watch the world go by. She gave me something I've never forgotten: the feeling of being truly seen.
Looking back, I've realised that some of the most meaningful relationships in my life have been with people who carried years of wisdom and experience.
I've always been drawn to the stories of people’s lives.
The things that often go unasked and unheard.
The stories beneath the surface.
Today, that same curiosity sits at the heart of my work.
For the past twelve years I've worked in the wedding industry, first as a celebrant and later as a filmmaker.
I've had the privilege of standing alongside people during some of life's most meaningful moments — from marriages, births, and family milestones, to personal stories and brand journeys.
Over the years I've interviewed hundreds of people, documented countless hours of conversation, and crafted those moments into stories and films that families return to again and again.
Long before I picked up a camera, storytelling was already woven through my life...
My background includes theatre, expressive arts, poetry, history, and a degree in psychology. Human stories have always fascinated me — not because they're extraordinary, but because they're deeply ordinary.
And ordinary lives are often where the most beautiful stories are found.
My family is everything to me...
Today, I'm also a wife, a mother of two, a poet & writer, and someone who still finds herself drawn to the company of wise elders. Some of my favourite conversations happen sitting with older women at Te Moata, listening to their experiences and learning from lives well-lived.
Legacy Films grew from a simple belief:
‘Every person carries a story worth preserving.’
Not because they were famous.
Not because they changed the world.
But because they changed someone's world.
It would be an honour to help preserve yours.
Helping people feel seen
“Hayley has this rare gift of making you feel completely comfortable, even during the most vulnerable times. It never felt like I was being filmed or photographed - it felt like I was being held and supported by a close friend.”
— Jess Underwood
Open to commissions
Alongside my core services, I’m available for commissioned creative projects across writing, film and photography. If you have an idea you would like to explore, I’d love to hear from you.
The Weekly Notice
A short weekly reflection on the small things, the tender things, and what's quietly emerging in the middle of life. Published on Sundays.
Find me on Substack