Meet Joshua Tavita Jr: From highlight reels for his friends to creating content internationally

Last year was a breakout year for Joshua Tavita Jr.

He’s been slowly chipping away at his videography work over the past couple of years, and now it’s starting to pay off.

He got his first big gig in May, which was the controversial Run It event.

“I'd say Run It . . . was my big gig that I got through one of my boys.”

In July, he got to shoot videos for the Auckland NPC rugby team, and in November had the opportunity to work with the Kiwis, the national league team, during the Pacific Championships.

In early December, he was shooting for Chasing the Fox, a golf event put together by professional golfer Ryan Fox, who, along with celebrities and influencers, played for charities.

Last month he got to fly to the US. “That was another buzzy thing. I had never been on a plane before, and now I'm going for work.”

He was there with New Zealand influencer Joe Daymond shooting a documentary.

“Joe was telling me he was looking for a Poly photographer specifically, just so they can experience American culture as well.”

America gave him a different perspective. “Those guys are crazy. I've always wanted to be like them. They're confident too, and their confidence helped me.

"I learnt a lot of things when I was there, like the culture, even adapting to someone you've never recorded before.”

Growing up playing video games inspired him. “I used to love watching [NBA] 2K16, the story mode. Like the storytelling, and it just, like, can hit more for the viewers.”

Being the youngest of five chilldren, he wanted to be a tattoo artist working alongside his brother.

Tavita Jr enjoyed art, and so in high school he took painting. “It was the closest thing to drawing.”

He also had to study photography, which he did alongside one of his closest friends, and which gave him a creative outlet. “I just always wanted to make my Instagram look nice.”

He attended Kelston Boys High School, a rugby powerhouse school in west Auckland. In his final year in 2022, he started making highlight reels for his friends.

From this he started taking videography more seriously, getting a chance to shoot for the Manukau Rovers Rugby Club.

“Every time I would have my 2nd XV training, I would then have to drive all the way to Mangere to go help out with my brother.”

That same year he was still chasing a professional rugby career and decided to try repeating year 13 the following year to see if more opportunities would follow.

Failing to repeat year 13, he went on to play club rugby in 2023. His hard work paid off, and he was selected for the Auckland Under 19s rugby team, but didn't know if that was what he really wanted to do.

Unsure about his decision, he spoke with his family about it. “Talking to my brother definitely helped. He was saying rugby is only for a short part of your life, whereasvideography, you can do it forever.”

In 2023 he decided to do videography full-time.

Having already been to the US for work, his goal is to eventually go back.

“I want to try to get into Toa Samoa for the World Cup this year. But to be honest, my main dream is the NBA. I want to record for the NBA.”

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