🌏 My Mission

I love meeting new people and hearing their stories and culture from around the world. Learning about different cultures makes me happy and helps me understand people better. I always try my best to spread kindness and positivity wherever I go whenever possible.

My life motto is to *seek discomfort*, getting out of my comfort zone, and hopefully travel the world someday.

🏡 About the House

Just to make things clear — I live in the same house as my flatmate, Michael. He’s the owner of the house and is also on Couchsurfing. I'm also his guest student living in the same house as him.

🙋‍♂️ About Me

I always believe that *A stranger is just a friend you haven’t met yet.*

I’m 26 years old and originally from a small town island in the Philippines. Currently, I live in Wellington, New Zealand, chasing my dream of becoming a storyteller and filmmaker.

I’ve recently completed my Bachelor’s degree in Screen Arts and majoring in Film Production at Massey University in Wellington, New Zealand.

I really value family and love learning about other cultures. In my free time, I enjoy cooking, walking, cycling, hiking, rock climbing, swimming, and running.

🇳🇿 Why I Chose New Zealand

I first visited Wellington in 2019 when I won a filmmaking award in a smartphone film competition. I fell in love with the city’s creative vibe and amazing film industry — like Weta Workshop and the Lord of the Rings films! That experience inspired me to come back and study filmmaking here.

🎥 My Filmmaking Bio

I am a Filipino filmmaker who moved to New Zealand to study film. My passion for filmmaking began after winning a smartphone filmmaking competition by the Goethe-Institut New Zealand and the Mobile Innovation Network and Association which involved a film workshop and world premiere screening in Wellington in 2019.

My expertise is in cinematography but I have also directed short films on topics that tackle social issues such as poverty, climate change, mental health, and gender-based violence in the Philippines. My main focus as a filmmaker is sharing underrepresented voices. I see every work as my way to deliver a message that matters in my heart.

I am a recent film student graduate from the College of Creative Arts (CoCA) at Massey University in Wellington, and has been named the winner of the Creative Excellence category at the Hui Mai, Tui Mai Wellington Educated International Student Excellence Awards.

Originally from the Philippines, my work explores themes of identity, migration and belonging, giving voice to Filipino and migrant communities in New Zealand and beyond. My short films, including Rasyon, Arm Me For Peace and Wheels of Fate, have been featured in local festivals and university showcases, earning recognition for their emotional depth and technical mastery.

My short film ‘Beyond Connection’ won the ‘Up to 24 Award’ at The Outlook for Someday 2023, now rebranded as Day One Hāpai te Haeata. My other short films have also screened and been nominated at Student World Impact Film Festival, New Zealand Youth Film Festival, JCS International Young Creatives Award, Sorok Short Film Festival and more.

Recently, my recent documentary Wheels of Fate was awarded Best Documentary at the Bachelor of Screen Arts Best of Showcase. I completed my Screen Arts degree at Massey University, where I was involved as the cinematographer for ‘Sick Attraction’ and the director/cinematographer for my short documentary film 'Wheels of Fate.'

My recent short documentary, Wheels of Fate, is a standout example of my craft. The film tells the story of how a passion for inline skating fosters community and belonging for an immigrant in New Zealand. This visually stunning work earned Best Documentary via the Take One: Bachelor of Screen Arts Showcase.

Maybe only for those interested, I am happy to hopefully show you some of short films but we don’t need to- only to those anyone interested in film :)

You can see some of my work here:
📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/loyddoron
🎬 Portfolio Website: loyddoron.com

❤️ My Passion for Storytelling

Storytelling keeps me going in life. It helps me make sense of life and inspires me to create positive change even in small acts.

Besides filmmaking, I also enjoy badminton, hiking (I finished the Tongariro Crossing!), and connecting with people through the *Yes Theory* community — a group that inspires people to say “yes” to challenges and new experiences.

🌍 Connecting Through Yes Theory

Being part of *Yes Theory* has changed my life. Their saying, *“A stranger is just a friend you haven’t met yet,”* inspires me every day to get out of my comfort zone.

Through this community, I’ve met amazing people from all around the world who have become like family to me today.

🎙️My Personal Project: The Stranger Project

I started a small video and podcast series called **The Stranger Project**, where I talk with people from different walks of life. It’s about learning what it means to be human — hearing people’s dreams, struggles, and passions.

In each episode, we also use *Spark* cards from Yes Theory — special question cards that help us open up and connect deeply.

If you’d like, I’d love to invite you to join me as a guest on my show and share your story with others!

Por qué estoy en Couchsurfing

I joined Couchsurfing to meet new people, make real friendships, and learn more about different cultures. I believe every person I meet can teach me something new that will give me new perspectives about life and the world that we live in today.

Intereses

• photography
• film making
• movies
• videography
• moviemaking
• skinny dipping
• video editing
• nude beaches
• instagram: @loyddoron

Música, películas y libros

📍Movies and Series
Anatomy of a Fall (BEST FILM OF ALL TIME EVER)
Interstellar
How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies
A Quite Place (Horror)
Wednesday (Netflix Series)
Oppenheimer
The Wheel of Time (Amazon Prime Series)
All Of Us Strangers
Free Solo (Netflix Documentary)
All The Light We Cannot See (Netflix Series)
Capernaum
Everything Everywhere All at Once
Avatar
Harry Potter
The Hobbit
The Lord of the Rings
Fate: The Winx Saga (Netflix Series)
You (Netflix Series)

📍Music
Hans Zimmer Compositions
Imagine By John Lennon
OPM Songs (Original Pilipino Music)
LANY Songs
Sleeping At Last Songs
Tom Rosenthal’s Songs
Odesza, Avici, The Chainsmokers
Space Song By Beach House
AJR songs
Noah Kahan
Benson Boone

Algo increíble que he hecho

✅ Moving to a new country alone to pursue my filmmaking dreams
✅ Bungee Jumping in Taupo, New Zealand
✅ 5 Hour Cave Adventure in Waitomo Caves
✅ Skiing for the first time in Queenstown, NZ
✅ 8 Hours Hike of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing
✅ Turning Strangers into a Friend of a Lifetime

Enseña, aprende, comparte

We all have that someone we can learn and share something. I can teach you some Bisaya or Tagalog basic words and maybe share with you my culture and lifestyle back from the Philippines.

Qué puedo ofrecer a los anfitriones

I could share something about my culture, passion and experiences in life.

Países que he visitado

Australia, New Zealand

Países en los que he vivido

New Zealand, Philippines