http://www.wiftnz.org.nzumbracoWIFT NZ Newsenhttp://www.wiftnz.org.nz/news/2012/5/8/wift-exec-comment-on-nz-reality-tv-shows-.aspx#comment-48Wed, 09 May 2012 14:25:49 GMThttp://www.wiftnz.org.nz/news/2012/5/8/wift-exec-comment-on-nz-reality-tv-shows-.aspx#comment-48
Thank you to those of you who have written in commenting on the above. I was unaware of the strength of feeling out there for this topic.

However, I would point out that this is not the opinion shared by all our members, and that I should have stated that this was a personal opinion rather than one shared by all at WIFT NZ.

My apologies to those who are working on the shows - I know how hard it is to find work of any kind these days. My hope is for a screen industry that celebrates women's achievements rather than their objectification.

Susi Newborn]]>http://www.wiftnz.org.nz/news/2012/5/8/cloud-south-quits-this-way-of-life.aspx#comment-47Wed, 09 May 2012 12:59:09 GMThttp://www.wiftnz.org.nz/news/2012/5/8/cloud-south-quits-this-way-of-life.aspx#comment-47
Thank you for your comments in the WIFT newsletter. It is never easy to stick your head above the parapet and state the truth. My feeling is that our broadcasting landscape is quickly coming to resemble the world Chris Hedges writes about in his brilliant new book Empire of Illusion - the end of literacy and the triumph or spectacle. in the book he exposes the mechanism used to divert us from confronting the economic, environmental, political and moral collapse around us.
the funding of shows such as The GC and the Ridge show are perfect examples of this - vacuous, empty and shallow. they do not, as has been stated, provide a window on our world. Instead they are certainly spectacle designed to divert us, just as Hedges describes.
TV is our most powerful method of disseminating social mores and standards. When used in this way we are in fact telling our young people that it is ok to stand for nothing except sex and money. In the case of The GC it tells young men it is ok to treat women like meat and young women it is ok and required for them to be their lowest selves (as if feminism never happened) We are not providing a window so much as an endorsement to be both base and shallow.
I commend you for commenting publicly.
best
Sumner Burstyn]]>http://www.wiftnz.org.nz/news/2012/5/8/wift-exec-comment-on-nz-reality-tv-shows-.aspx#comment-53Wed, 09 May 2012 22:09:21 GMThttp://www.wiftnz.org.nz/news/2012/5/8/wift-exec-comment-on-nz-reality-tv-shows-.aspx#comment-53http://www.wiftnz.org.nz/news/2010/9/8/2011-wift-nz-awards.aspx#comment-36Wed, 08 Sep 2010 15:38:52 GMThttp://www.wiftnz.org.nz/news/2010/9/8/2011-wift-nz-awards.aspx#comment-36http://www.wiftnz.org.nz/news/2011/7/1/wift-nz-elections-to-the-board-2011---nominee's-personal-statements-.aspx#comment-42Tue, 05 Jul 2011 12:25:17 GMThttp://www.wiftnz.org.nz/news/2011/7/1/wift-nz-elections-to-the-board-2011---nominee's-personal-statements-.aspx#comment-42
Re. the statement above that members are paying to host events: this is not correct. There is a float for events in Wellington and no-one is expected to pay for events out of their own pocket.]]>http://www.wiftnz.org.nz/news/2012/4/24/deaf-mp-leads-call-for-dvd-subtitles.aspx#comment-46Wed, 25 Apr 2012 08:55:31 GMThttp://www.wiftnz.org.nz/news/2012/4/24/deaf-mp-leads-call-for-dvd-subtitles.aspx#comment-46http://www.wiftnz.org.nz/news/2010/3/22/legendary-photojournalist-margaret-moth-dies-.aspx#comment-34Tue, 23 Mar 2010 08:22:38 GMThttp://www.wiftnz.org.nz/news/2010/3/22/legendary-photojournalist-margaret-moth-dies-.aspx#comment-34 Very sad news about Margaret Moth. She worked in Christchurch (as well as Dunedin) for TV One News. As a reporter I remember the splash she made covering a speech at the Christchurch Rotary Club. She was dressed head to toe in customary black - huge boots, jet black hair, with her signature pale make up, lipstick and black rimmed eyes - and I guarantee none of the Christchurch 'suits' heard a word of the speech. They were rivetted by Margaret.

She was intelligent, thoughtful and went on to have a brilliant career. I pass on my sympathy to her family and friends.

Anna Cottrell
]]>http://www.wiftnz.org.nz/news/2011/2/22/in-support-of-our-cantabrian-friends.aspx#comment-41Wed, 23 Feb 2011 10:58:35 GMThttp://www.wiftnz.org.nz/news/2011/2/22/in-support-of-our-cantabrian-friends.aspx#comment-41
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/front-page-top-stories/news/article.cfm?c_id=698&objectid=10708076]]>http://www.wiftnz.org.nz/news/2011/11/1/what-do-you-think.aspx#comment-45Tue, 22 Nov 2011 17:44:50 GMThttp://www.wiftnz.org.nz/news/2011/11/1/what-do-you-think.aspx#comment-45 Film is no longer a catch-all term it is increasingly a term used to describe a specific part of the screen industry.
Our students have produced phone apps, launched material on Youtube, made TV commercials and shot short films. The term Screen Production kept coming back as the preferred term in our research. This is reflected in various national bodies like SINZ and SPADA.
But until we update our usage the term film lives on we eg what will we call a short film in the future?
]]>http://www.wiftnz.org.nz/news/2010/12/21/grab-yourself-some-free-film-tickets!.aspx#comment-38Tue, 21 Dec 2010 15:02:32 GMThttp://www.wiftnz.org.nz/news/2010/12/21/grab-yourself-some-free-film-tickets!.aspx#comment-38http://www.wiftnz.org.nz/news/2010/11/2/the-great-hobbit-sellout.aspx#comment-37Tue, 02 Nov 2010 22:48:41 GMThttp://www.wiftnz.org.nz/news/2010/11/2/the-great-hobbit-sellout.aspx#comment-37
And boo to the media who have done a shoddy job of reporting on the issue, not really clarifying what is at stake and allowing Robyn Malcolm and Jennifer W-L to bear the brunt of a lot of negativity.

Good on you women for fighting a good fight and for stepping up for what you think is right.

And if you're a techie, think about the fact that if there were the same constraints put on commercials in terms of use of actors as in Australia there would probably be more work here for everyone.

Lastly, the current emergency legislation, which was really unnecessary, is going to affect people across this industry and possibly others.

]]>http://www.wiftnz.org.nz/news/2011/2/8/give-us-your-feedback,-please!.aspx#comment-40Mon, 14 Feb 2011 14:18:10 GMThttp://www.wiftnz.org.nz/news/2011/2/8/give-us-your-feedback,-please!.aspx#comment-40
My hope is that people use the website as a focus to discuss some of the pressing issues that face us as women in the industry. For example why is it that we feel we aren't participating equally?

Is it a glass ceiling, is it lack of good stories from women, is it that women can't write, can we not get people to take our stories seriously, or are we too busy with bringing up families so we drop out of the loop? and on and on. Everyone will have a different opinion but we need to talk about the challenges in a specific way.

I think we should also use it to celebrate each others' victories.

It's a success for everyone that that Gaylene Preston is mentor at Women in the Director's Chair or that Michelle Savill is at Killer Films. Well done ladies, and also to all the others out there who are realising their creative vision every day.


]]>http://www.wiftnz.org.nz/news/2011/2/8/give-us-your-feedback,-please!.aspx#comment-39Mon, 14 Feb 2011 14:18:04 GMThttp://www.wiftnz.org.nz/news/2011/2/8/give-us-your-feedback,-please!.aspx#comment-39
My hope is that people use the website as a focus to discuss some of the pressing issues that face us as women in the industry. For example why is it that we feel we aren't participating equally?

Is it a glass ceiling, is it lack of good stories from women, is it that women can't write, can we not get people to take our stories seriously, or are we too busy with bringing up families so we drop out of the loop? and on and on. Everyone will have a different opinion but we need to talk about the challenges in a specific way.

I think we should also use it to celebrate each others' victories.

It's a success for everyone that that Gaylene Preston is mentor at Women in the Director's Chair or that Michelle Savill is at Killer Films. Well done ladies, and also to all the others out there who are realising their creative vision every day.


]]>http://www.wiftnz.org.nz/news/2010/2/10/doco-brother-number-one-establishes-online-presence.aspx#comment-33Thu, 11 Feb 2010 13:36:10 GMThttp://www.wiftnz.org.nz/news/2010/2/10/doco-brother-number-one-establishes-online-presence.aspx#comment-33 Brigitte]]>http://www.wiftnz.org.nz/news/2011/11/1/good-luck-to-our-afta-finalists.aspx#comment-44Tue, 01 Nov 2011 22:16:04 GMThttp://www.wiftnz.org.nz/news/2011/11/1/good-luck-to-our-afta-finalists.aspx#comment-44http://www.wiftnz.org.nz/news/2011/11/1/good-luck-to-our-afta-finalists.aspx#comment-43Tue, 01 Nov 2011 22:15:56 GMThttp://www.wiftnz.org.nz/news/2011/11/1/good-luck-to-our-afta-finalists.aspx#comment-43