WIFT NZ Events

Join Leanne Pooley for an insightful talk with innovative costume designer Barbara Darragh, the winner of the 2024 WIFT Great Southern Film & Television Award for Outstanding Contribution to the NZ Screen Industry. 

Barbara Darragh is an accomplished New Zealand costume designer known for her extensive work in feature films and television. She gained significant recognition with her Emmy nomination for the US Starz series Spartacus, filmed in New Zealand from 2010 to 2013. In 2013, she worked on Beyond The Edge, directed by Leanne Pooley. Darragh also designed costumes for Rob Tapert's telemovies for Hercules and contributed to notable projects like The Dead Lands (2014) and Ash vs Evil Dead (2015-2018). Her award-winning work includes costumes for River Queen (2006) and The End of the Golden Weather (1992), as well as contributions to films like Bridge to Terabithia and The Frighteners. More recent projects include The Royal Treatment (2022), the interactive rom-com Choose Love (2023) for Netflix, and the series Dark City: The Cleaner (2023).

Darragh is also focused on preserving New Zealand’s costume history through her costume rental company, which offers original pieces for designers and stylists. She continues to work on various projects, including a reboot of Spartacus titled House of Asher, set for 2025.

This conversation will explore:

· The creative process and inspirations that drive her approach to character development through clothing in film.

· How she balances the collaborations with directors, actors, and other creative HODs to ensure costume enhances the story.

· How she has navigated historical accuracy and artistic interpretation when designing costumes for stories set in different time periods or locations.

· In an ever-evolving industry, how does she stay ahead of trends while maintaining a unique artistic voice and vision in her work?

· What challenges and triumphs has she experienced throughout her career journey, and what valuable lessons have she learned along the way?

Date: Wednesday 13 November 2024

Time: 6-8pm (6:00pm drinks for a 6:30pm start), 

Location: Click Studios, 525 Rosebank Rd. 

Facilitator: Leanne Pooley is an award-winning documentary filmmaker with over 25 years of experience. She has directed films globally, winning numerous accolades, including Best Documentary at TIFF. In 2011, she was recognized as a New Zealand Arts Laureate, and in 2017, she became an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her contributions to documentary filmmaking. She is also a member of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Leanne collaborated with Barbara Darragh on the 2013 feature documentary BEYOND THE EDGE, about the conquest of Everest. Her recent works include Dame Valerie Adams: MORE THAN GOLD, which tells the inspiring story of the Olympic champion, and Beyond Conversion, focusing on the ban of conversion practices in Aotearoa. She also directed FIGHTBACK – JOSEPH PARKER, an intimate look at the heavyweight boxer's journey. In 2020, she released two feature films: THE GIRL ON THE BRIDGE, about suicide survivor Jazz Thornton, and WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT A.I., which examines the risks and benefits of Artificial General Intelligence.

Join this vibrant discussion to discover the art of Costume Design with one of Aotearoa's finest and enhance your creative journey!

Click Here to RSVP

WIFT members free; non-members $20 ; students $10 -  includes wine and nibbles.