WIFT NZ Events

On January 29, 2025, the Wellington creative community is invited to an exclusive event featuring Virginie Bourdin, a globally renowned Creative Director and Visual Development artist. With a career that includes iconic projects like the Alien Series, Barbie, Harry Potter and Captain Marvel, Virginie will share her unique insights into the art of creative direction and storytelling in the Virtual Art Department (VAD).

This event is a collaboration between Creative Aotearoa French Exchange who run Wellington Animation Festival (CAFE), Women in Film and Television NZ (WIFT NZ), Visual Effects Professionals Guild NZ (VFXG), and the Miramar Creative Centre (VUW), demonstrating a shared commitment to fostering inspiration and professional development within Aotearoa New Zealand's screen industries.

This event is tailored for professionals in the film, VFX and Animation industries providing a great chance to network with peers and explore cutting-edge insights from an international artist and creative business owner.

Discover Virginie’s "secret sauce" for visual development, hear behind-the-scenes stories, and learn how she’s adapting to AI in the creative industry.

• Moderation by: Guillaume Renier, 37 Degrees Studios Co-Founder

This event is hosted by:

• CAFE/WAFF: Supporting, connecting and empowering French creators in Aotearoa
• WIFT NZ: Advocating for women in the screen industries
• VFXG: Supporting the VFX and animation community focusing on advocacy and local growth. 
• Miramar Creative Centre: A hub for cutting-edge innovation in film and design.
• VES NZ: Connecting VFX professionals with a global network to celebrate visual effects excellence.

EVENT FORMAT

• 6:30 PM – 7:00 PM: Welcome drinks and networking
• 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM: Panel discussion
  • Part 1 (7:00 PM – 7:30 PM): Virginie Bourdin’s presentation, The Art of Direction
  • Part 2 (7:30 PM – 8:00 PM): Moderated discussion on:
    • Behind-the-scenes insights from Alien, Barbie, and other projects.
    • Adapting to AI in creative workflows.
    • Contrasting creative markets in Europe and the US.
    • Moderation by: Guillaume Renier, 37 Degrees Studios Co-Founder
  • 8:00 PM – 8:30 PM: Audience Q&A with Virginie.
• 8:30 PM – 9:30 PM: Drinks and networking at Double Vision Brewery.

🎟️ Tickets FREE for WIFT, CAFE, VFXG, VUW Staff, $10 for Students, $20 for non-members, wine and nibbles provided.

SECURE YOUR TICKET HERE

Been talked over in a meeting?  Struggled to negotiate your contract?  Feel undervalued?  Hate conflict?

Join us for an interactive workshop with Dr. Jo Cribb, where you'll learn essential negotiation techniques and conflict resolution strategies. Discover key insights about money attitudes and the pay gap, empowering you to advocate for yourself effectively. Walk away with actionable tips and tricks to navigate your next contract negotiations with confidence!

Date: 15th February

Time: 1 PM - 5 PM, includes late afternoon networking drinks.

Venue: Toi Auaha, 5 Worcester Boulevard, Christchurch Central

The ticket price is $10 for WIFT Members. $25 for Non-Members. Includes networking drinks & nibbles. Spaces are limited. 

Jo is a consultant and professional director with a focus on gender and diversity. She was the previous Chief Executive of the Ministry for Women, and co-founder of the Mind the Gap campaign advocating for pay gap reporting. Recent assignments include evaluating Sport NZ's gender equity in governance policy, leading sessions at APEC 2023 on gender equality in customs and border agencies, working with the New Zealand Defence Force's leadership team on the gender diversity of the forces, and completing a gender analysis of immigration policy.

In 2020, she co-authored the book Take Your Space: Successful Women Share their Secrets; the aim of which is to support women and girls to advance themselves. All proceeds from the book will be donated to The Aunties and Otara Blue Light programme to support young women leaders. Jo has also extensively researched the future of work and the result was the 2018 and 2024 second edition co-authored book Don't Worry About the Robots: How to Survive and Thrive in the New World of Work which provides an accessible synthesis of the trends in technology that are impacting on work and practical tools for future-proofing careers.

In 2016 she was a finalist in the New Zealand Women of Influence Awards and in 2021 won the Women in Governance Community Award from Governance New Zealand.

Jo is the proud mother of two, owns a small vineyard in Martinborough and distills her own gin.

BOOK YOUR TICKET TO THIS EVENT!

Gracious thanks to Screenrights for supporting this workshop for us!

Been talked over in a meeting?  Struggled to negotiate your contract?  Feel undervalued?  Hate conflict?

Join us for an interactive workshop with Dr. Jo Cribb, where you'll learn essential negotiation techniques and conflict resolution strategies. Discover key insights about money attitudes and the pay gap, empowering you to advocate for yourself effectively. Walk away with actionable tips and tricks to navigate your next contract negotiations with confidence!

Date: 22nd February

Time: 1 PM - 5 PM, includes late afternoon networking drinks.

Venue: TBC

The ticket price is $10 for WIFT Members. $25 for Non-Members. Includes networking drinks & nibbles. Spaces are limited. 

Jo is a consultant and professional director with a focus on gender and diversity. She was the previous Chief Executive of the Ministry for Women, and co-founder of the Mind the Gap campaign advocating for pay gap reporting. Recent assignments include evaluating Sport NZ's gender equity in governance policy, leading sessions at APEC 2023 on gender equality in customs and border agencies, working with the New Zealand Defence Force's leadership team on the gender diversity of the forces, and completing a gender analysis of immigration policy.

In 2020, she co-authored the book Take Your Space: Successful Women Share their Secrets; the aim of which is to support women and girls to advance themselves. All proceeds from the book will be donated to The Aunties and Otara Blue Light programme to support young women leaders. Jo has also extensively researched the future of work and the result was the 2018 and 2024 second edition co-authored book Don't Worry About the Robots: How to Survive and Thrive in the New World of Work which provides an accessible synthesis of the trends in technology that are impacting on work and practical tools for future-proofing careers.

In 2016 she was a finalist in the New Zealand Women of Influence Awards and in 2021 won the Women in Governance Community Award from Governance New Zealand. Jo is the proud mother of two, owns a small vineyard in Martinborough and distills her own gin.

BOOK YOUR TICKET TO THIS EVENT BEFORE THIS SELLS OUT!

Gracious thanks to Screenrights for supporting this workshop for us!