Sunday
26
Nov
2023
From Reel to Real: Transforming Documentaries into Successful TV Shows (WTN)

From Reel to Real: Transforming Documentaries into Successful TV Shows (WTN)

Posted Thursday 26 Oct 2023

We're delighted to present you with this special intensive workshop from Emmy Award-winning television producer and WIFT NZ member, Jon Kroll.

From Reel to Real: Transforming Documentaries into Successful TV Shows

The Pitch:
Have you spent the past four years of your life scraping together cash from grants, government incentives and the local dentist in an effort to complete your long-suffering feature doc… only to wonder, “what’s next?”
Or has the competition for public funds and the foundering economy conspired to keep cameras from rolling at all on your passion project?
Is there another way to, you know, actually make a living by telling the stories you want to tell?
That’s what this one-day seminar is all about. We’ll spend the day discussing how to transform your cash-bleeding documentary feature into a profitable television venture.
Join Jon as we take a deep dive into the television marketplace and give you valuable tools that can help transform your money pit into a cash cow… or at least from a credit card drain into a respectable contributor to the household.

Presenter Jon Kroll
Jon Kroll has produced TV shows for more than 30 years, including The Amazing Race, for which he was honoured with a Primetime Emmy Award. He is currently Executive Producer of NatGeo’s enduring hit, Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted, which he has run since its inception.

He also is Executive Producer of NatGeo’s Never Say Never with Jeff Jenkins and Extraordinary Birder with Christian Cooper for NatGeoWild. Kroll’s other projects include the award-winning feature documentary, From Hell to Hollywood, which won the Audience Award at Kansas City Film Fest International; Pink Collar Crimes for CBS; two seasons of American Grit for Fox starring WWE superstar John Cena; three seasons of Big Brother for CBS; and the controversial UPN series, Amish in the City, which critics hailed as “One of the best new reality series of the year.”

He has also directed three movies, written multiple graphic novels and built a Hello Kitty theme park. Originally from Northern California, Kroll was raised on a Mendocino County commune without television or electricity. He lives in Wellington, New Zealand.

Date: Sunday 26 November 2023

Time: 10am-3pm

Venue: Taia Studios, 4 Bay Rd, Kilbirnie, Wellington

Cost: Members $20, non-members $40.

Tea/ coffee and nibbles provided.

BRING YOUR OWN LUNCH.

Bookings essential to office@wiftnz.org.nz

Once you register you will be sent an invoice for payment before the event.

Date: Sunday 26 Nov 2023
Location: Taia Studios, 4 Bay Rd, Kilbirnie, Wellington
Time: 10:00am - 3:00pm

Sunday
26
Nov
2023

Upcoming events...

Wednesday 12 Nov 2025

Co-Productions: An In-Depth Dive with the NZFC

Co-Productions: An In-Depth Dive with the NZFC

Navigate the world of international co-productions with confidence. New Zealand has 18 official co-production agreements globally, with another on the horizon. But what do these agreements actually mean for filmmakers?

This comprehensive presentation demystifies the concept of co-production and the 18 co-production arrangements, breaking down the practical benefits and requirements of official co-productions versus unofficial co-productions. You'll gain clarity on how these agreements work, which opportunities could align with your project, and how to leverage them effectively.

Delivered by: Co-Production & Incentives and Funding kaimahi

With extensive experience overseeing New Zealand's co-production landscape, they will share insider knowledge on international co-production.

Following the workshop, the NZFC team will offer virtual one-on-one sessions for filmmakers who want to discuss their specific projects and explore potential co-production pathways. You will be able to sign up for these at the workshop.

- NEW DATE: Wednesday 12th November
- Time: 6pm-7:30pm
- Location: St Columba Centre, 40 Vermont Street Ponsonby, Auckland

Free for WIFT & Ngā Aho Whakaari members, $20 for non-members. Drinks & nibbles provided.

Special thanks to the New Zealand Film Commission and Ngā Aho Whakaari for supporting this event.

 

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Wednesday 12 Nov 2025

(Wellington) Framing The Film: The Unit Stills-Producer Collaboration

Framing the Film: The Unit Stills Photographer-Producer Collaboration

Brought to you by the New Zealand Film Commission, Sony New Zealand, WIFT & Topic Rentals

Great stills don't just happen. They require planning, collaboration, and understanding their value from day one.

Publicity stills are how you sell your film. They're also a contractual requirement for funders, yet they're often an afterthought in pre-production. This session explores how to approach unit stills strategically: building them into your budget and schedule, meeting funder requirements with high-quality imagery, and creating a collaborative process that delivers compelling promotional assets.

Join us for an insight into the crucial relationship between unit stills photographers and producers, featuring Matt Grace (Pike River, Time Bandits, The Rings of Power) and Vicky Pope (Producer, Pike River, Went Up the Hill, Savage).

Matt and Vicky will share how they approached unit stills on productions (including working together on Pike River and Savage), to capture outstanding stills that served both the creative vision and the practical demands of distribution and publicity.

Whether you're a producer planning your next project or a photographer looking to work in unit stills, this is an opportunity to understand what makes this collaboration work.

Date: Wednesday 12th November
Time: 6pm-8pm
Venue: Wētā Workshop Group Space, 129 Park Road, Miramar, Wellington

Free for WIFT members, $20 for non-members
Drinks & nibbles provided

REGISTER HERE

Programme is brought to you with generous support from the NZ Film Commission and Foundation North.