Wednesday
24
Nov
2021
Thriving in the South Island

Thriving in the South Island

Posted Thursday 18 Nov 2021

It's a long time since WIFT NZ has enticed Janine Morell-Gunn out of her office to be on a panel so we're delighted she will be sharing her experiences on building a screen industry business in the South Island at our upcoming workshop!
Facilitated by Bree Loverich, Manager of Screen CanterburyNZ, Janine will be joined by three other successful South Island-based women: Amanda Jenkins of AJ Films, Kim Georgine of Cathouse Films, and Anna Canton of Annakey Productions.

WIFT NZ members free; non-members $15 cash at the door (sorry eftpos isn't available).

Some of the topics and questions the panel will explore are: 

  • What does a sustainable career in the screen sector mean?
  • What type of roles are available to screen contractors in Christchurch?
  • What type of pathways are available into the screen sector?
  • What does development look like?
  • How does diversity and inclusion fit into this sustainability model?
  • What is Christchurch doing to nurture growth in the our local screen industry? What do we need to nurture more?
  • How has COVID changed the industry in Christchurch? How can we manage these changes? 
  • What is coming up for Screen Canterbury?

Delivered in partnership with Screen CanterburyNZ and University of Canterbury

 

About the panellists:

Amanda Jenkins, Line Producer, Producer - AJ Films
For the past 20 years Amanda has been a producer in the international advertising sector working abroad and in New Zealand. Beginning her career as a videographer on Heavenly Creatures and The Frighteners, she trained at TVNZ, and has produced three NZFC short films, one of which - Closer - was nominated for the Palme d'Or at the 2004 Cannes festival. She has been location manager for When Strangers Appear and location coordinator for Netflix feature The Royal Treatment. Now pivoting back into feature film and documentary, she is in postproduction for 2021 Loading Docs, whilst line producing new feature films in development slated to shoot in the South Island. 

Anna Canton, Creative Producer – Annakey Productions
Anna's short films Gravel 3000 and the award-winning Model 15 have played at local and international festivals, and she is currently co-producing a feature, The Pissy Tits Street Gang, with Nadia Maxwell. Another short, Homecoming, has received Fresh Shorts funding from Script-to-Screen. Anna was also the line producer on the short film The Meek directed by Gillian Ashurst, and she works as a marketing manager, specialising in brand and strategy.

Janine Morell Gunn, Producer - Whitebait Media
Janine Morrell-Gunn is one of New Zealand's leading children's television producers. She began her TV career in 1985 as a trainee director and producer at TVNZ, and went on to become executive producer of TVNZ's Children's Unit. In the late 1990s she formed Whitebait Productions (now Whitebait Media) with her husband Jason Gunn, and by 2009 the company employed 140 staff, and had opened a $7 million studio facility. Whitebait Media revamped New Zealand's longest-running children's programme, What Now?, and has dominated Kiwi children's TV with weekday shows like The Erin Simpson Show and The 4.30 Show.

Kim Georgine, Director – Cat House Films
Kim has worked professionally in film, TV and video production for over 20 years. She is experienced in script reading and coverage, and pitch and proposal writing. Kim is a co-founder of Cathouse Films, which specialises in creating content for business websites, and product/service promotional videos.

Date: Wednesday 24 November 2021
Time: 6pm drinks for a 6.30pm start
Location: John Britten Building - Ground Floor Foyer 69 Creyke Road · University of Canterbury.

Date: Wednesday 24 Nov 2021
Location: John Britten Building - Ground Floor Foyer 69 Creyke Road, Cnr Creyke Rd and Engineering Rd · University of Canterbury · Christchurch
Time: 6pm drinks for a 6.30pm start

Wednesday
24
Nov
2021

Upcoming events...

Wednesday 12 Apr 2023

Key Art & Design Elements with Jeremy Saunders

A film or TV show's poster needs to capture its tone, mood and theme, as well as the interest of a potential audience. Jeremy Saunders is one the most sought-after poster designers in the world, having created key art, title design and marketing for nearly 400 films and shows. These include works for Lars von Trier, Jane Campion, Taika Waititi, Steven Soderbergh, Andrea Arnold, Warwick Thornton and many more. Come and hear filmmaker Marina Alofagia McCartney find out from Jeremy what it takes to design one of the most successful promotional tools for your project.

In this conversation Jeremy will discuss:

  • The aspects of film marketing from a filmmaker's perspective;
  • Practical steps filmmakers can take to help the process;
  • Potential pitfalls and points of fracture that can be avoided;
  • His process for creating successful posters and title design;
  • What stage an art designer should come onboard a project;
  • Some of the most successful projects and what makes them successful;
  • What clients should include in a brief for poster and/or title design to ensure success;
  • A case study of one of his posters.            

Jeremy Saunders has created key art and titles for very nearly 400 movies and shows including works by Lars von Trier, Jane Campion, Taika Waititi, Steven Soderbergh, Andrea Arnold, Warwick Thornton and many more. Key art refers to the art of movie marketing campaigns, including movie posters, trailers, TV and internet advertising. His designs are innovative and striking with varied imagery that captures the eye. Check out his work above, and online at JeremySaunders.com

Facilitator: Marina Alofagia McCartney
Marina Alofagia McCartney (Samoa, English, Romani) is an award-winning filmmaker and scholar with films featured in numerous festivals, including Palm Springs, Berlin, SXSW and more. Marina is a PhD candidate exploring Moana Pasifika film, writing for several writer’s tables, and developing a variety of projects including her NZFC Catalyst short film The Return and her next feature Dusky.

RSVP essential to office@wiftnz.org.nz

WIFT NZ members FREE; non-members $15 cash, includes wine and nibbles.

Wednesday 19 Apr 2023

The Director-1AD-Producer Dynamic

Continuing in our series examining key relationships for directors, we now bring you this workshop on the Director - 1AD - Producer dynamic, in collaboration with DEGANZ.

**WIFT NZ and DEGANZ members are free**

Panellists:

Armağan Ballantyne (Director) Armağan’s films have screened in festivals around the world including Venice, Berlin, New York, Telluride, Wairoa, Tribeca, and Sydney. She attended the Sundance Lab with her first feature The Strength of Water. Her latest film Nude Tuesday received a 5-star review in The Guardian and earned five nominations at the AACTAS Awards. Recently Armağan directed an episode of Time Bandits for Paramount.

Philippa Campbell (Producer) Philippa recently completed post production of Loren Taylor’s debut feature The Moon is Upside Down. She first worked with Jane Campion producing both seasons of Top of the Lake and is currently co-director of Jane’s A Wave in the Ocean directors’ intensive.

Terri Kilmartin (1AD) started her career in New York City in the late 1990s as an Assistant Director in independent film. She has more than 25 years experience as an Assistant Director on feature films, TV drama and commercials. Most recently she has worked on the TV series Sweet Tooth and One Of Us Is Lying.

Facilitator:

Tui Ruwhiu (Ngāpuhi) is Executive Director of DEGANZ. He is a producer with more than 20 years’ experience domestically and internationally in film video, television, and marketing communications. Tui has worked in various roles for Virgin Earth in Japan, New Zealand production company Communicado, financial information giant Reuters, and marketing communications company Fresh Media.   

Our experienced panel will be discussing the following questions:

  • What is the role of the 1st AD and who do they represent on set?
  • How can a successful dynamic be nurtured between the 1st AD, Director and Producer?
  • How does a 1st AD balance the creative needs of the director and the logistical needs of the shoot?
  • What is the best way to deal with Director-1st AD differences?
  • What expectations do directors and producers have of a 1st AD, and what does a 1st AD want from the director and the producer?

RSVP essential to office@wiftnz.org.nz 

WIFT members and DEGANZ members free, non-members $15 cash at the door; includes wine and nibbles.

Wednesday 21 Jun 2023

Sharon Menzies: What I've learned along the way

For the past 25 years Sharon Menzies has grappled with, and solved, cashflow finance; 15 of those years for 450 film and television projects across Australasia.  

Producers know that without the cashflow they would be generally unable to complete production. And in some cases innovative and creative financing solutions are needed to get stories to screen.

What is cashflow finance? How are productions being financed in our post-COVID world? How has finance changed over the 15 years Sharon led Fulcrum? Sharon will share tips to make cashflow financing easier and decrease financing costs.

So many questions and so much information to be shared!  AND, what is Sharon going to do now?  Come along to this essential workshop to find out!

Facilitator: Jill Macnab 
Jill Macnab is the General Manager of Vendetta Films, a leading Australia-New Zealand film distribution company, and is also co-owner of their sister company, Vendetta Productions. She is the producer of feature film Born To Dance, feature documentary In The Zone, interactive project Give Kate A Voice, and has executive produced a number of other features and documentaries, adding to a slate of projects in varying stages of development.

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