Annual Film Scholarship Announced

The Annual Scholarship programme for women has been launched and aims to make a difference through direct action. It was suggested by acclaimed New Zealand screenwriter, producer, and director Jane Campion. Take note! The deadline for applications is Friday 1 May at 5 pm!

The programme will offer scholarships across different disciplines in the screen industry where female participation is low. NZFC will consult with the guilds and the industry to determine which roles need scholarship support. The scholarship programme will be flexible and evolve with the requirements of the industry.

The inaugural scholarship is the JC CineFem Scholarship for women aspiring to a career as a cinematographer.

The scholarship will offer the recipient an internship with a local or international cinematographer of her choice. Applicants for the scholarship could be an emerging DoP, a Camera Assistant or stills photographer.

Along with NZFC, Jane Campion will use her networks and connections to set the winning applicant up with an inspiring mentorship with their preferred mentor. This mentorship will provide an opportunity for a visually-minded woman with the passion and ambition to step into the world of cinematography under the guidance of an experienced cinematographer. Details on criteria and how to apply are below.

The mentorship is expected to take place over 10 to 12 months and the recipient is expected to participate in seminars or workshops to share their knowledge upon completion. If you have responsibilities which formerly might have stopped you from applying for a scholarship such as this, please mention these in your application as the scholarship programme is flexible, responsive and open to the challenges of women working in the screen industry. There will also be funding support to contribute towards the recipient's costs, including travel related to the programme for the duration of the mentorship.

Who can apply?

• Applicants must have a significant body of work in a visual medium where they have collaborated with other NZ practitioners. Applicants could be a DoP, a camera assistant or a stills photographer.
• Applicants must have career aspirations to be a world-class cinematographer.
• Applicants must have a project they are aiming to shoot within six months (eg. short, feature, television etc.). The aim is for the recipient to use the skills and tools learned during the mentorship to support a project, and for the mentor to provide feedback throughout.
• Applicants must be New Zealand citizens or permanent residents.

Applicants must include the following as part of their application:

• CV and showreel of previous work via website link.
• A statement about why they wish to undertake this opportunity and what outcomes they aim to take away.
• A list of up to five cinematographers the applicant is interested in being mentored by.

Who will decide and what is the process?

• Applications will be assessed by representatives from the NZFC, industry specialists/peers and Jane Campion.
• We will advise applicants if their application is successful or not, but feedback may not be provided.
• We aim to confirm the successful candidate within six weeks of the closing date.

Assessment criteria:

When assessing applications for this programme, the panel will use the following criteria:

• The skills, experience and track record of the applicant, and the quality of their previous work.
• The strategy and outcomes they hope to accomplish.
• The strength of the project they are working towards.

Supplementary workshop:

If there is high enough demand for this opportunity, NZFC will also run a workshop for all interested applicants with Ari Wegner and Ginny Loane, two highly experienced and passionate female cinematographers based in New Zealand.

How to apply and deadline:

Please send your application in PDF format with embedded links to visual material to profdev@nzfilm.co.nzby Friday 1 May at 5pm.