Here's a selection of the many exciting workshops and panel sessions you'll be able to sink your teeth into at the upcoming Big Screen Symposium!
Mulan production design master class
Academy Award winning production designer Grant Major will explain how he created the stunning and richly hued world of this epic production. He'll discuss the design philosophy and the realities of producing the enormous sets both in Auckland and in the Ahuriri Valley in the South Island, as well as the filming processes, the ups and downs of dealing with day-to-day changes, the practicalities, compromises, minor successes, and the unexpected baffling issues navigated while filming in China.
Screenwriting masterclass with Sophie Henderson
WIFT member Sophie Henderson (Fantail,2013, Baby, Done, 2020 and The Justice of Bunny King, 2021) will delve into the emotional high stakes of screenwriting for both writer and character. Learn about building a story with empathy to connect with an audience, fighting for authenticity over likeability, and putting your whole self into your script.
The rise of the actor-writer
Actors-writers Sophie Henderson, Kura Forrester (Ahik?roa, Golden Boy) and Hanelle Harris (Baby Mama's Club, Sis) along with filmmaker and now also actor David White (This Town, Meat) discuss what the disciplines of writing and acting lend each other.
$50 million screen production fund
Jointly managed by the New Zealand Film Commission and NZ On Air, the Government's screen sector recovery package includes a Screen Production Fund of $50m to produce up to five feature films or limited series screen productions for New Zealand and international audiences. A 30-minute session will be held so both agencies can respond to questions about it.
Screen Sector Strategy: The road ahead
In a curated conversation, members of the Screen Sector Strategy Facilitation Group will provide an overview of the strategic framework and answer questions before moving into a panel discussion about the options for pan sector organisations and how pan-sector representation may be achieved. Attend this session to find out how you can contribute to the shape of Aotearoa's pan-sector organisation.
New Zealand Film Commission presentation
Annabelle Sheehan, CEO of the New Zealand Film Commission, and other key NZFC staff will explore this year's BSS theme of Transforming Culture as it relates to existing and upcoming programmes at NZFC. Key issues such as the impact of Covid-19 and the outlook for the New Zealand and global industry will also be explored, along with a celebration of the sector's creative and economic achievements in the past year.
NZ ON AIR looks ahead
In a special presentation NZOA will outline the challenges, ideas and opportunities ahead as we all try to put 2020 behind us. How do we get local content in front of fragmenting audiences and young New Zealanders in particular? How do we achieve authenticity for diverse audiences? If there's a year to transform culture, it is 2021.
When: October 9 - 10, 2020
Where: ASB Waterfront Theatre Auckland.