Archive Sep 2021

The NZFC, Te Māngai Pāho and NZ On Air have resolved to further postpone Round 2 of Ara ki Te Puna Kairangi - The Premium Development Fund. In a media release Kay Ellmers, Kaihautū-Te Puna Kairangi / Co-Head Premium Production Fund said the decision had…

Save the date and get your nominations in for the 24th Annual SPADA Screen Industry Awards! The Awards ceremony will be held on Friday 26 November 2021 at the Villa Maria Estate in Manukau, Auckland following the one-day SPADA Screen Industry Summit.

The SPADA Screen…

This is a great time to bring recognition to someone out there who makes a difference!

The late Ian (Turtz) Turtill was an influential camera department icon. If you know someone like that, then you should nominate them for this year's Turtz Award, run by…

Got an idea for a cracking TV show? Screenwriter Kathryn Burnett is offering an industry discount to WIFT NZ members for the upcoming online screenwriting course with award-winning TV writer (and WIFT NZ member) Rachel Lang. One of New Zealand’s most experienced television writers who…

This year's World Congress of Science & Factual Producers will feature a robust programme of online sessions and panels, dynamic virtual networking, on-demand access to recorded content, and more.

Emerging producers, you might be eligible for the Emerging Producers Bursary Programme, which offers up-and-coming producers…

Be inspired by these wonderful New Zealand women, a collection curated by the team at Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision.

The women of Aotearoa New Zealand gained the right to vote in September 1893, after a hard-fought campaign and several massive, nationwide petitions. To honour…

On Saturday 4 September, in partnership with the NZCS, Doc Edge will present a session on cinematography for documentary and factual content creators. 

Hear from cinematographers including Aditi Sharma (India), Dale Cochrane (Australia), and locals Harold Monfils and Tory Evans.

The clinic will run online,…

An extra opportunity for funding for the screen industry, supported by the guilds has been announced today by funding agencies Te Tumu Whakaata Taonga New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC), Te Māngai Pāho and Irirangi te Motu (NZ On Air). 

Intention: 
The Interim Round intends to…

In anticipation of the upcoming *Te Māngai Pāho - General Audiences funding round, RNZ Commissioning is seeking expressions of interest for projects looking for platform support. 
*Te Māngai Pāho provides contestable, mixed-platform funding for producers and creators to create a diverse range of Māori content.…

The call is out! Submissions for the Mobile Film Festival are open until 12 October, 2021, and the theme is, once again, about climate issues.

The theme of 'Making Peace with Nature' is clearly an enormous topic and open to interpretation. The MFF team hope…

Are you an emerging woman, girl, or femme-identifying filmmaker making documentaries to advocate for women's and girls' rights? If so, then this is the festival for you! Submit by 17 September to make the early bird deadline and discounted submission fee!

This festival provides visibility, networking…

It's great to be able to share good news from the WIFT NZ office in these interesting times!

The NZ Film Commission has kindly supported our latest endeavours, one of which is a reprise of a successful programme we ran in 2019, and the other…

Here’s a shout out to Megan Jones and her team at Kindred Films. Their documentary Six Angry Women has been selected for 11 international film festivals, including Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Toronto International Women Film Festival, Female Eye Film Festival, the Dili International Film…

Check out the fantastic documentaries in Loading Docs’ new collection Season 8, available to watch for FREE on all devices via www.loadingdocs.net/tumanako. These eight new short documentaries challenge human connection, justice, grief and cultural identity. WIFT NZ members involved are listed below. 

Click here to…

We're pleased to see there are WIFT-ers in the mix of the fifth series of Someday Stories, a creative development platform for emerging filmmakers! Show your support and check them out at the links below.

Alyssa Medel-Khew's film Mekeni (pictured) explores how an unexpected encounter…

It’s great to see that the Catherine Fitzgerald-produced documentary Helen Kelly – Together is going to be on the DocPlay platform (another reason to make the most of that 60-day extended trial offer we sent you last week!)

Made by award-winning director Tony Sutorius, Helen…

Because it’s so important to have good health and safety procedures in place these days, we thought we’d do a quick shout-out to WIFT NZ member Louise Spraggon, a qualified NZ Screen Health & Safety officer. Louise helps enable all those working in Aotearoa's creative…

Do you want to help shape the future of the Screen Industry in Canterbury? Do you have production or location management experience? Then this could be the opportunity for you!

The newly created position of 'Screen Specialist' will provide support to the Screen CanterburyNZ Manager…

General manager
Pan Asian Screen Collective

Lecturer and discipline lead - screen arts
UNITEC

Lecturer and discipline lead - acting
UNITEC

Digital & social media producer for Re:
TVNZ

Executive director
NZ Game Developers' Association

Programme administrator
NZ Game Developers' Association (remote)

Video editor & DIT
Storyworks

Production manager
Taki Rua Productions

Videographer
Kainga…

Funding Advisor, Development
NZ Film Commission

Funding Advisor, Production (contract role)
NZ Film Commission

Marketing Manager
Weta Digital

VFX Producer
Weta Digital

Executive Producer Fair Go
TVNZ

Planning Producer
Discovery

Shooter/Video Editor
Grundy Productions

Director Video News
Allied Press

Producer/Production Manager
PointClickShootBang 

A round of applause for Kim Georgine (director) and Janine Sowerby (writer) who have moved through to Stage Two of the Paerangi Project with their short film Son's Return Home. Facilitated by Script To Screen, the programme was created for those interested in developing a…

West Auckland WIFT NZ member Aidee Walker, her partner Talor Wikohika, and their family have been greatly affected by the storm in Auckland on 31 August. If you can help financially please click here for their Give A Little page. Everyone is safe, the money…

COVID-19 is having an impact on so many aspects of our lives, and it's easy to get bogged down by the negative. If you need help or you're looking for ways to help yourself or others cope and feel mentally well, these resources are available…

The work of many, many WIFT NZ members will feature among the 12 New Zealand films selected (so far) to screen in Whānau Mārama New Zealand International Film Festival in 2021.

Sadly we can’t list you all, but here are the projects with WIFTers at…

A big congratulations to Brigid Alkema on becoming the first ever Kiwi woman to be appointed to the legendary global BBDO creative board. MadDaily.com reports that, simultaneously, Clemenger BBDO New Zealand has promoted her to chief creative officer. 

Clemenger Group NZ chief executive Strahan Wallis…

How do you like those apples?! Great news for Brown Sugar Apple Grunt, the Kerry Warkia/Kiel McNaughton production company. The TV series Good Grief will make its way to IFC and Sundance Now, which have acquired North America and UK rights to the New Zealand…

Hot off the heels of her fifth Olympic games and bronze medal win, Dame Valerie Adams is to feature in an honest and revealing film. We’re looking forward to seeing it, not least because WIFT members are involved: Briar March, Leanne Pooley and Katie Millington.

A shout-out to Jessica George who, along with three other wāhine post graduate film students, is developing Our Friend James, a horror-comedy-political-coming-of-age short film. They'd love you to support them on Boosted!

The film aims to "dismantle some of the institutionalised racism we see in…

Back in 2019, Kathy McRae and Migiwa Ozawa released a short doco for Loading Docs called Water Baby. It documented how Japanese actress and freediver Sachiko Fukumoto and her partner William Trubridge (New Zealand’s world champion freediving legend) fought to have a birth that felt…

How can you convince majority groups to shift their thinking when the world has catered to them for so long? In a recent blog for Stoppress.co.nz, Sam Ramlu, owner of creative technology studio Method, thinks the answer is simple: by making them a bit uncomfortable.

Enjoy an alpine escape to Queenstown! Heritage Queenstown is offering a special screen rate of $210 GST incl. per night, including breakfast for two in Mackenzies restaurant.

The special is for deluxe rooms and valid until 23 December 2021, subject to availability.

Click here for…

We're very pleased to see that the fabulous Jodhi Hoani has been appointed the new Rangatahi, Māori and Pasifika Commissioner for RNZ.

Jodhi has been in broadcasting for nearly 20 years, starting at student radio station 95bFM, then in content creation and production with Whakaata…

A big whoop whoop! to Rebecca Tansley! You can now watch the trailer for her short film The Finding, on Vimeo, at the link below. The 15 minute film follows a teenager’s efforts to reconnect with her estranged father and the dark secret in their…

Māori Television requests proposals for the up-coming funding rounds for:

• NZOA General Audience Round 2, 2021 – full proposal deadline to MTS
  20 September 2021, 1pm
  
  
• Te Māngai Pāho General Audience Round 2, 2021 – 3 page deadline to MTS
  24 September 2021, 1pm
  
  Click here for the…

Yes, the deadline is fast approaching for those planning to approach Radio New Zealand as their primary platform for the NZ On Air General Audiences funding round. RNZ says it is open to short pitches for scripted/comedy/drama online video or podcast series. RNZ is looking…

Here's a great incentive to film your project in Canterbury! The Screen CanterburyNZ Production Grant is the first of its kind in New Zealand, and will provide just under $1.5 million over the next three years to domestic and international productions that meet eligibility requirements.

Screen Industry New Zealand Inc (SINZ) is pleased to announce that Matthew Horrocks has been contracted to research and evaluate potential membership organisational structures, in order to identify the best model for the screen sector’s proposed pan-sector body.

Horrocks has produced short films, documentaries, and…

Join Script to Screen and the NZ Film Commission TOMORROW at 5:30pm for a live webinar on Whiringa Tauatahi - Stage One and how to make your 2021 Kōpere Hou – Fresh Shorts application shine.

The purpose of the webinar is to give an overview…

Tune in tomorrow for a webinar on Set To Screen Workflow, run by the Screen Music & Sound Guild of New Zealand. This session is targeted at producers, directors, editors and sound crew who are interested in spanning the bridge between production and post to…

What a breakthrough! Wasn't it fabulous to see women receiving the three top prizes at the prestigious Venice International Film Festival?! The Golden Lion for Best Film went to French director Audrey Diwan for Happening; Jane Campion received a Silver Lion for Best Director for…

Discover the top five tools producers and writers can adapt from the virtual production process to help  advance their storytelling, development and production workflows without breaking their budgets. 

At the Oslo Showrunner Forum, leading specialists, experienced in applying this cutting edge, powerful reframing of production…

The 16th Show Me Shorts Film Festival is coming to a screen near you! From over 1600 entries from across the globe, the Show Me Shorts selection panel has curated a spectacular programme of 75 of the world’s best short films including three music videos.

The German Film Festival is up and running online earlier than planned thanks to Covid-19 alert level changes. There are some great films in the line up - and they're all free to watch! Take a look at the programme at the link below.

This…

Young New Zealanders are continuing to lead a march away from traditional media, but TV is still the media New Zealanders spend the most time with overall in a day. 

The latest results from the series survey Where Are The Audiences? reveal audience behaviour in…

Run by the Hot Docs Canadian Documentary Festival, the Emerging Producers Bursary Programme offers up-and-coming producers and content creators working in science, history, wildlife and non-fiction media a range of support, including accreditation and networking opportunities for Congress '21, presented by the World Congress of…

There is a perception in some quarters that hiring a first-time director is too risky, but is that perception justified?

Film data hound Stephen Follows teamed up with Bruce Nash from The Numbers to take a look at the data to find out.

They focused…

Well done to Katie Millington and Lib Kelly of production company Eight: these two have received a joint nomination for the B&T Diversity Champion Award. 

In an effort to make fundamental and long-standing change in the industries in Australia and New Zealand, Eight is working…

Comedian David Downs had just months to live when he entered a clinical trial of an innovative cancer treatment in the US. Within weeks, he was in complete remission, and two years later he is deemed cured. Now, he has dedicated himself to helping others…

The many different faces of Aotearoa are represented in a host of new factual content to be commissioned from the latest NZ On Air funding round. WIFT NZ members are in the funding mix, and their projects traverse topics such as the arrivals of pan-ethnic…

We're looking forward to seeing the work of WIFT NZ members, producers Chelsea Winstanley and Ainsley Gardiner on the big screen at the New Zealand International Film Festival where their feature film Night Raiders will have its NZ premiere. The Canadian-New Zealand co-production received rave…

There has been a lot of NZ On Air funding announced in the last couple of weeks, and we're very glad to see that many WIFT NZ members are included! 

Listed below in bold are the WIFTers who recently received funding for drama and comedy…

We're pleased to hear that writer/director Fiona McKenzie and producer/editor Scott Flyger's short film Peninsula has won the Let’s Include section, which recognises inclusion, at the Academy Award-qualifying Bengaluru International Short Film Festival in Bangalore, India. Peninsula, which had its world premiere at the Tribeca…

Aotearoa’s youngest viewers are in for a treat with $13.3m worth of new content to stimulate and entertain across a range of digital platforms, games and television. WIFT NZ members' projects are among the 13 new series, eight returning favourites and seven new online games…

Congratulations to Sharlene George, Kath Akuhata-Brown and Evie Mackay whose shorts have been selected for competition in the NZIFF New Zealand’s Best Short Film Competition.

Chosen by this year’s New Zealand International Film Festival guest selector, award-winning actress and filmmaker Kerry Fox, the six films…

There's still time to apply for this fabulous opportunity - get those applications in by 5pm tomorrow! With the support of the NZ Film Commission, WIFT NZ and SPADA are delighted to be again running a six-day intensive course for 20 emerging producers.

You may:

An extra opportunity for funding for the screen industry, supported by the guilds, was announced on 30 August by funding agencies Te Tumu Whakaata Taonga New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC), Te Māngai Pāho and Irirangi te Motu (NZ On Air).  

This Interim Production Funding Round…

An NZFC initiative run in partnership with Script to Screen, the Kōpere Hou - Fresh Shorts programme aims  to nurture, challenge, and inspire short filmmaking talent through a development and industry mentoring process. 

Last week the Fresh Shorts team held a helpful webinar on what's…

Writers, have you got your application for this amazing opportunity in yet?!
Tāhuna is a Writers Residency that will take place in Queenstown in February 2022, and aims to enable screenwriters to develop uniquely New Zealand television dramas that can be taken to the world.…

Get your nominations in folks, the deadline is looming! Think about the people and organisations in our sector who deserve to be celebrated, and nominate them!

The 2021 SPADA Screen Industry Awards include:

• The New Filmmaker of the Year Award - sponsored by Fulcrum Media…

Jessica Hobbs won Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series at the recent Emmy Awards for the episode entitled War in the Netflix TV series The Crown. 

According to Deadline.com, the other three female directors who have won a drama directing Emmy are Reed Morano in…

This programme aims to cultivate a super-smart community of businesspeople in the screen industry who support each other over time, which is especially important for filmmakers who often work in isolation.

Script to Screen is again partnering with Compton School to deliver Strength in Numbers which…

Lock in this date people - the BSS is back! The next Big Screen Symposium will be on Friday 8 and Saturday 9 April 2022 at the ASB Waterfront Theatre.
And to complement the event in the best possible way, the WIFT NZ Awards will again…

Share The Knowledge is offering an exclusive specialised training course for the screen industry. Places are limited to 20, and the deadline is 10 October, so get in quick! 
The course is designed for those who want to take their career to the next stage.…

Stephen Follows loves a good data challenge, and in doing this one he has discovered a lot of interesting information as well as revealing data. When it comes to screenplays, the rule of thumb is that one page of a properly formatted film script will…

Anna Serner has been hugely influential in her radical work towards gender equality in the screen industry, notably for her trailblazing initiative “50:50 by 2020”.

Serner is stepping down as CEO from the Swedish Film Institute after 10 years, a decision which, reports Deadline.com, creates…

SAE Institute and Crescendo have formed an industry partnership that sparks a bright future for Auckland’s young creative talent. 

Crescendo is an Auckland-based music production and recording studio that functions as a social enterprise. Crescendo specialises in finding meaningful pathways for youth aged between 12…

Here's a unique opportunity to develop your skills with one of the most accomplished production designers in the film industry. Fest Film Lab offers this online intensive workshop with Allan Starski, a production designer for The Pianist, Schindler’s List (for which he was awarded the…

Online from 2-30 November, Aesthetica 2021's Official Selection Film Programme promises everything from comedy to family-friendly viewing to documentary. Organised into six strands, each strand addresses key themes, encouraging conversations about our world. 

Discover new cinema as well as masterclasses and panels. The link to…

When Kate Winslet won the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series for her role in  Mare of Easttown, she was asked what it meant to win an award for “a role like Mare”.

For those who don’t know, Winslet’s decidedly unglamorous detective…

Whether you’re in film, TV, advertising, animation or games, this annual event has something to offer. Registration is now open for FOCUS, the meeting place for international production. 

Find filming solutions and production intelligence for all types of project and all levels of budget, from…

The Netflix series has garnered 24 Emmys and Season 4, which brings us up to the more modern-day royals  looks to be The Best Yet! 

Check out this marvellous video showcasing the work of the show's costume designer Amy Roberts (pictured below) who has worked…

International attractions coordinator
New Zealand Film Commission

Executive director
New Zealand Game Developers' Association

Programme administrator
New Zealand Game Developers' Association

Video & content production specialist
Engineering New Zealand

Videographer
University of Canterbury

Local democracy reporting manager 
RNZ

Creative director
Deloitte

Strategy lead
Deloitte

Kaitohu director
Pantograph Punch

Kaiwhakahaere Whakaari - producer
Te Pou

Kaiwhakahaere Hanga Hōtaka…

We're thrilled to announce that the biennial WIFT Awards are on again! This exciting evening honours the wonderful women who make up our industry, and will be held at the ASB Waterfront Theatre on 7 April, 2022 - as with  the previous Awards, it's the…