It’s just under three weeks until the 30th Spada Conference, with screen sector discussions, presentations, and networking opportunities across Thursday 20 and Friday 21 November.
Spada is delighted to share more detailed information about speakers and sessions for this year’s anniversary event at The Pullman Hotel in Auckland - and don’t miss the two opportunities to celebrate local success with the 27th Annual Spada Screen Industry Awards on Thursday evening and the 2025 New Zealand Screen Awards following the Spada Conference on Friday night!
PROGRAMME OVERVIEW
Thursday 20 & Friday 21 November 2025
The Pullman Hotel, Auckland
Spada welcomes the return of the talented multi-hyphenate James Nokise to once again infuse the Spada Conference with his comedic wit and charm as the Master of Ceremonies.
Day One is jam-packed with great speakers and sessions including one of the top 50 EdTech Educators in the world, Frances Valintine. Frances last set the tone for Spada in 2016, exploring exponential disruption, the evolution of AI, and the future of screen. Nearly a decade on, the world she forecasted has arrived at speed. In her keynote on Thursday morning, Frances revisits her predictions and charts the next frontier for a sector in rapid transformation.
Paul Wiegard, Jas McSweeney, Dr David Court, and Rosie Hole discuss how understanding your audience can unlock elusive private investment in their session, “Innovating for Money and Audiences".
Everyday Wellbeing for Producers: What Works and What’s Next is led by Miranda Rivers and Kelly Lucas. They'll be joined by Emmett Skilton and Morgan Leigh-Stewart.
In Conversation with Award-winning New Zealand author J.P. (Josh) Pomare (Ngā Puhi) will share insights into navigating publishing, IP ownership, adaptation rights, and building an international profile as a writer. All Josh's novels have been optioned, with two having already been adapted for the screen: The Clearing (Disney+) and Watching You (Stan Australia). His latest novel, 17 Years Later, is currently under development with Made Up Stories.
The “Hook, Hold, Repeat: Capturing Rangatahi Attention Online” session brings together a new generation of producers who’ll be sharing how they craft bold, authentic stories for the fast-moving world of social media, and how they connect rangatahi with local content that resonates.
Co-productions are increasingly essential to get ambitious projects made. Poppy Dowle (Film Finances Australasia), Michele Mcdonald (Screen Australia), and Jennifer Wilton (NZFC) will be sharing their expertise and insights into co-productions, emerging opportunities, and how to balance local creative priorities with global audience expectations.
You’ll be spoilt for choice, with 14 commissioners signed up for this year’s Roundtable on Day Two. One-on-one kōrero will be available with the representatives from TVNZ, THREE, Whakaata Māori, RNZ, and Sky Originals. A booking form will be available at the Registration Desk.
Starting at 5:00 PM on Day One, the 27th Annual Spada Screen Industry Awards, followed by the Opening Night Cocktail Function - which is included in your conference registration fee.
This year’s South Pacific Pictures ‘BIG PITCH’ contenders are Amanda Jane Robinson with ‘Pitcairn’; Arvid Eriksson with ‘Cold Cuts’; Jordan Windsor and Sean Wallace with ‘Lotium’; Lucy Timmins with ‘The Bug Club’; Magda Wojciechowska with ‘Roadkill Rockband’, and Rachel Fawcett, Ryan O'Kane and Emma Leonard with ‘God Awful’.
These talented finalists will go head-to-head on Friday, 21 November, during the Great Screenrights’ Lunch (12:30–2:00 pm). The Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, Hon. Paul Goldsmith with be the guest star for this event. He’ll have a front-row seat as the six finalists compete for $2,500 towards travel or project development and a complimentary registration for the 2026 Spada Conference.
Spada is also proud to award five Producer Scholarships for this year’s 30th Spada Conference- congratulations to Tia Smith, Ahmed Osman, Daniela Shaw, Lucy Timmins, and Jaunnie Ilolahia.
30th Spada Conference Details:
Dates: 20–21 November 2025
Location: The Pullman Hotel, Auckland
The finalised Programme will be issued shortly.
Spada would love to say a huge ngā mihi nui to all the wonderful Sponsors and Supporters: the New Zealand Film Commission, NZ On Air, Screenrights, South Pacific Pictures, Images & Sound, Gallagher Insurance, Film Finances Australasia, The Data Book, Budget Rental Cars, NZ On Screen, and Kōawa Studios.
In other Spada news, the AGM held on Thursday 23 October the 2025/2026 Spada Executive was ratified. Spada thanked outgoing Executive Mick Sinclair and Andrew Szusterman for their work in support of members and the screen sector during their time on the Board.
Members welcomed back Irene Gardiner (President), Dan Buckingham and Nicole Horan, and newly elected Brian Holland (Co-Founder / Producer - Magnetic Pictures) and Tim Lawry (Executive Producer - Warner Bros. International Television Production). They join Cate Calver, Thomas Coppell, and Vicki Keogh (who are completing the second year of their terms).