The New Zealand Film Commission and NZ On Air in conjunction with Script to Screen present RAUPAPA WHAKAARI: DRAMA TO THE WORLD, a new initiative designed to develop and package distinctive high-end series drama for the international market.
The initiative supports writer/producer teams through a dual approach of project development funding and advice from international drama practitioners at the top of their game.
Applications for Raupapa Whakaari: Drama to the World will close April 1, after which up to 10 writer/producer teams with distinctive series concepts and a strong track record will be selected. Successful applicant teams will be notified on or before Monday, May 6. Each selected team will attend an immersive five-day Series Drama Lab and receive a grant of $10,000 to further develop their concept into a strong pitch.
The Series Drama Lab is five-days of intensive project development under the tutelage of high-level international advisors, including craft-based workshops, story feedback sessions and writers’ tables.
Following the lab each team will have the opportunity to submit a re-worked pitch and a plan for packaging their project for the international market, with four grants available of up to $80,000.
“This initiative will support ambitious New Zealand visions for global series drama. New Zealand screen writers and producers have a real capacity to engage in what is a pervasive global appetite for unique stories supported by the Raupapa Whakaari Funding,” said NZFC CEO, Annabelle Sheehan.
“We are thrilled to partner in Raupapa Whakaari. The potential to deliver larger-scale local stories for New Zealand audiences that have a good shot to compete internationally, is exciting. It represents an exceptionally good opportunity for local creative talent to shine on a world stage,” said NZ On Air Chief Executive Jane Wrightson.
“We are delighted to conceive and deliver the Series Drama Lab for the Raupapa Whakaari fund. Esther Cahill-Chiaroni brings her expertise and nurturing spirit to the Lab as Programme Director. She will match international advisors to the stand-out filmmakers selected so they can develop ground breaking shows for a global audience”, said Jackie Dennis, Executive Director of Script to Screen.
Applications open: 18 February 2019, 9am
Applications close: 1 April, 9am
Applicants notified: Monday May 6
5-day Series Drama Lab: June 10-15, 2019
RAUPAPA WHAKAARI: DRAMA TO THE WORLD is a New Zealand Film Commission and NZ On Air initiative run in conjunction with Script to Screen.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: 10pm, Sunday 17th February 2019.
Script to Screen’s FilmUp Mentorship programme returns for 2019. Each year the FilmUp Mentorship programme supports and empowers up to eight tenacious and talented filmmakers to reach the next stage in their creative careers.
Participants will receive 20 hours of one-on-one mentorship with an established filmmaker, attend Hub Days for group work, intensive story workshops and round tables with guest speakers, as well as tailored additional support from Script to Screen.
FilmUp has gone from strength to strength, with a growing alumni of talented local filmmakers (pictured above) who have benefited from the programme, and an impressive list of mentors who have helped these filmmakers take a step up in their careers.
There will be eight mentorships for emerging to experienced writers, directors and producers. Those who have a strong track record in other creative roles (e.g. actor, playwright, editor), who are now developing a feature film project as a writer, director or producer are eligible.
“Being a part of Film Up was incredibly inspiring, connecting with fellow filmmakers on a deep level and having the opportunity to work one on one with a mentor provided great filmmaking stimulation” – Armagan Ballantyne, director and 2018 FilmUp Participant
“When I first applied for FilmUp I had a sense that the approach I had to making films was ‘wrong’ – that I would need a mentor who would show me “the right way to do it”. Through FilmUp, Script to Screen helped me to realise contrary to what I assumed, my approach was in fact a strength and absolutely key to my voice as a maker. For an artist, this level of empowerment and support is rare and utterly invaluable. The programme carefully facilitates the most magical sense of community, inspiration and support. The hub days are a taonga. Do yourself a solid and apply.” – Chelsie Preston-Crayford, actor/writer/director and 2018 FilmUp Participant
We are excited to offer this rewarding programme for the seventh consecutive year thanks to financial assistance from New Zealand Film Commission.
The South Shorts Mentorship programme returns in 2019 with 9 emerging filmmakers selected to take part in the programme. Under the leadership and guidance of renowned screenwriter Briar Grace-Smith and with input from other experienced mentors yet to be announced, participants will be taken through focused script mentorship for their short film projects.
Now in its fifth year, this programme is aimed at guiding emerging South Auckland based scriptwriters to develop their short film scripts. Participants of this programme will attend a series of hub days across five months and receive on-going mentorship throughout. These participants were selected after first attending the South Auckland Short Film Workshop held in November 2018.
The 9 filmmakers chosen for 2019 South Shorts Mentorship programme are:
South Shorts Mentorship Programme is made possible with financial assistance from New Zealand Film Commission and Foundation North.
Are you a Pasifika or Asian storyteller with a story to tell? NZ On Air has a Request for Proposals open for stories told by, about, and for your communities.
Production budgets will vary from around $300k-$750k per project depending on scale, platform, and audience reach. The format and duration of content will vary but will be a minimum of 30 minutes, and will depend on the primary platform and the story.
If you are one of 6-8 shortlisted projects, you will be awarded a place on a development programme run by Script to Screen. The programme will be especially tailored for you and your project, and includes a two-day workshop and follow-up mentoring to support the development of your project prior to submission for production funding. You do not need a platform attached to send a proposal to NZ On Air, and the development workshop will help facilitate these connections.
ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME:
Stage 1 of the development programme: a group workshop session and one-on-ones between each team and mentors well-matched to the needs of the project. Platforms will be invited to present to the participants about their audiences and platforms; what they like to see in submissions and other relevant details relating to market needs.
Stage 2 of the programme: each participant will be eligible for a $1,000 grant and will be assigned a mentor to help the team get their project ready to attach a platform, seek secondary co-investment, and to apply to NZ On Air for production funding.
Stage 3 of the programme is a Pitch Day where participants pitch their projects to suitable and interested platforms – with the aim of securing letters of support from platform/s. After the Pitch Day participants finalise their proposals and re-submit their project to NZ On Air by 7 June 2019 for consideration for production funding.
Participants who live outside of Auckland will have their travel and accommodation paid for. Applicants must be available for all dates listed in the timeline.
We are delighted to announce nine esteemed advisors will join us for the rigourous programme of group workshops, team sessions and individual sessions carefully crafted to serve feature film projects in advanced development.
The complete line-up of advisors for 2018 are:
– Renowned director and writer Jane Campion
– Producer/EP Andrew Mason (THE MATRIX trilogy, TOMORROW WHEN THE WAR BEGAN)
– Creative and Strategic Advisor Alesia Weston (USA)
– Esteemed painter Star Gossage
– Editor Nick Meyers (SWEET COUNTRY, THE BOYS)
– Producer Kath Shelper (TENDER, SAMSON & DELILAH)
– Directing & acting coach and story consultant Brita McVeigh
– Actor, casting director and filmmaker Loren Taylor
– Aus/NZ Producer Tim White (THE LUMINARIES, THE DARK HORSE)
Read there full bios: https://script-to-screen.co.nz/story-camp-mentors/
Story Camp Aotearoa is a residential feature film workshop that fosters craft, voice and vision. Talented New Zealand filmmakers workshop their projects with exceptional international and local advisors. The week long workshop is crafted around the specific needs of the chosen teams.
This year we are proud to pilot Story Camp Advanced, a workshop for creative teams with feature film projects close to production. The selection panel of producer Philippa Campbell, director Hamish Bennett and producer Tim White were impressed by the calibre of the ideas and the talented teams behind them.
The selected teams participating in Story Camp Advanced are:
Story Camp Aotearoa is made possible with financial assistance from the New Zealand Film Commission
Participants who pitch a short film project at the 2018 South Auckland Short Film Workshop will also be invited to apply to the 2019 South Shorts Mentorship Programme.
Approximately eight participants will be chosen to take part in the programme spanning five months, which offers focused script mentorship for the selected short film projects under the leadership of two dedicated and experienced mentors.
South Shorts will offer participants guidance through the process of writing and developing a short film. Participants may intend to self-fund the film, crowd-fund, or prepare to apply to the New Zealand Film Commission’s Fresh Shorts initiative. Script to Screen is looking for distinctive new South Auckland voices with a passion for storytelling and something powerful to say. Selected participants may be new to short film writing or come with some experience.
How do I apply?
Participants will be chosen based on a combination of their pitch during the 2018 South Auckland Short Film Workshop and a written statement submitted to Script to Screen following the event. The statement should include why South Shorts would be valuable to you and your short filmmaking craft.
Applications close: Monday 3rd December at 9am
Programme Outline
The South Shorts Mentoring Programme will start in early 2019 and span across a five-month period. It will include three to four full day ‘hubs’ and individual script mentoring sessions and script notes.
Dates for the South Shorts Mentorship Programme will be set in December 2018
“I probably wouldn’t have a project without it (Script to Screen), because it was at the South Shorts Workshop where I had to pitch, and I hadn’t done that before. Script to Screen’s really accessible to anyone and it takes away the “you’ve got to be this and that to make a film”. It makes you realize that anyone can make a film, as long as you have good story – as cheesy as that sounds. But it’s important because it’s a really good outreach in the community. Without it, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”
-Vea Mafile’o (South Shorts Alumni and current FilmUp mentee)
This initiative is made possible with assistance from Foundation North.
Script to Screen and Show Me Shorts Film Festival are calling for submissions to attend the 2019 Aotearoa Short Film Lab. We are looking for new and emerging writers, with bold short film ideas, to submit one script and up to three concepts for consideration.
Aotearoa Short Film Lab is a prestigious hothouse mentoring scheme for screenwriters and aspiring screenwriters to workshop new ideas for short film. Established in 2010 as a partnership between Show Me Shorts and Script to Screen, the Lab offers six New Zealand and two international short film makers the opportunity to develop their short film concepts and scripts with the guidance and advice of experienced industry mentors during a full-day workshop.
The mentors who guide participants to develop their stories are experienced short film and feature film screenwriters. Past mentors have included Michael Bennett (COW, MATARIKI, IN DARK PLACES), Shuchi Kothari (COFFEE & ALLAH, APRON STRINGS), Jackie van Beek (THE BREAKER-UPPERERS, INLAND ROAD), Diane Taylor (B\EYOND THE KNOWN WORLD, APRON STRINGS) and Dustin Feneley (STRAY).
Films developed with the assistance of the Lab have premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival (I’M GOING TO MUM’S), NZ International Film Festival (TREE) and Show Me Shorts Festival (ZINZAN, BABY?). This year CHARMER, also developed through the Lab, won the Creative New Zealand Emerging Talent award after it screened at the New Zealand International Film Festival, was official selection at Austin Film Festival and Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival and features in the Show Me Shorts 2018 programme.
Applications open: Now
Applications close: 3 December 2018, 12pm
Short Film Lab Date: 23 March 2019
The Aotearoa Short Film Lab is possible thanks to support from New Zealand Film Commission, The Wallace Foundation, Pub Charity Ltd and the Media, Film and Television department of the University of Auckland.
The eight teams selected for Episodic Lab Aotearoa will develop their skills and their projects with guidance from eight experienced television writers from New Zealand, Australia, Denmark and United States during a five-day immersive lab. We are so excited to bring these exceptional advisors together for the first Episodic Lab.
A full list of their biographies can be found here
We are able to bring this remarkable depth and breadth of advisor experience together thanks to support from NZ on Air, Lightbox, New Zealand Film Commission and Images & Sound.
Thank you to everyone who applied to our first ever EPISODIC LAB AOTEAROA this May. Over 95 teams submitted 116 series concepts, showing a real hunger for development opportunities in writing for the small screen.
The selection panel of Australian-based writer/development producer Katherine Fry, writer/director/actor Oscar Kightley and writer/director Fiona Samuel were impressed by the calibre of the ideas and the talented teams behind them. They had a very difficult job choosing only eight projects to be developed in the lab.
Fiona Samuel said on behalf of the selection panel, “We could easily have chosen twice the number of proposals from this crowded and talented field. There are so many entertaining and compelling stories waiting to be told and so many writers with the potential to take on episodic drama and bring something new to our screens.”
The eight selected teams will develop their skills and their projects with guidance from experienced television writers from New Zealand, Australia, USA and Denmark during the five-day immersive lab.
Writers and teams who will be participating in the inaugural Episodic Lab in Auckland July 23-27 are:
Participants biographies can be found at here
The Episodic Lab Aotearoa is made possible thanks to the generous support from NZ on Air, Lightbox, NZ Film Commission and Images & Sound.