Eight new scripted stories by, for and about Pasifika and Asian peoples have been selected for development under a new initiative from NZ On Air . The teams selected will participate in a development programme run by Script to Screen, including follow up mentoring to guide them as they prepare to submit production funding applications.
The successful projects going into development are:
QUEEN STREET – Crystal Vaega, Mario Faumui, Leki Jackson-Bourke
SIS – Hanelle Harris, Gaby Solomona, Maiya Thompson, Destiny Momoisea, Leki Jackson-Bourke
BRUTAL LIVES – Sandra Kailahi, Vela Manusaute
RUMBLE – Danny Aumua, Elizabeth Koroi
THE MACKENZIE BROTHERS – Mayen Mehta, Benjamin Teh, Hweiling Ow, Calvin Sang
SOME LIKE IT – Tema Pua, Julie Zhu, Callum Freeman
INKED – Zijun Yang, Mingjian Cui
LULLABIES – JJ Fong, Ally Xue, Michelle Ang, Rachel Fawcett
Script to Screen looks forward to working with these creative teams as they develop their projects to submit to NZ On Air for production funding.
About the initiative:
NZ On Air recently issued a Request for Proposals for projects meeting a brief to extend the range of Pacific and Asian storytelling available to New Zealanders. In particular NZ On Air were looking for newer storytellers. The initiative is one of six funded with the one-off extra allocation to NZ On Air in Budget 2018 to support the production of diverse local content that will reach under‐served audiences.
Scripted Pasifika and Asian Storytelling is brought to you by NZ on Air and Script to Screen.
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.