If you are a new or emerging filmmaker with a connection to South Auckland, don’t miss out on this extraordinary opportunity to advance your screenwriting abilities in 2024.

During this six-month mentorship programme, successful applicants attend a series of one-day hubs and are led through focused script development under the guidance of Briar Grace-Smith. Briar brings considerable experience and knowledge to the room for group mentorship, and each participant also gets one-on-one feedback. The hub days involve script read-throughs, writing exercises, and hearing from guest speakers about their experiences making films. On completion of the programme, you will leave with new skills and tools to develop your work, a great new network of like-minded practitioners, and a completed short film script.

This initiative is intended for people who live in South Auckland or are connected to the South Auckland community – maybe you grew up there, have whānau there, or feel connected to the community in some other way. This opportunity will help you to develop your story, share your unique perspective, and develop your career as a screenwriter within a supportive framework.

Applications for the 2024 South Shorts Mentorship Programme are open now.

Opens: Wednesday 7th February 2024
Closes: 1:00 PM Monday 25th March 2024
Notification of outcome: Early May 2024


“South Shorts has helped me with overcoming writers block and given me the confidence to present my ideas in a safe creative space. The connections I have made throughout the hubs are life changing and extremely valuable for my career moving forward. I would highly recommend these workshops to any filmmaker out there looking to develop their ideas and build connections with fellow likeminded creatives.”
  
– Kaitiaki Rodger, South Shorts 2023 Participant 

To apply you will need to submit: 
  • Short biography (300-word limit)
  • Why would this programme be valuable to you? (300-word limit)
  • Summarise your connection to South Auckland
  • Short film logline (One to two sentences summarising your short film concept – what and who is it about?)
  • Synopsis of your short film idea (600-word limit)
  • Script or written document for your short film idea (optional)
Eligibility:
  • Must be connected to South Auckland
  • Aged 17+  

 


Briar Grace-Smith is of Ngā Puhi descent and a writer of short fiction, stage plays and feature films. Her plays include Ngā Pou Wāhine, Purapurawhetū and When Sun and Moon Collide. She is an Arts Foundation Laureate and was recently made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to film, television and theatre. She has worked as a Development Executive for the New Zealand Film Commission and taught ‘Writing for Theatre’ at IIML (2015). Briar is a Sundance alumni and the writer of the feature films The Strength of Water and Fresh Meat. Her television credits include Fishskin SuitBeing EveKaitangata Twitch and the Australian children’s television series, Grace Beside Me (2017). She was a director and co-writer of the short film, Nine of Hearts, and wrote and directed Charm for the feature project Waru (2017). She collaborated with Toi Whakaari, directing Krystal, a short film by Josephine Stewart-Te Whiu. She was the screenwriter and co-director of the feature film Cousins, and is a writer and co-director of Rūrangi, Series 2. Briar was made a member of the Directors branch of the Academy in 2022.


This programme is reliant on funding being achieved. Applicants will be informed of the funding outcome prior to the South Shorts submission deadline on the 25th of March.

The South Shorts Mentorship Programme is made possible thanks to generous support from Foundation North.

 

 

For the ninth year running, Script to Screen is delighted to introduce the eight filmmakers selected to participate in this year’s South Shorts Mentorship Programme. Over six months, the programme enables South Auckland affiliated talent to develop their short film projects through group sessions and script-focused mentorship under the leadership and guidance of acclaimed screenwriter and director Briar Grace-Smith (Rūrangi, Cousins, Waru).

The participants meet for five workshops where they do group script read-throughs as well as one-on-one sessions with Briar. Guest filmmakers join the group to share their creative process. In this environment the participants build their own supportive community. They leave the programme with greater confidence in their writing, new connections in the industry and at least one short film script ready to progress towards production.

“We couldn’t be happier seeing the successes of our South Shorts alumni, and the diverse perspectives they are adding to our screens. It’s great to welcome these eight new filmmakers on that pathway.” says Jackie Dennis, Executive Director of Script to Screen


Congratulations to theses filmmakers selected for South Shorts 2023:
(pictured left to right)

Destiny Fruean
Dominic McAlpine
Frank Akauola
Kaitiaki Rodger
Mary Afemata
Paige Larianova
Taniora Ormsby
Troy Blackman


The South Shorts Mentorship Programme is made possible thanks to generous support from Foundation North.

“South Shorts has given me the opportunity to connect not only with industry experts but also with other South Auckland storytellers, whose feedback and knowledge have been invaluable in the development of my writing. It has given me the confidence (and the audacity) to develop my first short film, in a time when we need and deserve more South Auckland, Māori and Pasifika stories.”
– Ava Williams South Shorts 2022 participant

The South Shorts Mentorship programme supports new and emerging screenwriters from the South Auckland community to develop their short film scripts. Participants are led through focused script development over a six-month period under the guidance of experienced screenwriting mentor Briar Grace-Smith (RūrangiCousins, Waru), and leave the programme with a completed short film script and practical tools to develop their own work.

During this six-month programme, the participants attend a series of one-day hubs, held on a Saturday. The hub days involve script read-throughs, writing exercises and hearing from guest speakers about their experiences making films.

This initiative is intended for people who either live in South Auckland or are connected to the South Auckland community – maybe you grew up there, have whānau there, have worked there for years or feel connected to the community in some way.

No experience in scriptwriting is necessary. Applicants should have a passion for storytelling and have at least one short film concept that they want to develop.

Applications for the 2023 South Shorts Mentorship Programme are open now.

Opening: Wednesday 26th October
Closing: 5 December, 1pm
Notification of outcome: mid January 2023


To apply you will need to submit:

  • Short Biography (300-word limit)
  • Why would this programme be valuable to you (300-word limit)
  • Synopsis of your short film idea (600-word limit)
  • Script or written document for your short film idea (optional)

The South Shorts Mentorship Programme is made possible thanks to generous support from Foundation North.

Script to Screen’s South Shorts Mentorship programme returns in 2022 with nine emerging filmmakers selected to take part. Under the leadership and guidance of renowned screenwriter and director Briar Grace-Smith (Cousins, The Strength of Water), participants will develop their short film projects through a script-focused mentorship.

Now in its eighth year, the programme guides emerging South Auckland affiliated talent to develop their short film scripts. Over a sixth-month period, the participants meet for workshops where they do group script read-throughs and hear from guest filmmakers about their process. In between workshops, they meet with their mentor Briar Grace-Smith for individual script feedback. Participants leave the programme with greater confidence in their writing, new connections in the industry and at least one short film script that is ready to progress towards production.

“Since its inception in 2015, South Shorts has seen numerous alumni go on to make films. The programme provides a safe space for aspiring and emerging South Auckland filmmakers to gain confidence as writers while building a community within the industry,” says Eloise Veber, Script to Screen Programme Manager. “Ultimately we want to see more stories from South Auckland filmmakers produced and seen by audiences. We feel so privileged to continue to do this work thanks to support from our funders.”

Congratulations to the filmmakers selected for South Shorts 2022:

The South Shorts Mentorship Programme is made possible thanks to generous support from Foundation North with additional support from the New Zealand Film Commission.

                 

“Programmes like South Shorts are crucial for the creative ecosystem. I can see a real place for my stories that perhaps I didn’t feel I was qualified or valued enough to tell prior. I imagine there are many others out there who know deep down they have stories worth sharing or creating but lack the support and safe space to share it with the world. South Shorts has been that support and safe space for me. I not only feel worthy to share my stories, I can actually see a pathway to making it happen.”
– Jaeman Busby, South Shorts 2021 participant

Applications for the 2022 South Shorts Mentorship Programme are open now.
The South Shorts Mentorship programme supports new and emerging screenwriters from the South Auckland community to develop their short film scripts. Participants are lead through focused script development over a six-month period under the guidance of experienced screenwriting mentor, Briar Grace-Smith. Participants leave the programme with at least one completed short film script and practical tools to develop their own work.

During this six-month programme, the participants will attend a series of one-day hubs and receive mentorship throughout. The hub days involve script read-throughs, writing exercises and hearing from guest speakers about their experiences making films. Each participant will also have individual online script sessions with their mentor between hub days.

This initiative is intended for people who either live in South Auckland or are connected to the South Auckland community – maybe you grew up there, have whānau there, have worked there for years or feel connected to the community in some way.

Applications open: Mon 18th October
Applications close: Monday 29th November, 5pm
Applicants notified of outcome: Monday 17th January 2022


To apply you will need to submit:

The South Shorts Mentorship Programme is made possible thanks to generous support from Foundation North with additional support from the New Zealand Film Commission.

                                   

The South Shorts Mentorship programme returns in 2021 with ten emerging filmmakers selected to take part. Under the leadership and guidance of renowned screenwriter and director Briar Grace-Smith (Cousins, The Strength of Water), participants will develop their short film projects through a script-focused mentorship.

Now in its sixth year, the programme guides emerging South Auckland affiliated talent to develop their short film scripts. Over a sixth-month period, the participants get individual script notes from Briar Grace-Smith, meet for workshops where they do group script read-throughs, and hear from guest filmmakers about their experience making short films.

“Since its inception in 2015, South Shorts has seen numerous alumni gone on to make films. The programme provides a safe space for aspiring and emerging South Auckland filmmakers to gain confidence in themselves as writers while building a sense of community within the industry,” says Eloise Veber, Script to Screen Programme Manager. “Ultimately we want to see more stories from South Auckland filmmakers produced and seen by audiences. We feel so privileged to continue to do this work thanks to support from our funders.”

The search for South Shorts Mentorship participants begins with our annual two-day South Auckland Short Film Workshop held each year in October.

Congratulations to the filmmakers selected for South Shorts 2021:

 

The South Shorts Mentorship Programme is made possible thanks to generous support from Foundation North with additional support from the New Zealand Film Commission.

               

“South Shorts not only opened the door for me to discover my skills as a writer but also gave me the confidence to know that I can actually do this, anyone can. I’m so grateful to have had this opportunity”

– 2019 South Shorts Participant

South Shorts is an intensive development programme that supports up to nine new and emerging screenwriters from the South Auckland community to develop a short film script. Under the guidance of renowned screenwriter Briar Grace-Smith, participants are lead through focused script development over a six-month period. The programme will start in early 2021 and participants will attend a series of one-day hubs between March and September.

During these full-day ‘hubs’ participants will get together to workshop and discuss their short film scripts. At the hubs, writers will take part in script read-throughs, get individual script notes from a mentor, do writing exercises, and hear from filmmakers about their experiences making short films. Each participant will also have individual script sessions with their mentor between hub days.

Dates for the South Shorts Mentorship Programme will be set in December 2020. The hub days usually take place on Saturdays, 9 am-5 pm.

This initiative is intended for people who either live in South Auckland or who feel connected to South Auckland (maybe you grew up there, have whānau there, have worked there for years, feel connected to the community in someway, etc.) and is made possible with assistance from Foundation North.

Applications open: Tues 27th October
Applications close: Tuesday 24th November, 5pm
Applicants notified of outcome: Friday 18th December

The South Shorts Mentorship programme returns for 2020 with nine emerging filmmakers selected to take part. Under the leadership and guidance of renowned screenwriter Briar Grace-Smith, participants will develop their short film projects through a script-focused mentorship. Over a sixth-month period, the participants will get individual script notes from their mentor, do group script reads for peer feedback, and hear from experienced filmmakers about their process making short films.

Now in its sixth year, the programme is aimed at guiding emerging South Auckland affiliated talent to develop their short film scripts. The search for South Shorts participants begins with our annual two-day South Auckland Short Film Workshop, after which participants can apply for the mentorship programme.

“This group includes an exciting mix of experiences with participants coming from acting, playwriting, tertiary film courses and filmmaking, as well as those with a passion to tell stories.” says Programme Manager, Eloise Veber “We’re thrilled to find such talented storytellers for our South Shorts Mentorship Programme.”

The nine filmmakers (L – R) selected for South Shorts 2020 are:

Filmmakers who have been through this programme include Vea Mafileo (For My Father’s Kingdom), Jeremiah Tauamiti (Liliu), Hanelle Harris (Sis, Baby Mama’s Club) and Vela Manusaute (The Messiah).

South Shorts is made possible thanks to generous support from Foundation North and New Zealand Film Commission.

The South Shorts Mentoring Programme will start in early 2020 and span across a six-month period. The programme includes five full-day ‘hubs’ where participants get together to workshop and discuss their short film scripts. At the hubs, writers will take part in script read-throughs, get individual script notes from a mentor, do writing exercises, and hear from filmmakers about their experiences making short films. Each participant will also have individual script sessions with a mentor outside of the hub days.

Dates for the South Shorts Mentorship Programme will be set in December 2019. The hub days usually take place on Saturdays, 9 am-5 pm.

“I probably wouldn’t have a project without Script to Screen, because it was at the South Auckland Workshop where I had to pitch, and I hadn’t done that before. Script to Screen is really accessible to anyone and it takes away the “you’ve got to be this and that to make a film”. It makes you realise that anyone can make a film, as long as you have a good story – as cheesy as that sounds. Without it, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”  

-Vea Mafile’o (Director – For My Father’s Kingdom)

This initiative is intended for people who either live in South Auckland or have a connection with the area and is made possible with assistance from Foundation North.

Applications close Fri 15  November, 5pm, 2019.

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.

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