“South Shorts has given me the opportunity to connect with industry experts and fellow storytellers, building my confidence to develop my first short film.”– Ava Williams, 2022
The South Shorts Mentorship Programme, an initiative by Script to Screen funded by Foundation North, has made a significant impact on the South Auckland community and creative storytelling over the past ten years.
By fostering local talent through intensive script development for short films, this programme has supported over 80 aspiring filmmakers to develop their creative visions.
The South Shorts programme which runs five hubs over five months, equips participants with essential skills in script and story development.
The fully-funded programme features mentorship by writer and director Briar Grace-Smith and seminars with industry experts. This combination of mentorship and seminars, helps participants build a strong understanding of the film industry and aids them in refining their scripts for further development, preparing them for the next steps in the process.
Since 2015 numerous films developed during South Shorts have gone on to be made and screened in festivals across the world, including:
Many alumni have gone on to achieve remarkable success, including:
These achievements highlight the programme’s effectiveness as a launch pad for emerging filmmakers. The South Shorts programme has not only contributed to the success of individual participants but has also played a vital role to support the creative community of South Auckland.
“The connections I made were life-changing. I highly recommend these workshops to any filmmaker looking to develop their ideas.” – Kaitiaki Rodger, 2023
“Seeing the progression of my peers and myself is a testament to the quality of the programme and its mentors.” – Dennis Zhang, 2021
As we gear up for the 2024/25 South Shorts Mentorship Programme, Script to Screen remains committed to nurturing diverse voices and stories from South Auckland. The continued support from Foundation North ensures that unique narratives will resonate on screens both locally and beyond.
We look forward to celebrating the next generation of filmmakers and the remarkable stories they will bring to life, further enriching the film industry with their perspectives and creativity.
Troy Blackman developed his short film script for Zebra as a South Shorts particpant in 2023. Now he needs our help to make it happen!
A MESSAGE FROM TROY:
“When I submitted Zebra to Script to Screen, I wasn’t sure they’d let me in – I used the N-word so much in the synopsis. But from the start of this journey, I’ve been met with so much support and reassurance that stories like this need to be told. I can’t thank Briar Grace-Smith, Script to Screen, my team, and all my Boosted supporters enough for getting Zebra this far. We’re just about ready to cross now!”
LOGLINE:
A mixed-race (Black/White) crossing guard, who is repeatedly called the N-word at school, discovers the power of his voice and learns that sticks and stones aren’t the only things that can break bones.
WHY THIS STORY MATTERS:
Zebra is more than a short film; it’s a call to action, challenging that classic Kiwi “she’ll be right” mentality that can often dismiss the power of harmful language. The film explores how words can leave deeper scars than physical violence, forcing us to rethink the adage, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” By placing a black narrative within the context of Aotearoa, Zebra offers a fresh, authentic perspective on how to confront racism and use dialogue to bring about change. Our protagonist, Tobe, uses his voice and the system to outsmart his aggressor, presenting a narrative that is both a coming-of-age story and a cautionary tale.
Troy Blackman – Writer/Director (Photo by Abhi Chinniah)
Troy Blackman is an Afro-Caribbean/NZ European filmmaker based in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland) whose work is deeply inspired by his unique ethnic background. Through his films, he explores the complex relationships between race, identity, and society. Zebra is a project born from his lived experience and desire to amplify black voices in Aotearoa, highlighting stories often overlooked by mainstream media. This film is a culmination of his creative journey, developed through the Script to Screen South Shorts Mentorship Programme.
The South Shorts Mentorship Programme is made possible thanks to generous support from Foundation North.
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📸 Photo by Evie Mackay
It’s time for our annual update! Jamie, Olivia and Monique have now been a part of the Script to Screen team for over a year, a huge mihi to them all for their amazing work and support for the filmmakers and teams they have worked with.
This July has also been a busy time of change for us all with Jackie handing over the baton to Dale Corlett as the new Executive Director. Check out Dale’s message later in this post.
We thank Jackie for her huge amount of mahi and leadership over the past 7 years. We also acknowledge Esther Cahill-Chiaroni, Script to Screen’s Story Camp Aotearoa programme director who is moving on to take up her new role as development lead at NZFC. These two amazing women have given so much to Script to Screen over many years and we sincerely thank them on behalf of the thousands of filmmakers who have benefitted from their work and commitment.
We know you’ve all been eager to hear about the opportunities happening here at Script to Screen this year, with all these big changes we’re working hard to lock in our calendar. This year we are introducing a new programme and bringing back a selection of our most popular programmes. Here’s an idea of when and what to expect:
WORKSHOPS/TALKS *
Online TALK
Date to be announced soon!
Supported by: NZ Film Commission
South Auckland Workshop
Date to be announced soon!
Supported by: Foundation North
2025 *
* Dates and Programmes are subject to changes
Although we are busy trying to rustle up some more funding for our programmes, at this time we acknowledge that due to funding decisions, we are not able to confirm our Talks and Kōpere Hou Fresh Shorts programmes as yet. Watch this space.
In 2023 we were able to provide career and project development for 20 participants over the Waitaha Canterbury Incubator and Southern Pilots development programmes. If you’re interested in working with Script to Screen and see an opportunity for a programme, talk, workshop, or development programme in a specific region we’d love to hear from you.
We want to remind you all that Script to Screen is a not for profit reliant on funding to provide you with these opportunities. Thank you to everyone who attended workshops or talks and had applied for our programmes last year!
We look forward to continuing to support you in your endeavours this coming year.
Message from the incoming Executive Director:
“Tēnei te mihi nui ki te Poari o Te Tari Tuhi Kupu a Whakaahua ki te whakatau i te mahi nei – Huge thanks to the Script to Screen board for this invitation to take up this role.
Having returned to Aotearoa 9 years ago to take up the role of Head of Talent Development at the NZ Film Commission, I have been fortunate to work closely with Script to Screen and the previous Executive Directors on various programmes and initiatives. I have always been inspired by the work that this leading NZ screen sector organisation delivers and the impact its programmes make for our screen storytellers.
I want to send a big mihi to Dave Gibson, the then CEO of the NZFC, for providing me with an amazing opportunity to return to Aotearoa to take up the role at the NZFC. It has been a truly unique experience. I continue to be in awe of our filmmakers and their passion and commitment to tell their stories, our stories. It was a huge privilege to be able to fund and support you on your journey. I thank you for trusting me and our Talent Development team with your stories, your creativity and your unique world views.
I loved my time with the NZFC, but I am very excited about this opportunity to return into the industry and to work more closely alongside our screen storytellers and filmmakers to support their journey.
It is an honour to have been chosen by the board of Script to Screen to be the next Executive Director. I send a huge mihi to Jackie for her amazing work over the past 7 years, and to Esther Cahill-Chiaroni previously, I look forward to continuing and elevating this important mahi for our screen sector.
When I think about the significant transformational work and impact that Script to Screen makes in our screen sector, I am reminded of the Māori whakataukī:
Mā te huruhuru, ka rere te manu
Adorn the bird in feathers, so it will fly
I look forward to working with you all, and to continue to adorn feathers to our flying screen storytellers, enabling them to soar higher, for longer, and in their own unique styles and ways.
Tēna koutou, tēna koutou, tēna koutou katoa”.
Picture of the STS Team at NZIFF Opening Night in Tāmaki Makaurau.
L-R: Monique Gilmour, Jamie Irvine, Olivia Mahood, Dale Corlett
Script to Screen, in partnership with Compton School, is proud to be once again delivering Strength in Numbers. Through this programme, practitioners will develop the tools they need to build a sustainable and profitable business in the screen industry.
Led by Australian screen business expert David Court the programme is delivered through a series of workshops held in Auckland, and online over 7 months. During this time, participants will delve into key aspects of their business, which include decision processes, finance, strategy, and business structures.
Ideal applicants will have a screen industry business (at least three years old) with a slate of projects, be emerging to mid-career, and possess a proven track record demonstrating considerable talent and tenacity in their field. This opportunity is equivalent to a $10,000 investment in your business, and we anticipate up to 8 businesses will be supported.
Past participants of Strength in Numbers have helped shape the screen industry and have become a part of New Zealand’s most loved and successful screen projects, from commercials to feature films.
2024 Application Dates:
Overview
The programme will be delivered in two, two-day intensive workshops and three half-day online sessions from November 2024 to May 2025. The programme comprises of a mix of instruction, interactive discussion, case studies, guest speakers, peer feedback and a personal one-on-one session with David Court.
Curriculum
Dates of delivery:
Applicants need to be available for all dates of the programme.
Travel and accommodation costs for participants who live outside Auckland will be covered as part of the programme.
Please read the application requirements before you apply.
Strength in Numbers is run by Script to Screen in partnership with Compton School.
Strength in Numbers is possible thanks to generous support from Te Tumu Whakaata Taonga the New Zealand Film Commission.
Applications open: Tuesday 20th August 2024
Applications close: 1 PM, Monday 23rd September 2024
We will notify shortlisted applicants at the end of October. Selected applicants will be contacted in early December and announced soon after.
The residential development lab will take place in Auckland from 24-28 February 2025
Travel costs for participants who live outside Auckland will be covered as part of the programme.
Story Camp Aotearoa is a residential feature film development lab run by Script to Screen that fosters screenwriting craft, voice and vision through a rigorous interrogation of story. The lab is designed to meet the development needs of each selected writer, filmmaking team and project. Selected screenwriters, filmmakers and creative teams workshop their projects with exceptional international and local advisors through a bespoke developmental process designed specifically to meet the development needs of their feature film project. Story Camp supports the development of feature films, both narrative and documentaries.
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR:
Stage of Development
Although we recognise the development process for feature films is as individual as the stories they are telling, Story Camp is designed to deep dive into the development process. Therefore, scripts or projects that are early in their journey may not benefit as much as others from this process. So, although we are not prescriptive about what draft your project should be at, we highlight that it is unlikely a first or early draft script or project would be selected.
We are keen to hear from writers, writer/directors, and filmmaking teams who have a feature film in development that they are ready to go deeper into their development process. These could be in the story development phase, the structural re-drafting phase or even at an advanced stage and getting close to production ready. We are happy to discuss the stage you are at and whether this is an appropriate route for you and your project prior to applying. Please contact info@script-to-screen.co.nz to arrange a time to have a kōrero.
Your voice
Story Camp Aotearoa is all about supporting unique screen stories from Aotearoa. We are open to all genres. We are passionate about supporting stories that reflect who we are and the rich diversity of our communities and country. We encourage applications with scripts in Te Reo Māori, and those from our Pacific Island, Asian and other culturally diverse communities. We also encourage applications from other underrepresented communities like, but not limited to, those who identify as LGBTQi, *gender diverse, *disabled or neurodivergent.
If you have any access support needs to help you apply, please get in touch so we can help. info@script-to-screen.co.nz
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Please apply via our online form: https://form.jotform.com/Script_to_Screen_NZ/story-camp-2025-application-form
Eligibility:
Provide the following via this form:
Upload
Please provide one submission PDF document (no more than 10 pages) with the following:
Please ensure ALL uploaded attachments are page-numbered and include a header with the applicant’s name and the project title.
The following statements:
If you are applying with a feature documentary, please also provide (if you have it) a link to some footage from/about the documentary you are applying with
Application Fee
We have a nominal application fee of $25. If this is a barrier to you applying, please get in touch with us.
Please make your payment of the $25 application fee by midnight on Monday 23rd September 2024.
Account Name: Script to Screen Te Tari Kupu A Whakaahua
Account Number: 03 0255 0178775 00
Reference: StoryCamp – Applicant Name
*Gender diverse is the umbrella term for the variation of gender identities in the gender spectrum (i.e. it encompasses gender identities such as transgender, agender and non-binary).
*A disability is defined as a long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairment which in interaction with various barriers may hinder full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.
This definition comes from Article 1 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
📸 Photograph captured by Evie Mackay
Calling all Far North filmmakers and creatives!!!
In July 2024, we are excited to bring two outstanding workshops to Kerikeri led by writer and director Michael Bennett (The Gone, In Dark Places). A four-day school holiday workshop for youth aged 14-18, and a one-day adult scriptwriting workshop.
Joining Michael for the Youth Workshop will be actor (Shortland Street, The Brokenwood Mysteries), director and acting coach, Jamie Irvine.
This is a great opportunity for you to learn new skills and share your stories. So, book your place and tell your friends and whanau. These workshops are not to be missed.
“The projects that Script to Screen does and the reason I’m so gung-ho enthusiastic about them is; it’s about accessing people whose stories just don’t make it on screen. It’s giving people skills to tell stories for the screen. Giving new voices and new stories the potential to become films” – Michael Bennett
Free Youth Workshop – 4 days
Monday 15 – Thursday 18 July
Turner Centre, 43 Cobham Road, Kerikeri 0230
Develop skills and learn about the fundamentals of crafting a story idea, writing a script and acting for camera. No experience or prior knowledge of filmmaking is necessary. We encourage anyone who has an interest in writing, filmmaking, and acting to apply. For ages 14 – 18.
Adult Workshop – 1 day
Sunday 14 July
Turner Centre, 43 Cobham Road, Kerikeri 0230
The morning will be spent delving into character, story structure, key moments and writing fundamentals. In the afternoon, you will develop your own original story idea and write a scene. This workshop is suitable for new and emerging filmmakers, local creatives wanting to reinvigorate a screen idea or anyone wanting to explore writing for film and television.
ABOUT PROGRAMME MENTORS
MICHAEL BENNET
Michael Bennett (Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Whakaue) is a screenwriter, filmmaker and author. Michael’s short films and feature films have screened and won awards internationally, including Cannes, Toronto, Berlin, Locarno, New York, London, ImagiNative and Dreamspeakers. He is the 2020 recipient of the Te Aupounamu Māori Screen Excellence Award, awarded by the NZ Film Commission for excellence in Māori filmmaking. Michael devoted many years of his recent career to the fight for justice for Teina Pora, a young Māori man wrongly imprisoned for 21 years. Michael made the documentary The Confessions of Prisoner T, which lead to the discovery of evidence pivotal to Teina’s exoneration. Michael directed and co-wrote the TV feature film In Dark Places about Teina’s case, which was finalist for a record 11 awards in the NZ Television Awards, winning Best Film and Best Director. Michael has been head writer or showrunner for many dozens of hours of prime-time television drama including The Gone (NZ / Ireland crime thriller), Vegas (crime thriller), Te Kohu (supernatural drama), and Mataku (the Māori Twilight Zone). Michael’s debut novel Better The Blood, a crime thriller, was published in 2022 in the UK, USA, Australia and NZ, with nine international translations. Better The Blood was a finalist for the fiction prize at the 2023 New Zealand literary awards (The Ockhams) and won Best First Novel at the Ngaio Marsh Awards. Michael is currently adapting his novel for television, and his second novel, Return To Blood, is in bookstores now.
JAMIE IRVINE
As an Actor, Director and Acting Coach Jamie Irvine has worked in Australia, Los Angeles, New York and New Zealand. Jamie is a NIDA acting graduate and continued his study with Susan Batson and at the Stella Adler Studio in NYC. Over twenty years, he has taught acting at NIDA, Actors Centre Australia, Theatre of Arts in Hollywood, South Seas Film School and various other institutions. Acting Credits include Sweet Tooth, Tinā, Power Rangers: Dino Fury, Shortland St, Underbelly:Land of the Long Green Cloud, Black Hands, Westside, Home and Away, Anzac Girls and The Brokenwood Mysteries. Jamie has also directed across several mediums and in 2022 he directed NZ on Air funded webseries Here if you Need. Jamie joined Script to Screen in January 2023, where he currently works as Programme Manager.
These workshops are made possible thanks to generous support from Foundation North.
Following the recent New Zealand release of The Moon is Upside Down, Loren Taylor (writer/director/actor) joins moderator and writer Duncan Sarkies (Scarfies, and Two Little Boys) to discuss her writing process, the challenges of creating stories and characters that come alive on screen, and how she and her team moved this unique and beautifully crafted feature from her initial idea to production and release.
With a production schedule of just 22 days and a budget of $1.5million The Moon is Upside Down is a significant achievement. This promises to be a fascinating discussion and a rare insight into processes that will appeal to filmmakers at all levels, especially those wanting to make their first feature film.
“With exceptional performances, a deft tone and universal themes, The Moon is Upside Down is destined to become a film festival favourite. Those looking for blockbuster razzle-dazzle won’t find it here. But those looking for something deeper and more meaningful, well, they’ll find a lot to connect with.” – NZ Herald
Wednesday 26th June 2024
6:30pm – 7:30pm – TALK
7:30pm – 8:30pm – Cash bar, socialising and pizza
$5.00 + GST + Booking Fee. Sales via Humanitix to secure your seat
Where:
Te Auaha NZ Institute of Creativity, 65 Dixon St, Te Aro, Wellington
After the TALK, stay and have pizza on Script to Screen. There will be a cash bar and socialising with fellow filmmakers.
This Script to Screen TALKS is made possible thanks to New Zealand Film Commission, White Studios and Images and Sound.
ABOUT LOREN TAYLOR
Photograph by Rebecca McMillian
Loren Taylor is a director, actor and writer. Her debut feature as writer and director The Moon is Upside Down had its world premiere in competition at Estonia’s A-List festival POFF Tallinn Black Nights November 2023 where it played to sell-out houses and was awarded Best First Feature. Vendetta will release the film in Aotearoa New Zealand in May.
Hey Brainy Man, the NZFC-funded short Loren co-directed with Jo Randerson, won NZ’s Best at Te Whānau Marama NZIFF 2023. Evoke, a VR experience she wrote and co-directed was awarded the XR Award at DocEdge 2023.
Loren attended the Sundance Feature lab and worked with Taika Waititi on their award-winning screenplay for Eagle vs Shark. She won Best Actress at the Newport International and St Tropez Film Festivals for her role as Lily. As a casting director Loren has worked on, among others, What We Do in the Shadows, The Light Between Oceans and Top of The Lake. She is known for her work with children, which began with casting and on-set coaching for the Oscar nominated short Two Cars One Night. She is an advisor for and Board member of Story Camp Aotearoa and has been a guest mentor at A Wave in the Ocean.
ABOUT DUNCAN SARKIES
Duncan Sarkies is an award-winning screenwriter, playwright and novelist. His work, heralded by critics for its originality, is best known for its eccentric plots and darkly comic portrayals of ‘the outsider’ and the disturbed.
Duncan’s career has been prolific across a variety of mediums. He wrote one episode for What We Do In The Shadows and two episodes for Flight of the Conchords. He has written several plays, a short story collection and two novels. Linda Herrick of the Weekend Herald describes Sarkies’ 2008 novel, Two Little Boys, as: ‘Quick, clever, twisted, acutely funny…This is the most amazing book. It’s dark, wildly funny, vivid, and brilliantly original.’ Two Little Boys, adapted in 2012 for the screen (starring Hamish Blake and Bret McKenzie) was co-written by Duncan and his brother Robert, as was the massively popular Scarfies. Duncan also wrote and contributed to the writing of four episodes of ABC’s show Maximum Choppage that aired in 2015, and script edited for ABC’s Soul Mates. He was the director, writer and co-creator of The Mysterious Secrets of Uncle Bertie’s Botanarium, a fantasy podcast series, which Loren Taylor acted in. 2025 will see Duncan release a third novel, Star Gazers, an allegory about the collapse of democracy in a society of alpaca breeders, while he is also developing a television project with comedian Barnie Duncan and a film project with animator Ned Wenlock.
Duncan currently lives in Te Whanganui a Tara.
For all those who missed out, we hear you! We couldn’t bring our speakers to every city, but the Script to Screen podcast channel gives you access to all recorded TALKS, no matter where you are. Here’s a link to all our TALKS recorded in 2023.
Listen on Podbean, Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
In Conversation with Lee Tamahori
Script to Screen was delighted to present this in-conversation with Lee Tamahori, one of New Zealand’s most successful and celebrated filmmakers. He is the director and co-writer of The Convert, starring Guy Pearce and Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne and premiering at Toronto International Film Festival where it was described as ‘a stunning, sweeping & action-packed historical epic’. Paula Morris moderated the discussion exploring Lee’s approach to making the film, including story themes, ideology and past experiences that guided his decisions.
This talk was held in October 2023 at the Capitol Cinema in Auckland.
Kickstart Your Screenwriting Career
Explore the roots of accomplished New Zealand writers Briar Grace-Smith, Michael Bennett, and Pip Hall, and how they have each paved their way for a successful career in the screen industry. Jackie Dennis probes into their screenwriting process and seeks their advice for aspiring screenwriters including navigating writer’s block and special tips.
This talk was held in August 2023, at the Christchurch Screen Canterbury offices.
Development Essentials with Nicole Dade
Experienced screenwriter, script editor and development producer Nicole Dade breaks down the script development process and discusses how to develop your own idea so that it moves forward. Nicole talks about the main structural element of the story, the story world, and examines how the importance of finding the heart and primal theme of the story is fundamental to its success.
This talk was held in June 2023, at the Christchurch Screen Canterbury offices.
Crafting Powerful and Original Character Arc’s with Anthony Mullins
What story have you got to tell? Hear from Anthony Mullins about how to expand your possibilities as a storyteller and widen your storytelling landscape. This talk delves into the art of screenwriting and explores how writers can excel in crafting more complex intricate and authentic stories through character arcs that go beyond the hero’s journey.
This talk was recorded in Wellington, in May 2023.
Adapting Real Life For The Screen
Three outstanding writer-directors, Welby Ings, Matthew J. Saville, and Paula Whetu Jones discuss their observations with producer Karin Williams in crafting feature films Punch, Whina and Juniper. If you are telling a story from real life, learn from the experiences of these filmmakers as they recall the creative choices used to weave these screen stories of truth, memory, and social history.
This talk was recorded live in Auckland, in March 2023.
These Script to Screen TALKS have been turned into podcasts thanks to the generous support of Images and Sound.
Note: Other supporters are detailed in their relevant podcasts.
27 May, 2024
In March 2024 Script to Screen Trustees formed a recruitment committee to find the new Executive Director for Script to Screen Te Tari Tuhi Kupu a Whakaahua.
The committee conducted a thorough process to review applications and then interview well qualified candidates. Significant consideration was given to the skills, experiences and expertise needed to successfully lead Script to Screen.
We are now pleased to announce that Dale Corlett (Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa, Rangitāne, Ngāti Ira) has been engaged as Executive Director beginning 10 July 2024.
Dale is a BAFTA Scotland nominated feature film director who has worked in talent development for the past 30 years including 11 years as CEO/Creative Director of GMAC Film, a not-for-profit charity in Scotland recognised as one of the leading talent development and independent filmmaker centre’s there, and more recently 9 years as the Head of Talent Development at the New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC).
During his time at the NZFC Dale led in the planning, development and implementation of the NZFC’s Te Rautaki Māori and more recently the Diversity and Inclusion Strategy. He also led in the development and implementation of the NZFC Talent Development strategy and worked closely with Script to Screen and all the guilds and industry organisations across the sector.
When he was interviewed for the Script to Screen role, Dale declared a conflict of interest as per the NZFC Conflict of Interest Policy. Since then, a process has been in place at the NZFC to manage the conflict, including delegation of Dale’s decision-making powers to another member of the NZFC leadership team. This means Dale is not a decision maker across any industry funding rounds that have been open or being assessed since Dale’s Script to Screen interview. Dale is due to finish at the NZFC in early July.
Dale says “I have always been inspired by the work Script to Screen delivers and the impact its programmes make for our screen storytellers. So, it is a huge honour and privilege to have been chosen by the board of Script to Screen to be the next Executive Director”.
Dale is passionate about untapping the potential of Aotearoa’s screen talent and he knows the local screen industry well. This will contribute to a smooth and seamless hand over as Jackie Dennis departs.
Please join us in welcoming our new Executive Director.
Dale Corlett
Kōpere Hou Fresh Shorts is an New Zealand Film Commission initiative run in partnership with Script to Screen.
Today we are thrilled to announce the talented filmmaking teams selected for this year’s Kōpere Hou Fresh Shorts. Three outstanding teams are poised to bring their creative visions to life with the support of development resources and a grant from the NZFC of $30,000 per team.
Kōpere Hou Fresh Shorts garnered significant attention this year, with a staggering 119 applications received. After careful consideration, twelve exceptional projects made it to the shortlist and advanced to Whiringa Tuarua – Stage Two. Despite facing tough decisions, we are proud to announce our final three selections.
“We extend our sincere appreciation to all the teams for their dedication and creativity throughout the application process,” says Jackie Dennis, Executive Director of Script to Screen. “The exceptional quality of submissions made the selection process both inspiring and challenging. For those whose projects weren’t selected, we encourage you not to be discouraged. Your passion and talent shine through, and we genuinely hope to see many of these captivating projects brought to life in the future.”
The writers, producers, and directors of the chosen teams will receive support to refine their stories, visions, and production plans. Through tailored workshops and guidance from experienced advisors, they will embark on a transformative six-week journey to enhance their projects’ potential for success.
This year’s selected projects promise a rich tapestry of storytelling, spanning across horror, animation, and drama genres. We congratulate the talented team members hailing from Auckland, Wellington, and Canterbury, whose distinct voices will enrich the already amazing collection of New Zealand’s short films.
The three selected teams and their projects are:
Kōpere Hou Fresh Shorts is a New Zealand Film Commission initiative run in partnership with Script to Screen.
