Q & A – WRITING COMPELLING APPLICATIONS

We had 148 people join us online, from all across Aotearoa and the world. We’re proud to release this as a resource for those who couldn’t make the live talk.

Producers Halaifonua Finau (Red, White and Brass), Karin Williams (We Live by the River), and Angela Cudd (Uproar) delved into how to create great funding applications for film and television projects in Aotearoa.

In conversation with Script to Screen’s Executive Director Dale Corlett, these industry leaders gave their unique insights into what makes a strong application, including:

Putting your team together
Gathering key information
Strategic partnerships
Finding your authentic voice so that your ideas can leap off the page

From the big picture of your idea to the nitty gritty of the application requirements, you now have unlimited access to help take your applications to the next level.

The talk concluded with representatives from the New Zealand Film Commission, New Zealand On Air, and Te Māngai Pāho answering your questions and sharing their insights.

The webinar Q&A is available to read below.

NZOA, NZFC and Te Māngai Pāho Funding FAQ’s

Read funding FAQ’s – Mentioned in Video

Additional information:

NZFC

Email funding@nzfim.co.nz for specific funding info – it will get passed on to the right person to answer and help.

Note: This is for those who already have scripts or projects for development.

The guilds and legacy collectives – are a key touchstone for emerging writers and stories, so please reach out, their information is also on our website or via Script to Screen.

Q&A

Here are the answers to the questions asked during the online talk. These have been transcribed and edited for clarity. They are meant to accompany the webinar, as some responses refer to earlier content.

We have also provided a summary of key points answering each question.

Co-productions

Q: If there was already offshore interest either partial funding or a production team attached to a pitch. Would this deter New Zealand funding?

Te o Kahurangi: Depends on how much the investor or offshore producer was contributing.
Co-Productions are about 2 or more countries and partners agreeing to work on a project. There are treaties with key countries and Official Co-Productions that are about helping to make films with Producers and Creatives.
Getting the creative balance and funding balance can be tricky.

Key Points

As you are putting together the various pieces of the puzzle of your finance plan, keep in mind it is always hard to get the balance right between creative and financial.
Seek advice (if you feel you need it) when you are pulling together different types of funding, talk to people who have done it before or the funders prior, as they may be able to help you avoid pitfalls
If you are going to work in the co-production space, get to know the rules and requirements prior to doing this

Q: What is the best way to find/collect a list of all the funding organisations for a specific theme of a project?

Nua: AI, put it in ChatGPT. There’s no way I would have found out about the Canary Islands and available tax rebates. If it wasn’t for AI, that would have taken me ages. You have to double-check it, though. Like don’t just find the info and “okay, that’s it.” It can cut many steps out of the process… and speed it up.

Heperi: In terms of theme, theme can be very broad, and Angela touched on this. Look at our Press Releases for things we (NZOA) have funded. This will give a sense of the theme or the genre of things we have supported in the past. All funders have annual reporting documents, which is a list of everything they supported in the year. Which generally has the genre and a little bit about what the projects are about. This will help make sure you are presenting a new idea. It will give you a sense of the type of things each funder is focusing on. The tricky thing is it’s past.
Also, look at RFPs of the platform and what specific types of programmes they are trying to line up.

Ange: Go to the industry events and annual hui for broadcasters and funders, they will give a general idea of what’s to come.

Key Points:

AI, and always double-check information and the sources
Look at Press Releases and Annual Reporting Documents from all the funders
Going to industry events to connect with people to check what others know about funding and what the focus is. Seek more than one opinion when doing this.

Q: What proportion of the Proposal document would you expect the Writer/Director to write? And how much does the Producer write?

Ange: In terms of my process, I start with a checklist, the director will give the script, director’s vision, tone and style and have a go at the logline and synopsis. Most of everything else should come from the producer.

Producers do most of the interfacing with the funders and dissecting the funding round and what they’re looking for. It’s about strategically making sure each section (tone, world, directors’ vision, producers, statement, and synopsis) aligns with what the funders are looking for.

Nua: The order information is presented is important. Especially when I’m doing stuff internationally, that is set in Tonga, for example. I can’t just write a logline, synopsis, story and carry on, I’ve got to tell this person where the hell Tonga is, and what Tonga is. The tricky part is how you do that quickly and succinctly. You need to be thinking of who your reader is going to be, what funding body you’re going to, and who’s going to be assessing it. Often, they’ll get an external international assessor and an intern like a New Zealander. So, just making sure that the info you’re saying is accurate. Someone from Australia who has never been to a rural farming community. They don’t know what the hell a shearing shed is. So, if your film was set in the shearing shed, and you’ve got a language specific to that area, do you need to put a little glossary of terms at the top of your proposal or something like that, or if it’s in a foreign language. The producer would normally write all of it. And because it all costs money, you have to do the business side too, the finance plan and everything like that.

Key Points:

The director may help with Tone, Style, Logline and Synopsis
Writer/director doing “creative” (script, treatment, mood board etc) but then reviewed by producer who sends out the application ideally.
The producer should be handling budget, schedule, audience and any biz stuff.
The level of involvement a director or creative has in the proposal and funding application writing can vary depending on the team and their skillsets.
Although not always the case, producers tend to focus on budget, logistics, market and the how it will be made. The creatives (writer, director) focus on the vision, the script/ story, the tone and style of the project.

Q: When assessing regional projects (esp. South Island), are there any elements that you’d like to see more fleshed out? Are there any consistent weaknesses or strengths of projects that take place outside of the big cities?

Te O Kahurangi: It’s really important that if you’re looking at things in the South Island, that you’ve got some context there, that you’re actually writing from that perspective. So just as Nua talked about all of how you make those stories unique, whether it’s from a Tongan perspective, whether it’s actually on an island or in a specific space, it’s the same in terms of the South Island. It may require engagement with iwi, depending on where your location is, the nature of the stories that you are writing, and what perspectives those characters are coming from, Māori characters, for example. You need to show the authenticity of that place and how it is that you’ve engaged in that, before you come in for funding or before you completed your story, that it has all been taken into consideration when you’re writing your work.

Heperi: The unfortunate reality of the industry; is that we’re in a capitalistic industry and the big question is about cost. A lot of productions are in Auckland and Wellington, there is more studio space, and accommodation, and getting people to and from set. It’s just simpler. So, when you are working in the regions its about making the logistical aspects in your production worth the additional cost. At NZOA in the way we assess, we do place value on regionalism and representation of Aotearoa’s regions. As it can cost a little bit more, you need to have that factored in and have those rationales spoken to in the application.

Juneea: TMP specific perspective. We have a part in our criteria with a po tiake reo and po tiake tikanga. And regional iwi hapu marae setting. The best way forward is to get a person from that iwi, hapu, marae and support from that iwi specifically.

Te O Kahurangi: Regional film offices, if you are looking at regions, whether it’s in the South Island or other places. There are regional film offices that are available that can help you. If you’re thinking about looking for space, about looking for other ways you can make your production work. There are also the different universities and some of the councils that have screen arms or film arms specific to that particular area when you’re looking at permits.

Currently, Share the Knowledge, is looking at, a program where they’ve got specific work around one of the productions and looking at interns and training alongside one of their productions called Holy Days in the South Island.

I can’t reinforce more around keeping in touch/up to date with newsletters, with the guilds and making sure that you’re aware of everything that’s happening because you might find that there’s another way to help you achieve your goal for your production.

Key Points:

Being authentic and connected to where the project is being made is important
If you are not from the place, allow plenty of time for meaningful engagement with those who are, so you can create the right type of partnerships and relationships to ensure your project is mutually beneficial to all parties
Being realistic and allowing for what it really takes to make projects in the place you are proposing. This can mean allowing specific budget to be spent on different aspects of your production due to the requirements of the location.

Q: Is there any advice on finding more online workshops/South Island projects?

A: Reach out to RFONZ / your regional Film Offices, they will know what is going on and will always like to hear there is a need in their area. https://www.filmoffices.nz/

Skillshare, online filmmaking facebook groups are also generally open to new members and members asking specific questions.

Script to Screen and Day One have a range of resources, The Big Idea- Learning Network https://learning.thebigidea.nz/

Key Points:

Get on the mailing list of all the industry guilds and organisations
Recommend to your film office the types of workshops and training you want in your region/ city
Contact us at Script to Screen to see if we already have a programme that might be a good fit, or if we are able to develop one and secure funding for it.

Context: As someone based in the South Island, seeing so many North Island-specific workshops and opportunities can be discouraging.

Q: In the very early stages, before even thinking about approaching the funding bodies, what do you think is the best way to approach potential collaborators like producers or networks? Would I need a one-pager or series bible ready to go?

Angela: Take me for food… For anyone you’re approaching, send them and email, and if they have capacity they may take you up on a 30 min meeting. Make sure you know what you want from it and have more than just an idea. As a producer, in order to take it to the next stage it needs to be a script or episode synopsis. Know exactly what you want. Do you want an EP, or producer, or do you need someone to give you ideas on what you can do next.

Nua: You also need to have an understanding of who the producers are, what films they have made, and is your project in the wheelhouse of what they are doing. You need to have an understanding of your project. Is that producer the right person? Just because I’m Tongan doesn’t mean I will add value to art house stuff, give someone else a ring, or call experts in the specific field. Look at the producers’ slate; what is their brand, and does it align with your project?

Key Points:

Be clear about why you are approaching the potential collaborator. Do you research top make sure you are connecting with the right people for you.
Be respectful of what you are asking – please do not approach someone days before a funding deadline to get them on board.
Be yourself and open to other people’s creativity and perceptive, afterall, most people in the industry are drawn to it because they are creative and want to tell screen stories, so let them in.

Te Māngai Paho

Q: How do you classify a project with 30 % Te Reo content, how can a project meet that requirement?

A: Applicants determine the percentage of te reo their project will contain. Part of the Māori language plan requirements is to explain how the applicant will meet the project’s target te reo Māori percentage.

Key Points:

Check the requirements on the website for the fund you are applying for
If still unsure, talk to someone at Te Māngai Pāho or another producer who has previously received their funding

Q: What would you include in a presentation/pitch for collaborators?

A: Logline, synopsis, theme, tone, genre, your relationship to the story, why you want them as your collaborators, kaupapa, visual pitch deck.

QUESTIONS FOR INDUSTRY ORGANISATIONS

We ran out of time on the zoom to answer the following questions. We are working with the guilds and industry organisations to answer them and then share them with you.

Q: Do you have any recommendations for organisation that would be interested in funding black narratives?

Q: How do you know when NOT to put in a proposal?

Context: The FOMO can be intense. I often find myself running from one prop to the next, spreading myself thin and not having enough time to do actual writing.

Q: How do I attract a producer to do all this for me? Do you offer them a cut from the successful funds?

Q: How to budget the producer’s work on a project?

Context: Financing is not my wheelhouse,

Q: How would you attach big named actors to your project in order to strengthen your application?

Q: Do you include marketing plans in your proposals? For example socials, or advertising or fan community building plans

Q: What are some common mistakes for novices seen in pitching documents?

Q: What is valuable to include in the business side of the pitching document? What elements should you be spending time on as a producer?

ABOUT SPEAKERS

Angela Cudd is an award-winning screen producer with a passion for stories told through an indigenous or fresh lens and a vision for showcasing NZ screen excellence to the world. Coming from a background in fashion and beauty event and business management, Angela began working in the screen industry in the early 2010s. Angela initially worked across a range of fields including narrative film, documentary, reality-challenge TV, OB live events & studio shows before settling in the narrative and documentary space. She went on to produce the sitcoms ‘Sextortion’ and ‘Good Grief’, fluent reo Māori kids show ‘Pōtae Pai’ and co-produced the anthology feature film ‘We Are Still Here’, which interweaves eight stories of indigenous struggle and triumph and premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2022. In 2019, Angela founded Caravan Carpark Films (CCF), a production house focusing on screen and indigenous excellence as well as capacity building of emerging screen innovators. Most recently, under the umbrella of CCF, Angela produced the feature film ‘Uproar’ and the documentary series ‘When Bob Came’. ‘Uproar’ starred Julian Dennison, Minnie Driver and Rhys Darby, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2023 and was released globally in early 2024 to critical acclaim. ‘When Bob Came’ explored the impact of Bob Marley’s only concert in NZ and was awarded Best Factual Series at the NZ TV Awards 2023.

Karin Williams is a descendant of British settlers in Aotearoa New Zealand and ancestors from the South Pacific island of Aitutaki. She began her career as a reporter at the Cook Islands News in Rarotonga, going on to work as a writer, director and producer for broadcast networks in New Zealand and the USA. She founded Multinesia Productions to support global indigenous storytelling and has worked with first nations communities in Canada, Alaska and the Pacific on grassroots community projects. Her independent film projects have screened at festivals around the world. Karin served as a Development Executive at the NZ Film Commission (NZFC) and works with Pasifika storytellers to bring authentic projects to stage and screen. Recent credits include Teine Sā, a Pacific horror/anthology series for Sky NZ Originals, and the Polynesian sketch comedy series, SIS, screening on Comedy Central, Prime and Neon. Karin is a funding assessor for a range of agencies including NZFC, Creative NZ, Script to Screen, Pan Asian Screen Collective (PASC) and Pacific Islanders in Communications (PIC). She is a member of Women in Film and Television (WIFT), Pacific Island Screen Artists (PISA) and serves on the Executive Boards of Script to Screen and SPADA, the Screen Production and Development Association. She is a vocal advocate for diversity and inclusion in the screen industry.

A proud Tongan, born and raised in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Halaifonua Finau, or Nua as he’s more commonly known, is at the forefront of bringing Polynesian stories to our screens. He studied at Whitireia Performing Arts as a dancer but made his name in the industry as an actor and presenter, before shifting his love of performance and storytelling behind the camera. Nua brings storytelling with Tongan swag to the kava bowl of creativity. He is a writer and producer, with a mission to take his little corner of the Pacific to the world. He cut his teeth in children’s television as a producer on Small Blacks TV and honed his skills and vibe in series two of the much-loved Polynesian series Baby Mama’s Club. In 2019, Nua was co-writer and associate producer on Jonah, the tele-feature drama series on Tongan and All Blacks rugby legend, Jonah Lomu. In 2021, Nua teamed up with Four Knights’ maestro, Tom Hern and the pair founded their production company Tavake. Tavake’s first drama series The Panthers, which Nua wrote, created and executive produced alongside Hern, was the first New Zealand TV series to premiere at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival. 2023 was a landmark year for Nua. He released his first feature film ‘Red, White & Brass, a crowd-pleasing family film (based on Nua’s own life experiences in a family/church brass band) – which he wrote and produced alongside Executive Producers Taika Waititi and Carthew Neal. The film opened at number 1 at the local box office and went on to become the top local film of the year and, in doing so, a certified Polynesian classic. Nua was the 2023 recipient of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade Pacific Enterprise Award. He currently serves on the Content Advisory Board for the Banff World Media Festival. Finau is represented by Kaplan Perrone Entertainment.

This Script to Screen TALKS is made possible thanks to
New Zealand Film Commission.

Presented by Script to Screen in collaboration with Ngā Aho Whakaari and PISA (Pacific Islands Screen Artists)

Join Producers Halaifonua Finau (Red, White and Brass), Karin Williams (We Live by the River), and Angela Cudd (Uproar) as they delve into how to create great funding applications for film and television projects in Aotearoa.

In conversation with Script to Screen’s Executive Director Dale Corlett, these industry leaders will give their unique insights into what makes a strong application, including:

Putting your team together
Gathering key information
Strategic partnerships
Finding your authentic voice so that your idea can leap off the page

From the big picture of your idea to the nitty gritty of the application requirements, you don’t want to miss this fantastic lineup of speakers. We encourage producers, writers, and directors to take advantage of this opportunity.

Funding pools are small, this inspiring session will give you access to tools that help take your application to the next level.

After the presentation, time will be allocated to meet the representatives from the New Zealand Film Commission, New Zealand On Air, and Te Māngai Pāho and ask your questions.

Tuesday 24th September 2024
4:00pm – 5:00pm
ONLINE

Read application FAQ’s

ABOUT

This Script to Screen TALKS is made possible thanks to
New Zealand Film Commission.

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.

Hear from some of the key creatives of TVNZ smash hit, After the Party, a series many are calling the best new Kiwi offering in years.

Story creators Robyn Malcolm and Dianne Taylor and producer/director Peter Salmon come together to talk about their collaborative process, from the very earliest story conversations to the writing, all stages of production, and publicity.

Peter, Dianne and Robyn will discuss some of their learnings and how they managed challenges that inevitably arose along the way. With dynamic, talented speakers like these, this promises to be an interesting and stimulating conversation.

There are limited seats, book early, don’t miss out!

When: Tuesday 23rd April, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Arrive from 6:00 PM for a 6.30 start

Where: The Spinoff
1/615 New North Road, Morningside
(entrance is off Western Springs Road)
Please get in touch if you have any accessibility requirements.

Cost: General Admission $5.00 (Plus. GST+BF) via Humanitix.

Please be sure to arrive with plenty of time to be seated for a 6:30 prompt start.
Allow time to find a park. There are bus and train stops close to the venue.

ABOUT ROBYN MALCOLM:
Robyn Malcolm, a celebrated multi Award winning New Zealand actress is renowned for her iconic portrayal of Cheryl West in Outrageous Fortune. She is currently engaged in filming the feature Pike alongside Melanie Lynskey and features in TVNZ/ITV’s After the Party, which she co-created and stars in alongside Peter Mullan. Her diverse screen presence extends to Warner Bros/Discovery’s Far North with Temuera Morrison, Apple TV’s Black Bird with Taron Egerton and the late Ray Liotta. Notably, she has made significant contributions to Australian television through appearances in series such as Rake, Upper Middle Bogan, Wanted, and Harrow, and has graced notable films like Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Lovely Bones, and Jane Campion’s Top of the Lake.

ABOUT DIANNE TAYLOR:
Dianne’s latest project is the six-part t.v drama, After The Party, (dir. Peter Salmon) which she created in collaboration with lead actor, Robyn Malcolm. It screened on TVNZ in late 2023 and is available to view on TVNZ+. Her previous work includes the feature film, Beyond The Known World, (dir. Pan Nalin) which was filmed in India and released in New Zealand in April 2016. Her first film, Apron Strings, 2008 (dir. Sima Urale co-writer, Shuchi Kothari) opened the NZ International Film Festival and screened in numerous film festivals around the world, including Toronto. Dianne also works as a script advisor and has mentored writers in the Show Me Shorts and Fresh Shorts development programmes. In 2023 she was invited to tutor at the FilmNomad Screenwriting Workshop in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

ABOUT PETER SALMON:
Peter Salmon is an award-winning director and producer working extensively in Australia and New Zealand. A co-founder of Auckland production company Luminous Beast, he co-created and directed the Sky Originals series INSiDE, winner of the 2021 International Emmy for Short-Form Series. His other directing credits include ABC’s Rake, Harrow for Hulu and ABC, Halifax: Retribution for the Nine Network, the CBBC/Seven Network/TVNZ co-production Mystic; the ABC’s The Beautiful Lie, starring Sarah Snook, the award-winning Nowhere Boys, Offspring for Network Ten, and Wanted for Matchbox Pictures and Netflix, for which he won the New Zealand TV Award for Best Director.
Peter produced and directed the acclaimed NZ drama After The Party and has recently completed directing Madam, starring Rachel Griffiths and Martin Henderson.

This TALK is made possible thanks to the support from the New Zealand Film Commission, Images and Sound, White Studios and The Spinoff.

Join Script to Screen and the New Zealand Film Commission for a live webinar on Tuesday 17th October 5:00-6:00 pm. You will hear about what’s needed to apply for Whiringa Tauatahi – Stage One of Kōpere Hou – Fresh Shorts and get a complete overview of the application process and the selection criteria.

Register for the webinar in advance and submit a question to help shape the discussion. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions during the webinar or you can email webinar questions to communications@script-to-screen.co.nz.

Webinar now available to watch on Youtube:

Image from I am Paradise written and directed by Hiona Henare 2021.

Kōpere Hou – Fresh Shorts is now open for Whiringa Tauatahi – Stage One applications. Applications are made via the Kōpere Hou – Fresh Shorts Funding Portal which is open until 1pm, Monday 6 November 2023.

The full criteria and requirements for the assessment of both Whiringa Tuatahi – Stage One and Whiringa Tuarua – Stage Two can be found on our website. Any enquiries can be directed to Emma Mortimer the Script to Screen Kōpere Hou – Fresh Shorts Programme Manager: freshshorts@script-to-screen.co.nz

If you are unable to join the discussion live, the Webinar will be available for you to refer to afterwards on Script to Screen’s YouTube and Facebook page.

KEY DATES

WHIRINGA TUATAHI – STAGE ONE
APPLICATIONS OPENED: Wednesday, 27 September 2023 (Apply via Kōpere Hou – Fresh Shorts Portal)
APPLICATIONS CLOSE: 1 pm, Monday, 6 November 2023
ANNOUNCEMENT OF SHORTLISTED TEAMS: Early January 2024

WHIRINGA TUARUA – STAGE TWO
APPLICATIONS OPEN: Monday 15 January 2024
APPLICATIONS CLOSE: 1 pm, Monday 26 February 2024
ANNOUNCEMENT OF FUNDED TEAMS: Late April 2024
DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP DATES: 8-9 June 2024
MENTORSHIPS: 10 June to 19 July 2024 (Six weeks)

Kōpere Hou – Fresh Shorts is a New Zealand Film Commission Short Film Fund and Script to Screen manages the reading, assessment, workshop and mentoring aspects of the Fresh Shorts Development Programme.

“The Convert ultimately represents a tremendous feat of reclamation, a Māori story told by a Māori director in the Māori language with a large Māori cast.”
Ankit Jhunjhunwala for The Playlist

Script to Screen is delighted to be presenting this special 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, a New Zealand & Australian feature film co-production starring Guy Pearce and Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne, which had its world premiere at TIFF this month.

Lee Tamahori has an extraordinary body of work including Once Were Warriors, Mulholland Falls, Along Came A Spider, Die Another Day, and more recently Mahana aka The Patriach directing alongside Jitesh Mahana. Throughout his formidable career, Lee has continued to bring New Zealand stories to the international stage.

Paula Morris will moderate the discussion about The Convert, described at TIFF as a “Stunning, Sweeping & Action-Packed Historical Epic”. She will explore Lee’s approach to making the film, including story themes, ideology and past experiences that guided his decisions.

Tuesday 3rd October 2023
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
The Capitol Cinema, 610 Dominion Road, Balmoral, Auckland 1041

$5.75 (incl. GST) for sales via Humanitix to secure your seat.

7:30 pm – 8:30 pm – Optional socialising
After the TALK Script to Screen will provide pizza, and it’s buy your own drinks.

ABOUT OUR PANEL

SPEAKER: Lee Tamahori (Ngāti Porou)

Beginning as a commercial artist and photographer, Lee Tamahori joined the New Zealand film industry in the late 1970s as a boom operator. He became an assistant director a decade later. Making international award-winning commercials for 10 years, he has also directed several TV series.

His big break as a director came with Once Were Warriors (1994). The film went on to outgross Jurassic Park on its New Zealand release, and won audiences, acclaim and awards around the world. Shot in a style that mixes gritty realism with bold use of colour, Once Were Warriors examined a world of domestic violence and gangs for an urban Māori family. The movie’s unflinching depictions of the former matched Tamahori’s desire for films that evoke a response: films that “make you reel out of the theatre and you have to go to a bar and have a drink.”

Biography taken from IMDB and NZOnScreen.

Photo credit: Kirsty Griffin

MODERATOR: Paula Morris (MNZM, Associate Professor, English and Drama Director, Master of Creative Writing)

Paula Morris (Ngāti Wai, Ngāti Manuhiri, Ngāti Whātua) is an award-winning Auckland fiction writer and essayist. She writes on film for the site KoreaSeen, and directs the Master of Creative Writing at the University of Auckland. She is the editor of the new anthology Hiwa: Contemporary Māori Short Stories.

Photo Credit: Colleen Maria Lenihan

This Script to Screen TALK is made possible thanks to generous support from
New Zealand Film Commission, Foundation North, Images & Sound, White Studio s and The Capitol Cinema.

Ever wondered how to start a career writing for film or television? Three highly accomplished and successful writers will share their stories about the pathways they took to a career in the screen industry. Hear about the discoveries they made along the way, difficulties they encountered, and how they overcame obstacles to establish successful screenwriting careers.

An exceptional group of New Zealand screenwriters, our speakers for this event now include Pip Hall (The Dance Exponents-Why Does Love, One Lane Bridge, Runaway Millionaires), Briar Grace-Smith (Cousins, Rurangi, Strength of Water), and Michael Bennett (The Gone, In Dark Places, Matariki). Jackie Dennis, Executive Director of Script to Screen, will moderate the TALK.

Each speaker has a unique story that demonstrates their choices on the road to success. Come along – they will inspire you on your journey.

Friday, 11th August 2023
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm – TALK
Screen CanterburyNZ Office
ChristchurchNZ – BNZ Centre, Level 3, 101 Cashel Street
For access to the venue, there is a lane off Cashel St Mall between Michael Hill & Spark. Lifts are on the left.
Wheelchair access is available.

$5.75 (incl. GST) for sales via EventBrite to secure your seat.

7:15 pm – 8:15 pm – Optional socialising
After the TALK we will move to the Kaiser Brew Garden for socialising with other attendees. Script to Screen will provide pizza, and it’s buy your own drinks.

ABOUT OUR SPEAKERS

Pip Hall

Pip Hall has written for television and theatre, and won awards in both mediums. She started her screen career writing for sketch shows like Skitz and Telly Laughs, and enjoyed a long working relationship with soap Shortland Street. She went on to work on the scripts for Kiwi TV movies Why Does Love? and Runaway Millionaires, miniseries Jonah (about Jonah Lomu) and crime show One Lane Bridge.
“I love telling stories because I want to share the human condition, so that we know we are not alone in this big, crazy world; so we can celebrate our similarities and our differences.” – Pip Hall

Briar Grace-Smith

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 Suit, Being Eve, Kaitangata 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.

Michael Bennett
Michael Bennett (Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Whakaue) is an award-winning screenwriter, filmmaker and author. 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’s short films and feature films have screened and won awards internationally, including Cannes, Toronto, Berlin, Locarno, New York, London, ImagiNative and Dreamspeakers. 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 feature film In Dark Places (2019) 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), 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), the first time a crime novel has been shortlisted for the premiere NZ literary award. Michael is currently adapting his novel for television, and writing the second book in the series, Return To Blood.

This Script to Screen TALK is made possible thanks to generous support from
New Zealand Film Commission, Te Puna Matarau, Screen CanterburyNZ, Images & Sound and South Island Media.

This STS TALK will cover the essentials of a rigorous development process, and how to create a standout application for further advice or funds. Having a strong idea and a great filmmaking team is just the beginning.

Nicole Dade, visiting from Sydney, will demystify the development process, from your story idea onwards. She will delve into what makes a great application, including all the essential documents you’ll need and how to know if you and your story are ready to apply. She will also talk about working with producers and script consultants during that development phase. There will be an opportunity for questions. You will leave knowing how to take your application and your project to the next level.

ABOUT NICOLE DADE

Nicole Dade is a screenwriter, story developer and story/script producer with 15 years’ international experience in TV, film and online scripted content. She is a screenwriter of original and commissioned work and also contributes to writers’ rooms as writer, script editor or script producer. A skilled story and script consultant, Nicole is highly regarded for her creative and strategic insight and for her expertise in screen story and genre craft. She has extensive development experience working with writers, production companies, screen agencies and broadcasters at all stages of a project’s life cycle, from the kernel of an idea through development and production. As a senior creative executive, Nicole’s roles include development executive at Screen Australia, where she worked with many of Australia’s finest filmmakers. She is an industry consultant and assessor for international funding agencies.

Nicole is passionate about the power of storytelling and in fostering and championing diverse stories and voices. She designs and leads talent programmes internationally, and presents workshops using her Elements of Story programme, which she created to demystify the principles of screen storytelling.

Friday 30 June 2023
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm – TALK

Screen CanterburyNZ Office
ChristchurchNZ – BNZ Centre, Level 3, 101 Cashel Street
Access to the venue is down Five Lanes between Michael Hill & Spark.
Wheelchair access is available.

$5.75 (incl. GST) for sales via EventBrite to secure your seat

Script to Screen TALKS are made possible thanks to generous support from:
New Zealand Film Commission, Te Puna Matarau, and Screen CanterburyNZ .

Script to Screen welcomes BAFTA and AWGIE winning screenwriter Anthony Mullins to Aotearoa.

Join us as Anthony discusses screenwriting and how writers can explore and excel in telling more complex, intricate, authentic stories. Anthony challenges the conventions of story structure and character arcs, expanding your possibilities as a storyteller.

This is a fantastic opportunity to hear from one of Australia’s leading screenwriters, and author of the book Beyond the Hero’s Journey: Crafting Powerful and Original Character Arcs for the Screen.

Essential for anyone interested in writing scripts for film and TV series, this TALK will take place in both Wellington and Auckland in early May.

ABOUT ANTHONY MULLINS

Anthony is a BAFTA and AWGIE award winning screenwriter, director and script producer. The projects Anthony has written and directed have won numerous international awards including a Primetime Emmy, an International Digital Emmy, two BAFTAs and five Australian Writer’s Guild awards. One of Anthony’s first short films (STOP, 2000) was nominated for the Palme d’Or for short films at the Cannes Film Festival. One of Anthony’s first TV assignments was writing and directing two spin-off web series for the hit US television series LOST, one of which won a Primetime Emmy Award for Best Interactive Television (Dharma Wants You, 2009). In 2022, Anthony’s play, The Norman Mailer Anecdote was a finalist in the Queensland Premier’s Drama Awards. His book Beyond the Hero’s Journey is based in part on his doctorate and was released by New South Publishing (UNSW) in 2021. It has so far been released in Australia, the UK, the United States and will be released in China in 2023.

WELLINGTON TALK
Tuesday 2 May 2023

6:30 – 7:30pm – TALK
7:30 – 8:30pm – Cash bar, socialising and pizza
Tapere Iti, 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.

$5.75 (incl. GST) for sales via EventBrite to secure your seat

AUCKLAND TALK
Wednesday 3 May 2023

6:30 – 7:30pm – TALK
7:30 – 8:30pm – Cash bar, socialising and pizza
Capitol Cinema, 610 Dominion Road, Balmoral, Auckland

After the TALK, stay and have pizza on Script to Screen. There will be a cash bar and socialising with fellow filmmakers.

$5.75 (incl. GST) for sales via EventBrite to secure your seat

Script to Screen TALKS are made possible thanks to generous support from
New Zealand Film Commission, Foundation North, Te Auaha NZ Institute of Creativity, The Capitol Cinema and White Studios.

Take care of our children. Take care of what they hear. Take care of what they see. For how the children grow, so will the shape of Aotearoa.

– Dame Whina Cooper

So many screen stories start with a personal or memorable experience that often includes other people. When developing a script based on actual events, it helps to understand your place in the story, how far you can stray from the truth, and who you need to consult with. This TALK will cover those challenges and other considerations for autobiographical projects and stories about a public figure.

Hear from three outstanding writer-directors, Welby Ings (Punch, Sparrow), Mathew J. Saville (Juniper, Dive) and Paula Whetu Jones (Whina, Waru), as they discuss their recent experience weaving screen stories from truth, memory, and social history. Moderated by filmmaker Karin Williams (SIS, Teine Sa), this promises to be an insightful and valuable conversation.

Join us at Tapac on Wednesday, the 29th of March, at 6:30 pm.

Wednesday 29 March 2023
6:30 – 7:30pm -TALK
7:30 – 8:30pm – Cash bar, socialising and pizza
TAPAC, 100 Motions Rd, Western Springs, Auckland

After the TALK, stay and have pizza on Script to Screen, there will be a cash bar and socialising with fellow filmmakers.

$5.75 (incl. GST) for sales via EventBrite to secure your seat.
$5.00 cash at the door.

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

WELBY INGS is a multi-award winning designer, filmmaker, and writer. His short films, Boy, Munted and Sparrow have been selected in competition at over 80 international film festivals. His critically acclaimed LGBTQI+ feature film Punch had its international premiere last year in Tallinn Black Nights, and it is currently programmed across a spectrum of international festivals. As well as being a film director Welby is also a Professor in Narrative Design at Auckland University of Technology.

MATTHEW J. SAVILLE is an award-winning writer, director and actor. Having graduated from New Zealand’s National Drama School, Toi Whakaari, it was directing that really sparked Matt’s passion. HIs directorial debut – 2012’s NZFC funded short film Hitch Hike – thumbed its way to festivals all around the world and Matt’s sophomore effort, the multi-award winning Dive, premiered at the prestigious Telluride Film Festival. Both films have garnered millions of views online. In 2021 he wrote and directed his first feature film Juniper, starring Academy Award nominee Charlotte Rampling. Aside from a strong festival run, Juniper opened theatrically worldwide in territories including the UK, Scandinavia and Australia and will be released theatrically in the US and Canada in January 2023.

PAULA WHETU JONES
Te Aitanga a Mahaki, Whakatohea Ngati Porou.

Born and raised in Hastings, I went to film school where I specialised in things I never went on to do but I did learn the processes and discipline of film and TV. My foray into documentary came from being tired of people perpetuating stereotypes and getting “our” stories wrong. For me, it is all about context. If you don’t know the world, it’s much harder to get authenticity in your story.

I’ve been in the industry for over 20 years and have worked in all production areas, but lately I have moved from doco to drama. I recently co-directed and co-wrote the feature film Whina and was one of the Māori Women writer-directors on Waru. I am currently a co-writer and co-director on a Warner Bros NZ series, the creator, co-writer and co-director of a series for Neon, and I’m in the second draft of a historical NZ feature script for Sweetshop and Green.

KARIN WILLIAMS is a descendant of British settlers in Aotearoa and ancestors from the South Pacific island of Aitutaki. She began her career as a reporter at the Cook Islands News in Rarotonga, going on to work as a writer, director and producer for broadcast networks in New Zealand and the USA. She founded Multinesia Productions to support global indigenous storytelling and has worked with first nations communities in Canada, Alaska and the Pacific. Her independent film projects have screened at festivals around the world. Recent credits include Teine Sā, a Pacific horror/anthology series for Sky NZ Originals, and the acclaimed Polynesian sketch comedy series, SIS for Comedy Central.

Script to Screen TALKS are made possible thanks to generous support from New Zealand Film Commission, Foundation North and White Studios.