Script to Screen presents a one-day feature film writing workshop for emerging filmmakers of Wellington.
What Do You Want?: Screenwriter, playwright and novelist Duncan Sarkies leads a morning workshop on character objectives: how an understanding of what your character wants and the obstacles that get in their way can be used to generate ideas for your story.
Collaborative Practice: Esteemed filmmaker Gaylene Preston discusses creating a workable framework for each individual project. She’ll talk about managing the perils and pitfalls of working in such an inherently collaborative medium from the outset, including establishing clarity around ownership, ensuring you’re making the same project, and a team’s creative process.
Writing, re-writing, re-writing: Screenwriter Nick Ward shares his secrets to writing a screenplay that engages the reader and reads professionally. Come and hear how to inspire producers, avoid the common pitfalls and deal with the tough realities of getting your story to the big screen.
Date: Saturday 11 November
Time: 9.30am – 4.30pm
Venue: The Vogelmorn Bowling Club, 93 Mornington Rd, Brooklyn, Wellington
Cost: $20. Please bring cash on the day. Morning and afternoon tea will be provided. Please bring lunch with you.
Please register your attendance here: https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/wellington-screenwriting-workshop-2017-tickets-39466639782
*Image taken from RUBY & RATA. DIR: Gaylene Preston
This workshop was made possible with the support from the Creative Communities Scheme.
Script to Screen, Ngā Aho Whakaari and PIFT present the 2017 South Auckland Short Film Workshop – a free two-day workshop that will give you everything you need to know to make a short film.
Over one weekend, four experienced filmmakers will guide you through each stage of the filmmaking process – from the initial concept, writing, directing, working with actors and finally to pitch your idea to collaborators and funders.
We are looking for new talent from South Auckland with a passion for storytelling, and an interest in learning how to make a short film. Up to six attendees/teams will also have the opportunity to participate in the 2018 South Shorts Mentoring Programme. This is a tailored programme that pairs writers and producers with experienced industry mentors.
When? Sat 18 and Sun 19 November, 9am-5pm both days
Where? Faculty of Creative Arts, Manukau Institute of Technology, 50 Lovegrove Cresent, Otara
How much? The workshop is free. We provide a picnic style lunch and suggest $15 cash to cover lunch on both days – if you are able to contribute please bring this cash along with you to the workshop.
Register: Places are limited. Please email sjionel@script-to-screen.co.nz or cal 09) 3605400 to register.
What do I need to bring to the workshop?
You are encouraged to come with a short film idea, and any team members you might wish to work with. It is not compulsory to have a short film idea ready, but will mean that you get the most out of the workshop.
You could write a synopsis which should be half a page, describing what your film is about, what happens in the film, and what you want people to feel when they are watching it. You could also include why this story is important to you or why this story needs to be told. Remember to include details like, how long you expect the film to be (usually 5 – 15 mins long), the genre of your film (comedy or drama etc), and the characters’ names.
On Day 2 of the workshop, participants will be invited to pitch their short film idea to the group and a panel of industry mentors. The pitch is to be kept to 3 minutes.
Image from short film WAITING. Written by Samuel Kamu and directed by Amberley Jo Aumua.
This workshop was made possible with the support of the Creative Communities Scheme.
2017 SOUTH AUCKLAND WORKSHOP SCHEDULE
Saturday 18 November
9am-9:15am – Tea/coffee/introduction
9:15am-10:45am – Kaupapa of Story with Renae Maihi (WARU, MANAHATTA)
10:45am-12:15pm – Producing with Orlando Stewart (FIRE IN CARDBOARD CITY, THE DUMP)
Learn about the role of the producer in driving the project from conception to completion
12:15-1:15pm – Lunch break
1:15pm – 5pm – Screenwriting with Shuchi Kothari (COFFEE & ALLAH, APRON STRINGS)
Learn about the key points of storytelling and forming a structure that will grab the audience
Sunday 19 November
9.15am-10:45am – Directing with Sima Urale (APRON STRINGS, O TAMAITI)
Learn about the director’s role in the film and forming a strong vision for your story.
10:45am – 11am – Morning Tea
11am – Work on Pitch
11:30am – 5pm – Pitching Session
Participants are invited to pitch their short film idea to the group and a panel of industry mentors. The pitch is to be kept to 3 minutes.
He wānanga mō nga rangatahi ki te mahi kiriata ō Te Tai Tokerau. Nau mai, haere mai
Are you a passionate storyteller who would love to learn about filmmaking?
Script to Screen presents a filmmaking workshop aimed at rangatahi in the Far North region. The workshop includes story-writing, hands-on learning about shooting and acting in scenes.
Join us in the July school holidays for a free five-day workshop that will give you the tools you need to take stories from your community and tell them on screen.
The aim of the workshop is to foster local talent and encourage aspiring filmmakers. The workshop is suitable for ages 15+, and adults of all ages are welcome.
No experience or prior knowledge of filmmaking is necessary – but those with experience are more than welcome and will also benefit from the workshop.
Come along and learn how to make your story come to life through film.
When: 10 -14 July 2017
Where: Kohewhata Marae, 6869 Mangakahia Road, KAIKOHE
Cost: This workshop is free. Koha to cover kai is welcome
Registration: If you would like to attend please RSVP to Sjionel on sjionel@script-to-screen.co.nz or phone 09) 360 5400 to sign up.
*Film still taken from Qianne Titore’s short film NATALIE made as part of the 2016 Hokianga Filmmaking Workshop. NATALIE is screening at Wairoa Film Festival and New Zealand International Film Festival .
Due to high demand registrations for this workshop are closed. If you would like to be added to the waiting list you can do so here.
We know how important it is to create character driven stories, but how to get there can feel like a mystery.
Script to Screen presents a two-day feature film workshop for emerging filmmakers with story consultant and dramaturg Brita McVeigh.
Brita will guide participants through individual exercises, group work, and conversation that provide tools for writing from inside your characters.
Don’t miss this interactive and practical workshop that will help you bring your stories to life so they can ultimately connect with an audience.
What to bring: All participants need to be working on a feature film project that they can use for the workshop exercises. The project can be at any stage of development, be it synopsis, first draft or beyond. Directors and producers are encouraged to attend, but must be working on a feature film and be prepared to participate in the exercises.
Date: Saturday 13 & Sunday 14 May, 2017
Time: Saturday 9.30am – 4:30pm, Sunday 9am – 2:30pm
Venue: Samoa House, 283 Karangahape Rd, Auckland CBD (entry off Beresford Square, down the lane)
Cost: $20. Please bring cash on the day. Morning and afternoon tea will be provided. Please bring lunch with you or there are many cafes in the area.
Brita McVeigh is based in Sydney and works with actors, directors, writers and producers, as a dramaturg, acting coach, directing coach and story consultant. In just over a decade, Brita’s working methodology has contributed to the development of more than 126 feature film, short film, television and theatre projects. She currently works between New Zealand and Australia, both in person and via skype, during development, rehearsal or production, depending on what each project requires.
Brita is a regular guest teacher at AFTRS, the Australian Film, Television and Radio School, and at Toi Whakaari New Zealand Drama School. She has mentored for the Script to Screen FilmUp programme, where she works one on one with directors on how to strengthen their technique when directing actors. Brita is an advisory board member and Story Advisor at Story Camp Aotearoa, a five-day residential screenwriting retreat for film-makers. Since 2011, over 700 creative professionals, have attended Brita’s Acting for Humans workshop series.
This workshop was made possible with the support of the New Zealand Film Commission, Foundation North and the Creative Communities Scheme.
There’s big difference between writing a screenplay and writing a screenplay that people will read till the last page.
Join us for a one-day screenwriting workshop with experienced NZ screenwriter Nick Ward (Stickmen, Second-Hand Wedding, Outrageous Fortune, The Almighty Johnsons), who has an extensive career in screenwriting, from feature films to television.
In an entertaining in-depth workshop, Nick shares his secrets to writing a screenplay that engages the reader and reads professionally. Come and hear how to inspire producers, avoid the common pitfalls and deal with the tough realities of getting your story to the big screen.
This workshop is suitable for screenwriters of all levels, from beginners to those with experience, and directors and producers are also welcome.
If you attended the Christchurch workshop with Nick Ward in 2015 please feel welcome to come again. The workshop is organic in form and responsive to questions from the audience, so will naturally take a different shape to last time.
When: Saturday 8 April 2017, 9am – 5pm.
Where: CPIT Broadcasting School, Television Studio – 171 Madras Street, accessible through the car park on the corner of Madras Street and Southwark Street, Christchurch. MAP.
Cost: The workshop is free.
Coffee, tea, biscuits and fruit provided. Please bring your own lunch or buy from one of the cafes nearby.
Registration: Please RSVP to Sjionel sjionel@script-to-screen.co.nz or 09 360 5400.
This workshop is made possible with support from the Creative Communities Scheme.
Script to Screen and WIFTNZ in association with UniFrance and the Alliance Française French Film Festival are proud to present a masterclass delivered by renowned and visionary French film director and screenwriter, Rebecca Zlotowski.
Rebecca began her career writing several short films, before making her directorial debut with feature film BELLE EPINE (2010) starring Léa Seydoux. The film screened at Critics’ Week, was nominated for the Camera d’Or and won the Louis Delluc Prize for Best First Film. Her next film GRAND CENTRAL also starred Seydoux, and premiered in Un Certain Regard at Cannes in 2013. She also co-wrote feature films JIMMY RIVIERE (2011) and DESPITE THE NIGHT (2013), and in 2015 she was on the short film jury for the Cannes Film Festival.
Zlotowski is in New Zealand to promote her latest film PLANETARIUM, a supernatural drama set in 1930s Paris starring Natalie Portman and Lily-Rose Depp, which premiered at Venice Film Festival. The film will now screen at the 2017 Alliance Française French Film Festival.
Join us for an in-depth 3 hour masterclass with Rebecca delving into her process of bringing PLANETARIUM to life. Participants will be provided with a copy of the script of the film, and are invited to watch the film at one of the four Auckland screenings before the masterclass. For any participants coming from out of town, PLANETARIUM is also screening around the country.
See the screening schedule for PLANETARIUM HERE.
When: Monday 13th March, 1-4pm
Where: Auckland Art Gallery Auditorium
Registration: The workshop is free, but places are limited so please register your attendance.
Rebecca Zlotowski was born in 1980 in Paris. After graduating from the prestigious Ecole Normale Supérieure and being a French Language and Literature agrégée, Rebecca Zlotowski joined the famous Paris film school La Fémis where she encountered other distinctive filmmakers such as Teddy Lussi Modeste, Jean-Claude Brisseau, Philippe Grandrieux, Antoine d’Agata (with whom she will collaborate on a future project), and Lodge Kerrigan. Selected at the 2010 Cannes Critics’ Week, her first directorial effort Belle Epine won the Prix Louis Delluc as well as the Critics’ Award for Best First Feature Film. Three years later, Grand Central was selected at the Un Certain Regard in Cannes. Planetarium is Zlotowski’s third feature film.
Script to Screen, Ngā Aho Whakaari and PIFT present the 2016 South Auckland Short Film Workshop – a free two-day workshop that will give you everything you need to know to make a short film.
Over one weekend, four experienced filmmakers will guide you through each stage of the filmmaking process – from the initial concept, writing, directing, working with actors and finally to pitch your idea to collaborators and funders.
We are looking for new talent from South Auckland with a passion for storytelling, and an interest in learning how to make a short film. Up to six attendees/teams will also have the opportunity to participate in the South Shorts Mentoring Programme. This is a tailored programme that pairs writers and producers with experienced industry mentors, and returns after a successful inaugural year.
When? Sat 19 and Sun 20 November, 9am-5pm both days
Where? MIT School of Visual Arts, 50 Lovegrove Cresent, Otara
How much? The workshop is free. Coffee, tea and biscuits will be provided in the breaks. We will also provide a picnic style lunch. We suggest a $15 cash koha to cover lunch on both days – so if you are able to contribute please bring this cash along with you to the workshop.
Register: Places are limited. Please email eloise@script-to-screen.co.nz or call 09 360 5400 to reserve a spot.
What do I need to bring to the workshop?
You are encouraged to come with a short film idea, and any team members you might wish to work with. It is not compulsory to have a short film idea ready, but will mean that you get the most out of the workshop.
The synopsis should be half a page, describing what your film is about, what happens in the film, and what you want people to feel when they are watching it. You could also include why this story is important to you or why this story needs to be told. Remember to include details like, how long you expect the film to be (short films are usually 5 – 15 mins long), whether it is a comedy or drama etc, and the characters’ names.
On Day 2 of the workshop, participants will be invited to pitch their short film idea to the group in a pitching competition, to a panel of industry mentors.You are welcome to pitch the short film idea you submitted, or another idea. The pitch is to be kept to 3 minutes.
SCHEDULE
Saturday 19 November
9am-9:15am – Tea/coffee/introduction
9:15am-10:45am – ‘Why I Make Films’ with Niki Si’ulepa (Ma, Snow in Paradise)
10:45am-12:15pm – Producing with Lara Northcroft (This is Piki, Tits on a Bull)
Learn about the role of the producer in driving the project from conception to completion
12:15-1:15pm – Lunch break
1:15pm – 5pm – Screenwriting with Michael Bennett (Matariki, The Factory)
Learn about the key points of storytelling and forming a structure that will grab the audience
Sunday 20 November
9am-11am – Directing with Hamish Bennett (The Dump, Ross and Beth)
Learn about the director’s role in the film and forming a strong vision for your story
11:15am – 5pm – Pitching Session
Participants are invited to pitch their short film idea to the group and a panel of industry mentors. The pitch is to be kept to 3 minutes.
Following the workshop, those who wish to apply for the mentorship programme will be asked to submit a short statement to Script to Screen outlining why the mentorship programme is for them. The programme focuses on emerging writers and producers. Participating in the pitching session is not only a great way to practice communicating your film idea to others, but provides a great opportunity to introduce yourself and your film idea to the panel who will be selecting the participants for the 2017 South Shorts Mentorship Programme. Producers applying for the mentoring programme may either pitch their own idea at the pitching session, or pitch as a team with a writer. More info about South Shorts here.
Image: From short film MARIA, written by Toafia Pelesasa, and directed by Jeremiah Tauamiti.
This workshop was made possible with the support of the Creative Communities Scheme.
On the 6th and 7th of August, 49 aspiring filmmakers gathered at Toi Whakaari for a weekend packed full of ideas, advice, inspiration and knowledge.
On the Sunday afternoon, 30 of the participants pitched their short film ideas, which they had refined with the learning from the writing session, and practised in their own time. The level of pitches blew the panel away, and there was a bubbling vibe of warmth and generosity in the room. Participants came away with a renewed passion for the quest of filmmaking, a strengthened belief in their own work, and some formed 48 hours teams with people they met at the workshop.
The winner of the pitching competition was writer Judith Cowley, with her idea SHEARING, with special mentions going to Chris Howe, Teresa Bass, and co-writing team Sarita So and Natano Keni.
“I loved the enthusiasm and energy from the everyone that attended the workshop. The dynamic was great and everyone was very kind and supportive of each other. A perfect environment for the conception of magic!” – Pitching competition judge Nikki Si’ulepa.
“The workshop definitely impassioned my desire to start creating, and the speakers were honest and inspiring.” – Workshop participant.
This workshop was made possible with the support of the Creative Communities Scheme.
Script to Screen presents the 2016 Wellington Short Film Workshop – a two-day workshop that will give you everything you need to know to make a short film. Over one weekend, four experienced industry practitioners will guide you through each stage of the filmmaking process – from writing, directing, producing to pitching your idea to collaborators or funders. If you have a passion for storytelling, and in interest in learning how to make a short film, then this workshop is for you.
This workshop is aimed at ages 17+, and no prior filmmaking knowledge is necessary.
Date: Sat 6 & Sun 7 August
Time: 9am – 5pm both days
Venue: Drama 1, Te Whaea: National Dance and Drama Centre, 11 Hutchison Rd, Newtown
Cost: The workshop cost is $20 for the weekend – please bring cash on the day. Morning and afternoon tea will be provided. Please bring lunch with you or there are many cafes in the area.
Registration: Spaces are limited so you must register your interest. Please rsvp to Sjionel on sjionel@script-to-screen.co.nz or ring the office on 09 360 5400.
SCHEDULE
Day One – Saturday 6 August
9am-9:30am – Coffee/tea/intro
9:30am-11am – Why I Make Films with Nikki Si’ulepa
11am-12:30pm – Producing with Ruth Korver
Learn about the role of the producer in driving the project from conception to completion
12:30-1:30pm – Lunch
1:30 – 4:30pm – Screenwriting with Brita McVeigh
Learn about the key points of storytelling and forming a structure that will grab the audience
Day Two – Sunday 7 August
9am – 12pm – Directing with Rob Sarkies
Learn about the director’s role in the film and forming a strong vision for your story
12pm – 1pm – Lunch
1pm – 5pm: Pitching Session
Participants are invited to pitch their short film idea to the group and a panel of industry mentors. The pitch is to be kept to 5 minutes.
Photo credit: A still from Wellington-made short film QUEENIE.
This workshop is made possible with the support of the Creative Communities Scheme.
Script to Screen presents two filmmaking workshops aimed at rangatahi in the Far North region. These series of workshops offer a chance for young people to learn how to write and develop their own stories for the screen. Up to three of the ideas will be made into films in the July school holidays.
The aim of the workshops are to foster local talent and encourage aspiring filmmakers.
The workshops are suitable for ages 15+, and adults of all ages are welcome. No experience or prior knowledge of filmmaking is necessary – but those with experience are more than welcome and will also benefit from the workshop. We also welcome those who work with rangatahi in the Far North region, who would like to learn more about how to inspire their youth to write and make a film project with local content.
Hear from esteemed writer/director Michael Bennett about the essential elements of storytelling and how to bring ideas to life. The writing workshop covers short drama and short documentary formats.
Each participant will have the opportunity to pitch their short film idea to the group for advice and feedback. We will choose a few ideas that will go on to be made in the July school holidays. We will need help with filming – so tell your friends!
Cost: The workshops are free. Koha to cover kai is welcomed.
Registration: If you would like to attend either or both workshops, please rsvp to Eloise on eloise@script-to-screen.co.nz or ring the office on 09 360 5400 to sign up.
Workshop 2.0 – WRITING
The screenwriting workshop will take place over three days. Learn how to develop a story that can come to life on screen. (Meals provided).
When: Thurs 7th and Fri 8th July 6-9pm, Sat 9th July 9am-3pm
Where: Matai Aranui Marae, 49 Wikaira Rd, Whirinaki.
Workshop 3.0 – FILMMAKING
Let’s make the films! Come back together (and bring your friends) to make some of the films that were pitched in the writing workshop. Help your friend bring their film idea to life. Adults welcome. (Meals provided).
When: Mon 18th – Fri 22nd July 9am-5pm each day (Last week of the July school holidays.)
Where: Meet at Matai Aranui Marae, 49 Wikaira Rd, Whirinaki. Filming will be in the Whirinaki area.