Since 2009, Script to Screen has proudly delivered 18 workshops throughout Northland and the Far North. Nurturing the talents of young filmmakers from Hokianga, Rawene, Whirinaki, Kaikohe, Kerikeri and Whangārei.
Each session provides a unique experience, fostering skills in writing, directing, and producing and acting while also offering an opportunity to connect with other creatives.
Given our extensive experience and expertise in developing people’s creativity and their projects, Script to Screen recognises the essential role filmmaking and the wider arts play in people lives.
We disagree with the recent government kōrero that the arts are a “nice to have”. From our experience, we understand the true value creative development programmes and workshops like the ones that Script to Screen run have for the individuals participating in them, along with their wider community. That is why we are committed to continuing to offer this unique create pathway within Northland for the next generation of screen storytellers to develop their skills and creative voice.
Film still, taken from Qianne Titore’s short film NATALIE.
The 2016 Hokianga Filmmaking Workshop served as a platform for young voices to be heard. Qianne Titore’s short film NATALIE went on the screen at the Wairoa Film Festival and New Zealand International Film Festival.
Qianna Titore (Ngāti Hau, Ngāti Kaharau) went on to graduate from AUT with a Bachelor’s of Communication Studies in Television. She is the youngest filmmaker selected for the NZ international film festival with her short film NATALIE, made in the Hokianga as part of a filmmaking workshop run by Script to Screen. Qianna also won Best Documentary/Pakipūmeka Mātua for Wāhine Toa at the 2019 E Tū Whānau Rangatahi Film Award.
Founded in 2007 Script to Screen has seen the evidence of the positive impact the arts has in communities across Aotearoa, and is committed to fostering opportunities for young talent to thrive through participating in filmmaking.
The impact of these specific workshops is reflected in the words of our past participants:
“Having a creative space that gives youth an accepting and open environment to express themselves leaves a positive effect. Initiatives like this should be held all over the country.” — Workshop Participant, 2020
“This workshop is important to young people in Northland as it allows them to gain a better understanding of the film industry and how to develop their own skills.” — Workshop Participant, 2020
“Kids aspiring to be part of the film industry need access to amazing workshops that bring together a like-minded community. I’ve left feeling like I have knowledge that can only be taught in person.” — Workshop Participant, 2023
As we head into the new year, Script to Screen are excited to announce, thanks to the continued support of Foundation North, we will continue our creative journey with the Northland Film Workshops coming back to Whangārei for the 6th year in 2025!
The Northland Film Workshops consist of a four-day programme aimed at young people aged 14 to 17 and a one-day adult workshop for people 17+, funded by Foundation North and brought to you by Script to Screen.
The workshops mentioned were made possible thanks to generous support from Foundation North.
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:
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
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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?
A:
Q: How do you know when NOT to put in a proposal?
A:
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?
A:
Q: How to budget the producer’s work on a project?
A:
Context: Financing is not my wheelhouse,
Q: How would you attach big named actors to your project in order to strengthen your application?
A:
Q: Do you include marketing plans in your proposals? For example socials, or advertising or fan community building plans
A:
Q: What are some common mistakes for novices seen in pitching documents?
A:
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?
A:
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.
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.
“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 Studios 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.
Have you ever had funds to bring on a script consultant or editor for your screen story but have struggled to find the right person to work with?
In response to an industry need for greater access to experienced script developers, Script to Screen launches Aotearoa’s first ever multi-consultant Script Development Service. It provides access to experienced, thoughtful story developers who can help you progress your story in a meaningful way.
Our Script Development Service is underpinned by manaakitanga, excellence and rigour.
Script Developers:
We have entered into agreements with experienced script developers who work with feature films, short films and series. They are working creatives who do development work when they have time available.
Services:
There are six services, each begins with a conversation with your developer to explore your intention, motivation, and the kaupapa of your story.
1. Feature Film – In depth discussion: discussion and feedback on where the script is at, and guidance with how to move forward from the current draft.
Fee: NZ $1,500 (+ GST if applicable)
2. Feature Film – Script consultancy: in-depth development, with the consultant guiding the writer to a workable plan for the next draft. The writer then writes the draft without the developer.
Fee range: NZ $2,875-$4,600 (+ GST if applicable)
3. Feature Film – Script edit: in depth development, with the consultant guiding the writer to a workable plan for the next draft. The developer continues to work with the writer throughout the writing of the draft all the way through to delivery.
Fee range: NZ $5,750-$9,000 (+ GST if applicable)
4. Short Film – In depth script discussion: discussion and feedback on where the short film script is at, and guidance to move forward from the current draft.
Fee: NZ $440 (+ GST if applicable)
5. Pitch Deck for a limited series – In depth discussion: discussion, feedback and guidance on strengthening your Pitch Deck.
Fee: NZ $880 (+ GST if applicable)
6. Pitch Deck for a limited series, with pilot episode – In depth discussion: discussion, feedback and guidance on strengthening your pitch deck and the pilot episode.
Fee: NZ $1,400 (+ GST if applicable)
Offers discussion and feedback on where the short film script is at, and guidance to move forward from the current draft.
– 60 minute face to face conversation in person or online;
– Most developers provide a page of notes covering the key points.
Fee: NZ $440 (+ GST )
Scroll down to view script developers and their bios.