We have an extensive range of Programmes, events and opportunities for filmmakers, ranging from grassroots development programmes for new and emerging filmmakers through to our high-end professional development initiatives. We support New Zealand screen practitioners to tell exceptional stories for feature films and series.
Script to Screen helps to connect and build the filmmaking community through our regional storytelling workshops, evening TALKS and our annual two-day conference the Big Screen Symposium.
The Big Screen Symposium is an annual two-day conference that brings the filmmakers of Aotearoa (New Zealand) together. It presents a big picture of the world of film and television, is a great networking opportunity, and offers a wealth of insights and information on craft and the pertinent issues facing filmmakers today. Delegates are immersed in two intensive days of conversations, masterclasses, workshops, panel discussions and case studies with a stellar line-up of local and international filmmaker speakers.
This event has become a highlight on the industry calendar. For more information visit www.bigscreensymposium.com.
We celebrate, value and share Aotearoa’s screen stories.
Script to Screen is dedicated to developing the craft and culture of storytelling for the screen in Aotearoa.
The values that guide our work are:
Script to Screen is delighted to announce the appointment of Jackie Dennis as our new Executive Director. She steps up to the role having worked in programmes and operations with departing ED Esther Cahill-Chiaroni over the past 18-months.
Throughout her career Jackie has worked closely with creative practitioners in music, literature and film, nurturing careers and advocating for the arts.
Script to Screen Chair Cass Avery says, “We value the knowledge Jackie brings to the role and her commitment to Script to Screen. She brings a broad range of creative, strategic and leadership skills to the Executive Director role. With Jackie’s background and her love of film it is a natural transition.”
Prior to returning to Script to Screen in 2017, Jackie was Chief Executive of the New Zealand Society of Authors where she oversaw a major overhaul of the Society’s operations and activities. From 1993 to 2009 Jackie worked for the Mushroom Group initially for the Music Publishing arm. In the late 90s Mushroom diversified into movies and Jackie took up the post of General Manager at Mushroom Pictures in Australia where she was involved in the development and production of a wide range of film, television and multimedia productions. She has done music supervision for many projects including iconic films Chopper and What We Do In The Shadows. Jackie also played an important part in Script to Screen’s earlier years, programme managing the first two Big Screen Symposiums and working on the inaugural FilmUp Programme.
Jackie is excited to win the job after a rigorous recruitment process and is looking forward to engaging with the filmmaking community in her new role. She will take up the position in January 2019.
Script to Screen Executive Director Esther Cahill-Chiaroni will step down from the role at the beginning of next year after eight years leading the organisation.
Script to Screen Chair Cass Avery said the Board of Trustees has reluctantly accepted Esther’s resignation, “Esther has been the driving force of Script To Screen and has built the organisation into a hugely valuable part of the screen industry in Aotearoa. We are thrilled that she will continue to work with us next year running some of the programmes that she has been instrumental in creating but we understand that after achieving so much in the role it’s time for her to pass on the torch”.
Esther Cahill-Chiaroni has led the organisation through significant growth. She co-created and has helmed Big Screen Symposium since 2012, now well established as NZ’s premium annual screen industry event. In 2013 Script to Screen’s FilmUp Programme was launched, the first of a number of comprehensive filmmaker talent development programmes designed and led by Esther that include Story Camp Aotearoa, South Shorts Mentorship Programme and this year for the first time, Episodic Lab Aotearoa.
With a growing alumni of well over 100 filmmakers, Esther has been instrumental in supporting NZ’s most exciting emerging talent and championing voices underrepresented in our screen storytelling. Esther’s contribution to the film sector’s development has been immense and stands as one of her biggest achievements with Script to Screen. She has fostered and invested in the talent of a huge number of emerging creative forces within New Zealand including: Dustin Feneley, Vea Mafile’o, Jeremiah Tauamiti, Sophie Henderson, Chris Pryor and Miriam Smith, Yamin Tun, Alyx Duncan, Nic Gorman, Michelle Savill, Jake Mahaffy, Desray Armstrong, Gaysorn Thavat, Julia Parnell, Florian Habicht, Stallone Vaiaoga-Ioasa, Chelsie Preston Crayford, Louise Tu’u, Josephine Stewart Te-Whiu, Rochelle Bright, Jess Feast, Max Currie, Chantelle Burgoyne, Asuka Sylvie, Armagan Ballantyne, Abigail Greenwood and Awanui Simich-Pene.
The board are grateful that Esther provided them six months’ notice to enable time for a robust recruitment and selection process. Applications for the role of Script To Screen Executive Director are open from September 24th 2018 until October 22nd 2018. Information regarding the application process can be found here.
Dianne Taylor stands down as chair of the Script to Screen Board of Trustees, after a term of five and a half years, four of which were at the helm.
Executive Director Esther Cahill-Chiaroni notes, “Dianne’s devotion to the organisation has been invaluable to staff, the board, and the wider community alike. She has provided endless support to me over a time of great development for the organisation, whilst guarding our founding creative vision to foster and develop storytelling craft and culture. She will be so very missed, but we are pleased that moving on will enable her to focus even more on her own screenwriting career.”
Dianne’s tenure has seen the creation of the Big Screen Symposium, the FilmUp Mentorship programme, and the Writers’ Lab Aotearoa. Dianne reflects positively on her time with the organisation. “Chairing Script to Screen over the past four years has been an enormous privilege. We’ve been able to develop and drive exciting new initiatives for our community. It’s been particularly gratifying to see the seeding of relationships between so many local and international filmmakers.”
We are delighted to announce that Brita McVeigh, who joined the board late last year, will step into the chair position.
Brita works to empower writers, directors, and actors in her own cross-disciplinary practice, and brings a wealth of relevant expertise to the role. “Brita already has such a strong understanding of the organisation, its aims and our kaupapa. We are very much looking forward to working with her in this new capacity and to the skills she will bring.” – Esther Cahill-Chiaroni, Executive Director
Brita expresses her enthusiasm to take up this new role. “It is an exciting time to be working with Esther and the team. Script to Screen has an excellent group of people on the board – I am honoured to be stepping into the chair.”
Stephen Cleary has been a film and television professional for over twenty years, working in Europe, North America, and Australasia, with occasional forays into Asia. He has worked as a feature producer, television producer/director, educator, and screenwriter.
He has developed many feature films from inception to production, and many have won international festival prizes. In recent years he developed the Venice Golden Lion-winning feature Sweet Country from conception to production, and was the lead consultant on the Emmy Award-winning feature documentary What Happened Miss Simone? He conceived and produced Filmlab in South Australia, a program designed to develop a base of local production companies. The initiative resulted in five low budget locally generated features, all of which secured domestic theatrical distribution. Two premiered at the Sundance film festival, one at the Berlin film festival, one at SXSW. Three of the features secured a US theatrical release. Filmlab filmmakers won best international director at Sundance 2014, the Crystal Bear at the Berlin Film Festival and other international awards.
From 2016 to 2017 he ran a TV drama series development initiative for Canal Plus Europe, developing series from conception to the final bible and pilot episodes with selected writers and producers from across Europe. And from 2015 to 2017 he was senior consultant of the Danish Film Institute and Nordic Film Fund’s Polar Bear initiative, developing TV drama series with TV professionals from Scandinavia.
Previously he ran Arista, Europe’s largest private story development agency for 11 years, providing a range of short and long training courses in all aspects of film and TV writing and development. Arista was designated a “Centre of Excellence” by the European Commission. Currently, he is an adjunct professor at the film school of the Victoria College of the Arts, Melbourne, lecturing and running seminars for students four weeks a year. He is a regular lecturer at the Danish Film School, the National Film School of the UK and AFTRS. All on aspects of story development
If you have had a project go through development with Script to Screen and need to download our logo for your credits, you can download high-resolution logos below. Please ensure you read our brand guidelines and refer to your LOA for proper crediting.
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Script to Screen, in collaboration with Te Puna Matarau, has developed this new initiative for screen creatives in Waitaha Canterbury wanting to advance their career.
We are seeking applications from originators of feature films, TV series, and narrative driven video games. The programme is suitable for emerging and mid-career practitioners. To be eligible, applicants must have a strong connection with the Waitaha Canterbury region.
Four projects will be selected, and their originators will attend three one-day workshops held July to September 2023. Creative teams will receive personalised advice to develop their project, and hear from experienced industry practitioners chosen to meet the needs of the teams.
The purpose of this programme is to support the development of IP in the region and support creators to get their work closer to funding and production. Participants will increase their contacts in the industry and connect with other creators.
For Feature Film:
For TV Series:
For narrative driven Video Games:
Applications opened: 15 March 2023
Applications closed: 1pm, 19 April 2023
Participant Announcement: week commencing 29 May
Workshop dates:
