Members of the NZ screen industry teach the fundamentals needed to develop a short film or web series. Script to Screen created these videos in 2021 for the Paerangi Project and they are now available for all.
Script to Screen is proud to offer a series of nine video tutorials for aspiring screenwriters, directors and producers who want to create their own projects. Viewers learn how to find a good story, write a script, get ready for production and pitch the project to funders and collaborators.
Jump to a video:
or find the YouTube playlist here
The contributors are Hamish Bennett (Bellbird, Ross & Beth, The Dump), Robyn Grace (Power Rangers Dino Fury, Sweet Tooth, Oranges and Lemons), Sophie Henderson (The Justice of Bunny King, Baby Done, Fantail), Alex Lovell (My Friend Michael Jones, Mister Sunshine), Shoshana McCallum (Inside, Head High, Creamerie), Marina Alofagia McCartney (Vai, Milk & Honey), Jaimee Poipoi (Krystal), Emmett Skilton (Millennial Jenny, Auckward Love), Morgan Leigh Stewart (Albularyo, Blood and Gold, Deathgasm), Dianne Taylor (Beyond the Known World, Apron Strings, Hauraki) and Karin Williams (Burning of the Gods, Teine Sā, Sis).
Each tutorial has self-directed homework exercises. The documents you create are essential to bringing your project to life, whether they’re for seeking funding or sponsorship, or to show your cast and crew so they can see your vision as clearly as you do.
Welcome to Script to Screen’s Paerangi Project!
Contributor:
Eloise Veber (Programme Manager, Script to Screen)
Transcript:
Video 1 Transcript PDF
Video 1 Transcript Word DOC
What Makes a Good Story? (28 mins)
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:06 What makes a great story for the screen?
4:34 What storytelling format suits your story?
10:18 Do stories always come from the environment around you?
14:38 How much truth should there be in fictional stories?
19:27 What should you consider when characters that are not of the same ethnicity, cultural group, gender or sexuality as you are?
27:58 Homework
Contributors:
Marina Alofagia McCartney, Sophie Henderson, Emmett Skilton, Dianne Taylor, Robyn Grace, Jaimee Poipoi, Hamish Bennett, Morgan Leigh Stewart, Shoshana McCallum and Karin Williams.
Homework:
Video 2 Homework PDF
Video 2 Homework Word DOC
Transcript:
Video 2 Transcript PDF
Video 2 Transcript Word DOC
Story Elements (37 mins)
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:08 Structuring a film
10:08 Structuring a webseries
16:34 Characters
27:21 Genre
30:53 World
33:30 Theme
36:38 Homework
Contributors:
Karin Williams, Hamish Bennett, Marina Alofagia McCartney, Shoshana McCallum, Sophie Henderson and Dianne Taylor.
Homework:
Video 3 Homework PDF
Video 3 Homework Word DOC
Donwloads:
Film and Series Genre Glossary PDF
Film and Series Genre Glossary Word DOC
Marina Alofagia McCartney Notes (Video 3)
Ross and Beth Script
Transcript:
Video 3 Transcript PDF
Video 3 Transcript Word DOC
Writing a One-Page Synopsis or Episode Outline (14 mins)
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:09 One-page synopsis for short film
06:27 Episode outlines for web series
12:57 Homework
Contributors:
Marina Alofagia McCartney and Emmett Skilton
Homework:
Video 4 Homework PDF
Video 4 Homework Word DOC
Downloads:
Auckward Love – Episode Synopsis – Sample
Marina Alofagia McCartney Notes (Video 4)
Transcript:
Video 4 Transcript PDF
Video 4 Transcript Word DOC
Script Mechanics (31 mins)
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:06 Formatting a script
3:27 Big print and writing visually
13:39 Opening Scene (Webseries)
19:46 Opening Scene (Short film)
21:20 Writing Dialogue
30:21 Homework
Contributors:
Shoshana McCallum, Dianne Taylor and Hamish Bennett
Homework:
Video 5 Homework PDF
Video 5 Homework Word DOC
Transcript:
Video 5 Transcript PDF
Video 5 Transcript Word DOC
Being a Director (31 mins)
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:09 What is the role of the director
8:01 Preparing a director’s treatment
26:48 Homework
Contributors:
Hamish Bennett, Robyn Grace and Emmett Skilton
Homework:
Video 6 Homework PDF
Video 6 Homework Word DOC
Downloads:
Auckward Love – Target Audience Sample
Oranges and Lemons (dir. Robyn Grace) – Visual Treatment
Transcript:
Video 6 Transcript PDF
Video 6 Transcript Word DOC
Being a Producer (35 mins)
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:10 What is the role of the producer?
4:40 IP and contracts
6:15 Locations
9:19 Breaking down a script and scheduling
17:34 Budget overview
26:22 Finding heads of departments (HODs)
30:40 Marketing
34:09 Homework
Contributors:
Alex Lovell, Morgan Leigh Stewart and Jaimee Poipoi
Homework:
Video 7a Homework PDF
Video 7a Homework Word DOC
Downloads:
Paerangi Budget Template.xls
COP-Animals
Screen Safe – Working with Children
Transcript:
Video 7a Transcript PDF
Being a Producer Advanced (16 mins)
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:10 Giving advice and feedback
03:24 IP / Chain of Title / Contracts / Companies and shareholdings
09:50 Health and safety compliance considerations
13:58 Deliverables and contractual obligations
Contributors:
Morgan Leigh Stewart and Alex Lovell
Homework:
Video 7b Homework PDF
Video 7b Homework Word DOC
Download:
Sexual Harassment Prevention Policy
Transcript:
Video 7b Transcript PDF
Video 7b Transcript Word DOC
Writing your logline and pitching your idea (17 mins)
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:06 Writing a logline
10:51 How to pitch in person
15:10 Making a video pitch
17:01 Homework
Contributors:
Morgan Leigh Stewart and Karin William
Homework:
Video 8 Homework PDF
Video 8 Homework Word DOC
Download:
Video 8 – Logline Presentation – Karin Williams
Transcript:
Video 8 Transcript PDF
Video 8 Transcript Word DOC
Finding a Team and Top Tips (21 mins)
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:06 Collaborating
11:53 How to pitch your idea to a producer you’d like to work with
17:30 Top tips
Contributors:
Emmett Skilton, Dianne Taylor, Karin Williams, Shoshana McCallum, Jaimee Poipoi, Sophie Henderson, Robyn Grace, Morgan Leigh Stewart, Marina McCartney, Alex Lovell and Hamish Bennett
Transcript:
Video 9 Transcript PDF
Video 9 Transcript Word DOC