About Series Drama Lab


The Series Drama Lab is a five-day Lab developed with Script to Screen as a part of the NZ on Air and New Zealand Film Commission Raupapa Whakaari Drama to the World initiative. The initiative was created to support writer/producer teams to develop distinctive, high-end scripted series.

Stage 1 Ten selected teams attend the Series Drama Lab where international advisors give feedback on story and market to assist the teams to further develop their concepts and strengthen appeal to the international marketplace. The teams also receive an initial grant of NZ$10,000. Teams then resubmit their re-worked projects.

Stage 2 Following the Series Drama Lab and submission of the re-worked projects, four teams are selected to receive additional development funding of up to NZ$80,000 to develop a series bible.


The ten Stage 1 projects selected for Series Drama Lab in 2019:

(*Not Her Real Name)
Pip Hall / Carmen J Leonard / Deborah Cope

All of Me
Daniel Musgrove / Natalie Medlock / Shoshana McCallum / Peter Salmon

Chasing Pure
Carey James Carter / Gavin Strawhan / Rachel Lang / Steven Ivan Zanoski

Dreamhunter
Roxane Gajadhar / Angela Littlejohn

Drunk Poetry
Briar Grace-Smith / Victor Roger / Desray Armstrong

O
Donna Malane / Paula Boock / Carthew Neal

Rockburn
Hannah Marshall / David de Lautour / Gareth Williams / Kelly Martin

Ruatoria
Kath Akuhuta-Brown / Greg McGee / Philippa Rennie / Robin Scholes / Lee Tamahori

The Different Girl
Alison Maclean / Philippa Campbell

The Harder They Fall
Matthew Saville / Luke Sharpe / Gerard Johnstone


The four projects selected for Stage 2 further development funding:

All Of Me – Shoshana McCallum, Natalie Medlock, Dan Musgrove, Peter Salmon
Depressed and ready to end it all, Lauren orders an illegal clone to replace her. But when she messes up the process and gets three unsatisfactory duplicates, she is forced to stick around and deal with herselves.

Ashes and Prophets – Kath Akuhata-Brown, Greg McGee, Philippa Rennie, Robin Scholes, Lee Tamahori
Arson, kidnapping and murder engulf a small New Zealand town, as a Māori rastafarian sect exacts revenge for historical land theft.

Rockburn – Hannah Marshall, Gareth Williams, David de Lautour, Kelly Martin
Trauma experienced as a teenager on her family farm, Rockburn, reverberates throughout three distinct ages of Celia Ray’s life. Now, a social worker in her 50s, she must confront her past to save a young girl’s future.

Drunk Poetry – Briar Grace-Smith, Desray Armstrong, Victor Rodger
Newly separated and in her forties, Lizzie discovers she has the emotional brain of a fourteen-year-old.  Now she has to grow up all over again.

Chelsea Winstanley - Story Camp participant

“Overall I think the entire Story Camp was a huge success, for me personally and for us as a team. I think the varied sessions provide a great mix of the creative and professional development for the advancement of any script.”

Cian Elyse White, Writer/Director - FilmUp Participant

“Nōku te whiwhi ki te mahi i runga i tēnei kaupapa whakamīharo. FilmUp was a game-changer for me and my career - the intensives allowed me to work with incredible mentors, peers and form relationships which lead to me directing on a prime-time drama and developing my feature film. I highly recommend this amazing opportunity!”

Dennis Zhang - South Shorts participant

South Shorts has been instrumental in my development as a creative. I was constantly inspired and supported by like-minded individuals who are on the same path with a similar mission to share unique, important and beautiful stories. Seeing everyone else's, as well as my own progression in our craft as well as confidence in writing is a testament of the quality of the programme, its organizers and our mentors. I believe that we will see every single participant of South Shorts go on to create amazing projects and have long and fruitful careers in filmmaking, having had this programme as a catalyst and launching pad for that success. I cannot recommend South Shorts enough and would do it a million times over if given the opportunity.

Orlando Stewart, Producer - Strength in Numbers Participant

Strength in Numbers is an exceptional course that dramatically altered the way I look at my business. The programme not only provides great business tools, but also shifts mindsets when it comes to growth. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Workshop Participant

"Hearing from a relatively young filmmaker added a great sense of accessibility. One left the workshop with renewed faith that with perseverance, one could achieve one's own creative aspirations."

Michael Bennett, Writer/Director/Author - Hokianga Film Project Mentor

"The projects that Script to Screen does and the reason I'm so gung-ho enthusiastic about them is; it's about accessing people whose stories just don't make it on screen. It's giving people skills to tell stories for the screen. Giving new voices and new stories the potential to become films"

Gwen Isaac - Story Camp participant

“Story Camp was invigorating and provided me with what I knew in my heart but was too scared to explore. It is an incredible bunch of talented, big-hearted and brave people helping you find that in yourself.”

Josephine Stewart-Te Whiu, Writer/Director - FilmUp Participant

"FilmUp LITERALLY changed my life. It gave me some real perspective on storytelling and helped me figure out what I wanted to say and how I wanted to say it."

Amber Marie Naveira, Co-Founder & Co-CEO The Granary  - Strength in Numbers Participant

"I am a creative at heart and David's strength was ensuring that I knew that this was a major part of my power. I wholeheartedly recommend that if you are leading a Creative Business then the Strength in Numbers programme will support, encourage and empower your creative business acumen, knowledge and confidence! If I were given the opportunity to repeat the programme, I wouldn't hesitate one bit, and this time, I would ensure that I brought my Co-Founder"

2020 Auckland Workshop Participant

"This workshop is important because of the potential it encourages in creatives around Auckland. It also promotes community and a healthy form of learning to people of all ages and walks of life."

Tui Matelau-Doherty - South Shorts Participant

The peer support and collegiality achieved through delivering the programme as group read throughs following feedback, superseded my expectations and taught me something new. It reflects ako, the Māori word for learning which also means teaching, and this is exactly what was achieved through the programme. We were both learners and teachers which was empowering and effective. The diversity in the room is extremely important to the filmmaking industry and to my own development.

Chris Parker - FilmUp participant

“FilmUp is the kick up the pants you need to fall in love with that project you know you’ve been sitting with for far too long.”

Chelsie Preston Crayford, Actor/Writer/Director - FilmUp Participant

“For an artist, this level of empowerment and support is rare and utterly invaluable. The programme carefully facilitates the most magical sense of community, inspiration and support. The hub days are a taonga. Do yourself a solid and apply.”

Vanessa Wells - Producer/Director - FilmUp Participant 2020

"It's been a couple of years since my FilmUp cohort 2020 but it still resonates and ripples. I'm about to start working again with my mentor, Justin Pemberton (this time as story consultant), and the amazing session we had with Judy Durragh - while esoteric and physical in nature at the time - has had a very real influence on the work we are doing now! It's amazing to see and feel these connections come through. Our film will be the better for it. Thank you!!"

Funders

Supporters

Stay informed on latest news and events