DeadlineStory Camp
Story Camp Aotearoa 2026: Applications Open
APPLICATIONS CLOSE
1 PM, Monday 22nd September 2025
Applications for Story Camp Aotearoa opened Monday 11th August 2025 and close 1 PM, Monday 22nd September 2025.
Story Camp Aotearoa is an intensive residential feature film development lab that fosters craft, voice and vision. Selected screenwriters and creative teams deepen their understanding of the needs of their script and project through one-to-one bespoke sessions with exceptional international and local advisors. A rigorous five-day lab it is designed to specifically meet the development needs of their feature film project.
This development camp, which has tikanga and Māoritanga embed in its kaupapa, enables screenwriters and their teams to shut out the noise from their usual working environment and life, embarking on a five-day journey of deep story development. The unique location of the camp both informs and protects the wairua of our participants and their stories.
The tailored developmental approach of Story Camp Aotearoa also includes project-based group workshops; workshopping with actors; industry panel discussions and guest advisors from other artforms.
Each film and team are matched with advisors who are chosen specifically for the needs of the project, and where it is at in its developmental journey.
You may view past advisors alongside the participants below, including professor and director Welby Ings (Punch), Australian film and stage director John Sheedy (Runt), Australian producer Kath Shelper (The Royal Hotel, Samson & Delilah), renowned director and writer Jane Campion (The Power of the Dog, Top of the Lake), playwright, screenwriter and director Briar Grace-Smith (Cousins, Waru), dramaturg and story consultant Brita McVeigh, actor/writer/director Loren Taylor (The Moon is Upside Down, Eagle vs Shark), revolutionary Mexican screenwriter Guillermo Arriaga (Amores Perros, 21 Grams, Babel), filmmaker & Artistic Director of the Sundance Directors’ Lab Gyula Gazdag, writer/actor Bret McKenzie (Flight of the Conchords), Academy Award and BAFTA winning screenwriter David Seidler (The Kings Speech).
DREAM WORK FACILIATOR, FILMMAKER
WRITER, DIRECTOR, PLAYWRIGHT, SCRIPT CONSULTANT
Writer, director
actor, writer, director and producer
Artist, Writer
Actor, director, writer
Playwright, Poet
Author
Dancer, choreographer, Movement coach
Screenwriter, Actor
Artist
Poet
Writer, Director
Actor, Director
Script Consultant
Screen Writer, Editor
Writer
Festival Director
Choreographer
Producer
Director, Writer, Actor
Artist
Casting Director, Actor
Writer, Director
Producer, Director, Writer
Poet, Author, Teacher
Producer, Director
Writer, Director
Story Consultant
ACTOR, WRITER, DIRECTOR
Festival Director (NZIFF)
Choreographer
Producer
Director, Writer, Actor
Artist
Director, Producer
Poet, Writer, Teacher
Writer, Director, Playwright, Script Consultant
Story Consultant
Director, Cinematographer, Editor
Writer/Director
Theatre-maker, performance artist, activist
Producer
actor, writer, director, casting director
Artist
SCRIPT EDITOR/Consultant/advisor
Writer/Director
International Film Consultant
Producer
Story Consultant
Editor
Producer
Writer/Director
Artist
Producer
Producer
Writer
Writer
Story Consultant
Writer/Director
Producer
Writer/Director
Writer/Director
Producer
Story Consultant
Director
Writer
Writer/Director
Director
Writer/Director
Writer/Director
Writer
Writer/Director
Writer/Director
Writer/Director
APPLICATIONS CLOSE
1 PM, Monday 22nd September 2025