About Story Camp


Story Camp Aotearoa is a residential feature film lab that fosters craft, voice and vision. Eight selected screenwriters or creative teams workshop their projects with exceptional international and local advisors in a rigorous five-day experience designed specifically to meet the development needs of their feature film project. 

Story sessions between advisors and participants form the backbone of the week. The process can also include project-based group workshops; workshopping with actors; packaging and casting strategy; strengthening and clarifying the directors’ vision; directing performance; and making good decisions together under pressure. Advisors will be secured to meet the project requirements and will include those with writing craft, production, business and creative expertise. 

Past advisors have included revolutionary Mexican screenwriter Guillermo Arriaga (Amores Perros, 21 Grams, Babel), renowned director and writer Jane Campion (Top of the Lake, The Piano), producer and director Ainsley Gardiner (Boy, The Breaker Upperers, Waru), filmmaker & Artistic Director of the Sundance Directors’ Lab Gyula Gazdag, Hollywood writer & longstanding Sundance mentor Michael Goldenberg (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix), playwright, screenwriter and director Briar Grace-Smith (The Strength of Water, Waru), EP and producer Andrew Mason (The Matrix trilogy, Tomorrow When The War Began), writer/actor Bret McKenzie (Flight of the Conchords), dramaturg and story consultant Brita McVeigh, Academy Award and BAFTA winning screenwriter David Seidler (The Kings Speech), Australian producer Kath Shelper (Samson & Delilah, Tender), actor/writer/director Loren Taylor (Eagle vs Shark), and legendary US screenwriter Joan Tewkesbury (McCabe & Mrs. Miller, Thieves Like Us and Nashville). 

 

 

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!!"

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