“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!”
– Cian Elyse White,
FilmUp 2020 participant (mentor Louise Gough)
“FilmUp is brilliant! It’s the knowledge that someone has your back, and you aren’t doing this filmmaking thing alone. That support is invaluable especially at the beginning of a project when filmmaking often feels very solo.”
– Vanessa Wells,
FilmUp 2020 participant (Mentor Justin Pemberton)
Want to build momentum in your career and push yourself to your full potential?
The FilmUp Mentorship programme returns for its ninth year to support and empower up to eight tenacious and talented filmmakers to reach the next stage in their creative careers. If you are developing a feature film or documentary this programme could be just what you need to progress your work to the next stage.
A mentor for each filmmaker forms the cornerstone of the programme, along with six FilmUp Hub days when the participants come together for group work.
Applicants must have a feature project in development, and be able to demonstrate that their project and career are at the right stage for mentorship and wrap-around support.
Successful applicants will take part in 20 hours of mentorship with an experienced film practitioner over an eight-month period and six FilmUp hubs spread between August 2021 and February 2022. These hubs are tailored to meet the needs of the selected filmmakers and include workshops, peer discussions and round tables with industry leaders.
Participants are the driving force of a successful mentorship as they take hold of their own learning and development. This autonomy is fostered from the start of the programme when participants are actively involved in the selection of their mentor. Throughout the programme there is wrap-around support from Script to Screen.
Since its inception in 2013, FilmUp has gone from strength to strength, with a growing alumni of talented local filmmakers who have benefitted from the programme including Briar March (The Coffin Club, There Once Was An Island: Te Henua A Nnoho), Chelsea Winstanley (Jojo Rabbit, MERATA: How Mum Decolonised the Screen, What We Do in the Shadows), Florian Habicht (James & Isey, Spookers, Love Story), Gaysorn Thavat (The Justice of Bunny King), Jake Mahaffy (Free in Deed), Nic Gorman (Human Traces), Sophie Henderson (Baby Done, Fantail) and Stallone Vaiaoga-Ioasa (Take Home Pay, Three Wise Cousins). You can read about other participants and an impressive list of mentors who have helped these filmmakers take a step up in their careers here.
To apply you need to be working on a feature film or documentary. Here’s what’s required for the application:
- A one-paragraph industry-related biography;
- Information on the feature project you will work on during the mentorship (including logline, a one-page synopsis of 500 – 1000 words, stage of project, your role on the project and any key collaborators you might have attached);
- A brief description of where you are at in the process, and what the next steps/hurdles are.
- A list of other projects (feature film or documentary only) you have in development (if applicable);
- A paragraph about why mentorship would be beneficial to you at this stage of your career, and what you would like to get out of the programme;
- The names of up to three preferred mentors. (We cannot guarantee the availability of these mentors, but Script to Screen will work with you to find someone suitable);
- Up to two links to selected previous work (It is not necessary to include everything. Put your best foot forward).
APPLICATIONS CLOSE: Tues 18 May, 11:59pm
Make sure you read our Top Tips to make your FilmUp application shine while crafting your application.
FilmUp is made possible thanks to financial support from the New Zealand Film Commission
