Talent Awards Programme
NZFC Talent Awards Programme
In past years NZFC have awarded separate Writer and Producer Awards to assist established practitioners with devolved development and overhead support.
The Talent Awards Programme will be open to applications from established Writers, Producers and Directors.
The maximum amount that can be applied for is $50,000, but it should be noted that lesser amounts applied for will be looked upon favourably; this is a limited fund and it’s the intention of NZFC to spread it widely.
Guidelines
The Talent Awards offer financial development support to experienced writers, producers and directors. The intention of the Talent Awards is to support established filmmakers to develop their slates independently and to help practitioners who have produced their first film to sustain their professional careers. As well as offering recipients a degree of financial independence, the scheme will also benefit the industry at large through the generation of new projects to refresh and expand the development pool. The award is intended to cover the recipient’s overheads and direct costs while they develop their nominated projects.
Who Can Apply?
• Applications for Talent Awards are invited from experienced writers, producers and directors with at least one credit on a New Zealand feature film that has received theatrical distribution.
• Applicants must be NZ residents or NZ citizens.
• Holding a Talent Award will not affect the recipient’s eligibility to apply for development funding via either the Early Development Fund or the Advanced Development Fund.
• Holding a Talent Award will not affect the recipient’s eligibility to apply for Producers International Travel Assistance.
Requirements
Applicants must use the award to develop projects that meet the NZFC’s objectives (see ‘Statement of Intent’ on the NZFC website for more detail). Applicants should provide a proposal that contains:
• A completed cover sheet and project title list (download from the bottom of this page).
• A personal statement.
• Proposal outlining their strategy for developing a range of feature film projects over an indicative timeframe.
• A work plan, including budget with proposed expenditure on individual projects.
• A one-page CV and a company profile and history (as applicable).
The Personal Statement
Each applicant must outline why they deserve to receive this award (350-500 words).
The Nominated Projects
• Applicants will be expected to nominate a minimum of three projects on which they intend to work.
• We actively encourage applicants to submit a proposal comprising projects that reflect range and diversity of budgets and potential audience.
• Projects that have previously received support from the NZFC may not be included.
• Nominated projects may range from an idea for a film to an existing draft script.
• Please provide a logline and a one-paragraph synopsis for each project on your slate.
The Work Plan
We understand that work cannot always be done to a strict timetable and that priorities may change as work develops but we would like to see an initial forward plan that:
• Indicates the relative proportion of time to be spent on each project.
• Indicates the nature of the work to be done on each project.
• Outlines the stage the applicant hopes to reach on each project.
The Expenditure Plan
Following on from the Work Plan applicants must indicate in broad terms how they expect to spend the amount applied for via:
• Fees.
• Office/professional overhead costs.
• Research.
• Development costs.
• Option/rights fees.
N.B. Producers may budget up to 60% of the amount applied for to cover overheads.
Delivery Requirements
We understand that films do not always develop in the ways envisaged for them. Part of the thinking behind the Talent Awards is to free the recipients from the tyranny of externally-imposed briefs and deadlines in order to encourage forward momentum. However we also think it is helpful to set some goals and we require some accountability from successful applicants. To this end they will be required to provide:
• A brief written progress report within six months of receiving an award, followed by a meeting with one of the Development Executives.
• A report at the end of the nominated award period that logs the progress of each of the projects in the original application (and any additional ones that may have emerged) and outlines a strategy for continuing development towards production.
• At least one full draft script (or a more advanced draft of a project that was at script stage when the year began).
• Short ‘fundable’ or ‘pitching’ documents for each of the remaining projects.
Criteria for Evaluation
Applications will be assessed with the following criteria in mind:
• The experience and track record of the applicant, including their record in the development / production of successful New Zealand feature films.
• The range and quality of nominated projects.
• The strength of the premise of each of the nominated projects.
• The viability of the applicant’s proposed strategy for progressing their nominated projects within the available timeframe.
• How the proposal meets the NZFC’s objectives.
Deadline:
Applications must be made via email by 5pm on Friday November 18th 2011.
Please send your application as a single document to Development Coordinator Faith Dennis
faith@nzfilm.co.nz.
Past recipients include:
Michael Bennett, Pietra Brett-Kelly, Riwia Brown, Sumner Burstyn, Arani Cuthbert, Richard Fletcher, Ainsley Gardiner, Matthew Grainger, Alan Harris, Tom Hern & James Napier-Robertson, Jonathan King, Greg King, Shuchi Kothari, Gregory Page, Glenn Standring, Jason Stutter, Leanne Saunders, Leanne Pooley,Graeme Tetley, Ant Timpson and Nick Ward.