We seek training and professional development opportunities that progress careers and help to grow our overall industry. We are pleased to be able to support individual filmmakers as well as work alongside industry organisations to provide valuable training opportunities. Here are details of some recent initiatives.
Core Funding for Guilds and Industry Organisations
The following guilds and Industry organisations have been offered a three year funding agreement for varying contracted core activities: Actors Equity NZ, Ngā Aho Whakaari, The Techos’ Guild, New Zealand Writers Guild (NZWG), Script to Screen, Screen Directors Guild New Zealand (SDGNZ), Screen Production and Development Association (SPADA) and Women in Film and Television NZ (WIFT NZ), and Doc Edge. We're also pleased to commit to a three year funding programme for the New Zealand International Film Festival, The New Zealand Film Awards (Moas), the Big Screen Symposium and the Wairoa Māori Film Festival.
Producer International Travel Assistance (PITA)
David Stubbs and Thomas Robins received travel assistance to attend the Fantasia Frontières International Co-Production Market which took place in Montreal 25 - 28 July.
A number of New Zealand producers attended the Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) 37°South in July. MIFF 37°South seeks Australia/New Zealand producers with at least one market-ready script to participate in its Bridging the Gap programme.
MIFF 37ºSouth: Breakthru Screenings selected Escalator film, Fantail to participate in its programme, where the film was extremely well received. The programme showcases new Australian or New Zealand films seeking world sales agents and/or local distribution deals to invited buyers.
We are pleased to be supporting producers Fiona Copland and Robin Laing to attend the Producers Lab Toronto 2013 as part of the Toronto International Film Festival. New Zealand and Australia are invited as guest countries for the lab running from 4 - 7 September. The producers will meet with ten European producers and ten Canadian producers to discuss and pitch their projects, and participate in a number of seminars and events. The Australian producers attending are Melanie Coombs and Mathew Dabner.
NZFC Initiatives
Professional Development Awards
Iain Frengley was awarded a Professional Development Award to attend a Steadicam workshop in Vancouver.
Ivan Slavov has been awarded a Professional Development Award to undertake a three-month director internship with U.S. director Alison Bagnall in Philadelphia on her latest low-budget feature, Funny Bunny.
CEO Delegation
Cameron Curd has been awarded a CEO delegation to help with travel to attend the L. Jeffrey Selznick School of Film Preservation, which is a programme providing training for professionals dedicated to preserving the moving image.
Brad McGann Scholarship
We are supporting the Brad McGann Scholarship through the International Institute of Modern Letters at Victoria University for the duration of five years.
Big Screen Symposium Scholarships
We were pleased to grant scholarships for five people to attend the Big Screen Symposium. The scholarship included tickets for all and travel assistance for those living outside Auckland. They were awarded to: Alex Backhouse; Nadia Maxwell; Dylan Pharazyn; Mitch Tawhi-Thomas and Rachel House.