At the recent SPADA Conference, the New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) and NZ On Air (NZOA) announced a joint venture to co-fund the development of high-end adult drama series that will appeal to the international market as well as New Zealand audiences.
The Raupapa Whakaari Funding initiative is designed to stimulate and grow opportunities for New Zealand feature film and drama producers to participate in the global series drama marketplace and attract finance. This will be achieved by supporting local producers and writers to develop quality, diverse and exciting drama series that are informed by, and attractive to, the global market.
Guidelines for Raupapa Whakaari Funding will be published in early 2019. This initiative will comprise two stages of development funding for successful applicants, with up to 10 concepts receiving early development support and up to four projects then receiving advanced development support to create market ready materials to sell the series internationally. At the outset we will be looking for well-realised concepts only for a series drama. Format could be 30 or 60 minute episodes. We anticipate the series will be designed to be eligible for the New Zealand Screen Production Grant (NZSPG).
We are expecting writers and producers to team up to submit their concepts. Applicants must be an established producer with at least one ‘produced by’ credit on a feature film that has been released theatrically by a distributor, or scripted television that has been commercially broadcast. However, the writer is not required to have screen credits (but will need to provide a screen sample).
If the project you are looking to apply with has previously been granted any development funding from either agency (NZFC’s Boost Scheme included) or has been and/or is involved in the Episodic Lab scheme, you are still eligible to apply for Raupapa Whakaari Funding.
The application portal will open on 18 February 2019 and closing at 9am on 18 March 2019.