No images? Click here September 2023 Kia ora. Spring has arrived and there is a lot to celebrate. The Convert and Uproar are off to premiere at TIFF, Far North just wrapped up a much-viewed season on THREE and Stylebender hits cinemas at the end of September. The NZFC has been busy implementing criteria in the final step following the NZSPR review, (now called the Rebate) hosting a range of screen sector initiatives and working with filmmakers to get their projects off the ground. Simultaneously I’m hearing from guilds, crew and screen businesses that the impact of the actors’ and writers’ strikes around work opportunities is hitting many hard. My thoughts are with those who are struggling during this period, especially post COVID, we are optimistic once the strikes resolve that New Zealand is well positioned to roar back into action with international projects. It’s important that we work together as an industry through this period to bring our A game so that New Zealand continues to be seen as a fantastic location, and on that note we are advertising a contract position for additional support on the new Rebate criteria, details are below. On the local side, Kōkā and Tinā are about to shoot, we’ve seen an increase in
the number of local projects applying for the Rebate, and we’re looking forward to the first crop of NZ On Air scripted projects coming through for Rebate approval. Thank you for your hard work and continuing support of New Zealand stories on screen. Funding Decisions FEATURE FILM PRODUCTION INVESTMENT At the August 2023 Board Meeting, the NZFC Board approved conditional offers of funding to one new feature film. Lomu (Documentary) Logline: Experience the unstoppable force of Jonah Lomu, the greatest rugby player to walk the planet, whose indomitable spirit reshaped the game forever.
Additional equity was offered to one film. Extended Screen Production Recovery Funding was awarded to four new applications. Conditional equity was approved for one Premium Contingency Fund application. Early Development & Documentary Development Funding was awarded to six projects. Hāpaitia Te Kaupapa Kiriata - Māori Development Funding was awarded to two projects. Find out about the successful projects here. The Convert and Uproar to Premiere at TIFFImages above: Thomas Munro (Guy Pearce), The Convert photo Kirsty Griffin / Josh Waaka (Julian Dennison), Uproar photo Marc Weakley. The Convert, directed by Lee Tamahori, co-written by Shane Danielsen and Tamahori, produced by Robin Scholes, Te Kohe Tuhaka, Andrew Mason and Troy Lum; and Uproar, co-directed by Paul Middleditch and Hamish Bennett, co-written by Sonia Whiteman and Bennett and produced by Emma Slade, Angela Cudd and Sandra Kailahi, will World Premiere in Special Presentation at TIFF. Both projects utilised the NZSPR. Find our NZFC Spotlight interview with The Convert producer Robin Scholes here. Taika Waititi’s Next Goal Wins, will also World Premiere at TIFF in Special Presentation. The Convert actress Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne has been selected as a TIFF Rising Star and a Share Her Journey Fellow. Get more festival news here. CONGRATULATIONS TO The winners of Whānau Mārama: New Zealand International Film Festival’s 2023 New Zealand’s Best Jury Awards, listed here and winners of the 2023 Ngā Whanaunga Māori Pasifika Shorts Awards, listed here. Get more congratulations here. NZSPR & INTERNATIONAL NEWSFAR NORTH'S SPECTACULAR RESULTS Far North was created and directed by David White and stars Temuera Morrison and Robyn Malcom. The series premiered on 14 August 2023 on ThreeNow and delivered spectacular results. The series is the number one show on ThreeNow (streams and reach) for a local debut this year and achieved the biggest weekly audience for any drama show since the platform launched. Far North was made with the assistance of Te Puna Kairangi Premium Fund. OUR FLAG MEANS DEATH (OFMD) SEASON 2 Vanity Fair got an exclusive first look at OFMD. Read about New Zealand journalist Sarah Catherall's set visit to observe Stede, Blackbeard, and the rest of the cast on set for an exclusive early look at the second season filmed entirely in Tāmaki Makaurau. OFMD utilised the NZSPR for International Productions. Image above from the first look from OFMD in Vanity Fair INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRY UPDATE While the impact of the WGA and SAG-AFTR strikes is reducing global production including the typical pipeline of international work seen here, studios and production companies are using this time to run in-depth scenarios for when work can begin again. Our International Attractions Team continues to respond to serious enquiries from major companies. Applications to the redeveloped 5% Uplift incentive open on November 1st. NEW CRITERIA FOR THE NEW ZEALAND SCREEN PRODUCTION REBATE The NZFC has published the criteria for the NZSPR for New Zealand Productions. The criteria reflects the recently announced new settings which are effective from 31 August 2023. You can find more information here. The new criteria for the NZSPR for international productions will be available in October. NZFC SpotlightFind out about co-productions from producer Robin Scholes here in our NZFC Spotlight interview about funding The Convert. NZFC Spotlight caught up with Alix Whittaker, Rachel Fawcett and Morgan Leigh Stewart after the MIFF 37ºSouth Market, to get their impressions and advice to aspiring attendees. You can find these interviews here. Alix and Rachel were supported by the NZFC Producer Travel Fund. In case you missed it, find Bala Murali Shingade's interview here with NZFC Spotlight and his award winning NZFC Fresh Shorts funded short film, Perianayaki. Image below l to r: Pulkit Arora and Rachel Fawcett at MIFF; Bala Murali Shingade; Alix Whittaker Talent Development NewsImages above from the Screen Capability Programme. The Talent Development Team were thrilled to provide selected screen practitioners the opportunity to participate in the screen events below. Screen Capability Business Innovation Programme Aug-Sept 2023 - 13 screen businesses are attending the Screen Capability Business Innovation Programme (SCBIP). Screen POD Jun-Nov 2023 - 15 writers and producers (four teams of two and seven individuals) have been supported to attend the Screen POD 2023. Images above from the Alofa Awards Alofa Awards at the Manukau Events Centre on Saturday 5 August 2023. NZFC presented the award for Best Director Senior (sponsored by Talent Development) alongside Nua Finau and Damon Fepuleai. The awards ceremony celebrates screen works produced by Pasifika children across the North Island, after attending workshops and mentored by renowned filmmakers. Image above, L-R on set with Elise Francis, Bonnie Blake, Torisse Blake and Chantelle Burgoyne (Photo provided by Bonnie Blake, NZ Production Manager). Director/Producer Torisse Laulu's Internship on Chief of War In conjunction with Talent Development and International Attractions Torisse participated in a six-week placement in May-June 2023 on Hawaiian led Apple TV and Fifth Season series, Chief of War. She spent time learning from key production staff including; the NZ production manager Bonnie Blake, the NZ production coordinator Elise Francis, and line producer Annie Weston. Torisse organised (with NZFC funded guild Pacific Island Screen Artists) a community event with the creators and cast of the show. She also facilitated a panel discussion with the DOP Matthew Chuang on 26 June (flyer above). NZFC NewsThe NZFC is looking to recruit an Industry Executive, Kaiwhakahononga Hāpori – Māori and Sustainability - on a fixed term and/or contract basis for six months from late October 2023, to assist with additional policy requirements in administering the Screen Production Rebate. Find out more about the role and apply here. NZFC COVID-19 Policy Update. In August, the New Zealand Government announced that the remaining COVID-19 public health requirements would be removed. To reflect these updates to domestic policy, the NZFC has removed the COVID-19 Policy for funding. The policy will not be enforced for screen productions seeking NZFC funding, effective immediately. Find out more here. Funding DeadlinesFeature Film Production Investment and Feature Film Post Production Investment deadline. Next deadline. 1pm Monday 27 November 2023 Board Meeting 14/15 February 2024. Early Development Fund and Documentary Development Fund. Next deadline 1pm Monday 15 January 2024. Producer Notification 11 March 2024. The current round of Early Development and Documentary Development Funding will be announced on 2 October. The next deadline for applications is 1pm Monday 16 October 2023. Find more deadlines here. NZ FILM ON DEMAND The NZFC's transactional VOD platform offers over 350 feature and short films ranging from recent cinema releases to digitised back catalogue classics. New releases to the platform include Red, White and Brass and A Boy Called Piano - The Story of Fa'amoana John Luafutu. See the full NZ Film On Demand collection and sign up for an account here. Thanks for keeping up with what's going on at the NZFC. Got a suggestion? Email us at feedback@nzfilm.co.nz. Ngā mihi ki a koutou katoa, The NZFC Team |