March’s ‘I SEE YOU’ Boosted Campaign

DEGANZ member Briar March is crowdfunding to complete her new short film, I SEE YOU.

The film, written and directed by Briar, tells the story of a young mother struggling to see her 2-year-old daughter with Down Syndrome for who she is – a beautiful baby girl. Briar and the short’s producer, Caroline Hutchinson, share in the Boosted campaign that the film deeply resonates with their experiences of motherhood, as both are parents of children with Down Syndrome.

Briar shares with DEGANZ,

I wrote I SEE YOU to both challenge and inspire, questioning our judgments and expectations about the way we see the world and ultimately encouraging audiences to accept and embrace people for who they are.

The project has completed production with funding from the NZFC Fresh Shorts programme but needs a further financial push to carry out post-production. The $15,000 goal will go towards sound design, colour grade, and music. Briar has secured fellow DEGANZ member Adam-Luka Turjak as the film’s editor.

You can visit the Boosted campaign here!

Last updated on 26 September 2023

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Set Education

View from the Top banner

I’ve just come off a Zoom with a bunch of articulate and intelligent students pursuing careers in the screen industry.

It prompted me to write about the ongoing work happening around the reform of vocational education that DEGANZ is engaged in.

Board member and editor Annie Collins has been driving a small group of individuals from some other screen sector organisations, our ongoing engagement with the Workforce Development Council Toi Mai, whose remit includes the screen industry. This group operates under the name of the Interim Screen Training Advisory Roopu or STAR.

At present, the focus of STAR and Toi Mai is on Below-The-Line roles—The crew shortages that occur when there are multiple domestic and international productions happening at the same time are a major issue. We need more people, better trained, so that there is good depth in trained crew and more of them when the need arises.

While Above-The-Line vocational training is also necessary, it’s not a priority at the present time. That will come.

The recent review of the New Zealand Screen Production Grant (NZSPG), now renamed the NZSP Rebate (NZSPR), also puts emphasis on vocational training with international productions, through the five per cent uplift available. The final criteria for International NZSPR is expected by November.

I emphasised to the students I was talking to, the need for ongoing upskilling of their craft once they get working. For directors and editors, this is available through the extensive professional development programme we offer. However, a lot of the work that STAR is doing with Toi Mai is focused on the content taught at the vocational education providers, before people enter the workforce. That content is tied into qualifications that are certified by the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC).

After a bumpy start more than two years ago, STAR (and its previous incarnation) has made some good progress now that Toi Mai is up and running. Toi Mai is doing a great job, and it’s become easier for the industry to feed into vocational education through them.

There’s still a lot more to do and there are many obstacles to overcome. Thankfully, we have strong screen industry experience on the Toi Mai board in Alice Shearman, Rhonda Kite and Victoria Spackman. They provide valuable insight and direction that helps Toi Mai do its work.

The micro-credential that Toi Mai is asking for feedback on (included in this newsletter) was in large part developed by STAR together with Toi Mai, with input from some other entities. It’s the first really visible example of the industry expressing its need and Toi Mai responding. If you could take the time to give your thoughts, it will help us to get that important introductory micro-credential up and running at vocational institutions, and allow us to move on to other important work.

 

Tui Ruwhiu
Executive Director 

Last updated on 14 September 2023

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‘Juniper’ and its String of Successes

Juniper, written and directed by DEGANZ member Matthew Saville and edited by fellow member Peter Roberts, continues its successful run following the film’s release in 2021.

The film delves into the relationship between Ruth, played by Oscar-nominee Charlotte Rampling, and her grandson Sam. When the self-destructive teen and alcoholic grandmother are forced under the same roof, they discover unexpected insights into life and death.

The feature has earned nearly $USD1.1 million internationally and is pushing its way into the top 20 highest-grossing New Zealand films. So far, Juniper has played in theatres across Aotearoa, Australia, the US, Canada, the UK, and seven European countries (with further releases in the works).

In addition to its box office accomplishments, the film earned a spot in the 2023 Palm Springs International Film Festival’s Best of Fest list. Accompanying Juniper on the list are 30 of the festival’s top films of the year.

But the achievements don’t end there! Rotten Tomatoes announced its ranking of Best New Movies of 2023, with Juniper in the top 50 with its Certified Fresh score of 92%. The film, which is available on Apple TV, also topped the US Apple foreign film charts earlier this year in April.

Congratulations to Matthew, Peter, and the team for Juniper‘s prosperous theatrical run and critical recognition!

Last updated on 14 September 2023

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NZFC Funding for Writer/Directors

NZFC announced their August funding decisions, with multiple DEGANZ members attached to projects as writer/directors.

Feature Film Production Investment

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.

Writers/Directors: Vea Mafile’o and Gavin Fitzgerald

Early Development Funding Decisions

Childish

Drama

Logline: When a wealthy doctor suffers a serious stroke, the perfect lives of his wife and entitled adult children are turned upside down. But when they discover he has a secret family, all hell breaks loose.

Writer/Director: Jesse Griffin

Tandem

Drama

Logline: Struggling to accept the disability that detonated her Olympic dream, an ambitious low-vision cyclist finds a tandem pilot to steer her to victory, but their co-dependent relationship soon veers violently off-course.

Writer/Director: Pennie Hunt (Incubator 2020)

 

You can find the rest of the funding decisions on the NZFC website.

Last updated on 14 September 2023

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‘Taking Back Our Beach’ Takes to Cinema Screens

Taking Back Our Beach, a feature documentary directed by Anton Steel (DEGANZ), is set to have its theatrical release in Aotearoa cinemas on 5 October.

The film looks at the community response to the 2011 cargo vessel Rena grounding on Ōtāiti (Astrolabe Reef) and the subsequent environmental disasters. The tonnes of heavy oil and diesel fuel split into the ocean devastated wildlife and washed up onto nearby beaches, making it Aotearoa’s worst maritime environmental disaster.

Anton tells the story through the eyes of the community affected, with a collection of interviews, archival footage, photos, re-enactments, and computer-generated imagery. The film focuses on the ongoing impact the grounding had on the Bay of Plenty community, and how the community has rallied despite it.

The 90-minute film premiered in this year’s DocEdge festival in the Making an Impact category. Now, it’ll be available to the wider public, with screenings throughout the Bay of Plenty, Auckland, the Coromandel, Christchurch, Northland, and Wellington, amongst others.

The film’s theatrical 5 October premiere marks the 12th anniversary of the grounding, making the release extra special for Anton and the team.

You can watch the trailer below!

Last updated on 14 September 2023

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