‘Camp Be Better’ Streaming Now!

Camp Be Better, directed by DEGANZ member Chye-Ling Huang, is now available to watch on TVNZ+.

This energetic series follows a group of young campers as they embark on a transformative summer adventure filled with humour, friendship, and self-discovery.  In the series, viewers will see the campers tackle personal challenges, navigate chaotic dynamics, and embrace their individuality in a vibrant camp setting. Huang describes the shoot as “a whirlwind,” highlighting the fun and challenges of filming at Bella Rakha. “We used every nook and cranny possible, resulting in a wild scope for the show,” she notes.

The production features a unique leap-frog filming system, allowing seamless scene transitions thanks to the flexibility of the crew. Huang also prioritized casting young actors skilled in improvisation, fostering a collaborative environment where fresh ideas could flourish. “You can feel the fun we had while making the show,” she shares.

Watch the trailer here:

Watch Camp Be Better on TVNZ+ now; Congrats on the release Chye-Ling!

Last updated on 10 October 2024

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DEGANZ Members Nominated at NZ Web Fest

DEGANZ members are dominating this year’s NZ Web Fest nominations! Check out the projects below with 19 members involved as directors, editors, and producers. All films are nominated in the NZ categories.

This year marks the 24th annual run of the festival. It celebrates international online content, including podcasts, short films, and web series. The awards ceremony will be held on November 10.

Check out everyone nominated below!

Short Films (Documentary)

Taurewarewa

Editor: Amanda Mulderry

Nominated for Best Directing – Short Documentary

Short Films (Narrative)

Dive

Director: Tyler Redmond

Nominated for Best Writing – NZ Short Fiction

For Thom

Writer/Director: Rafa Yam

Editor: Guillaume Arnoulet

Nominated for Best Writing – NZ Short Fiction

Monster State

Director: Julie Zhu

Editor: Isaiah Tour

Nominated for Best Performance, Best Directing, and Best NZ Film – NZ Short Fiction

The Balloon

On her birthday, an earnest, young girl finds unexpected solace when her mother seemingly fails to make any plans.

Writer/Director: James Fink-Jensen

Nominated for Best Cinematography, Best Performance, Best Directing, and Best NZ Film – NZ Short Fiction

The Polycees

Writer/Director & Editor: Celia Jaspers

Nominated for Best Directing – NZ Short Fiction

Wilbert Wire

Writer/Director & Editor: Ricky Townsend

Nominated for Best Editing – NZ Short Fiction

Web Series (Factual)

TE ARA the Path

Holly Beckham (Ngāpuhi) is on a mission to be the first Māori woman to scale Everest. She has no alpine experience, but she has survived the depths of addiction and is climbing a mountain to recovery. Back in 1988, New Zealand’s Lydia Bradey, ONZM, was the first woman to climb Everest without supplemental oxygen. But instead of accolades, she became the subject of public bullying and misinformation, as people challenged her claims.

Together these two ‘wāhine toa’ (warrior women) venture into New Zealand’s mountains, developing a deep partnership of trust, honesty and grit as they attempt to summit Holly’s first peak, the iconic Tititea, Mt Aspiring.

Director: Alexis Smith

Nominated for Best Cinematography, Best Directing – Factual

Turning The Tide

The Turning the Tide six-part short documentary series highlights the work of researchers, kaitiaki, and community members as they pool their knowledge and resources to improve the health of the seas around Aotearoa New Zealand.

Director: Magnolia Lowe

Editor: Amanda Mulderry

Producer: Tui Ruwhiu

Nominated for Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Directing, and Best Show – Factual

Web Series (Narrative)

ADHD & Me

Director: Michelle Ang (Incubator 2020)

Co-editor: Jack Brown

Nominated for Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Ensemble, Best Acting, Best Writing, Best Directing, and Best Show – Narrative

Ahikāroa

Co-editor: Jack Woon

Writer & Storyliner: Onehou Strickland

Nominated for Best Editing, Best Ensemble, Best Acting, Best Writing, Best Directing, and Best Show – Narrative

The Creature

Stuck in the online dating rut of endlessly swiping with no results, Aidan is ecstatic when he matches with his ‘dream man’. However, to leave for his date, Aidan must face the perturbed Creature lurking in the shadows of his home.

Writer/Director: Jake Tabata

Producer: Isabelle (Izzi) Hoskyn

Nominated for Best Editing and Best Show – Narrative

Well Well Wellness

A comedy web series that follows a silent retreat run by some well-meaning but hopeless wellness gurus. It follows the bumbling owners trying to save their haven, the mystic teachers who aren’t as deep as they seem, and the assorted mix of weird, wonderful, and worrisome retreatants who come to stay, find peace, or otherwise.

Director: Jack Nicol

Nominated for Best Cinematography, Best Ensemble, Best Acting, Best Writing, Best Directing, and Best Show – Narrative

 

Congratulations everyone!

 

Last updated on 10 October 2024

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‘PleasureDora’ Selected Internationally

PleasureDora, directed and edited by DEGANZ member Mark Prebble, has kicked off its festival run with an impressive series of selections.

In the past two weeks, this science fiction short celebrated its world premiere in Bali at Minikino Film Week, followed by its North American premiere in Rhode Island as part of the Flickers Rhode Island Film Festival. This week, PleasureDora is set to have its New Zealand premiere at Show Me Shorts, alongside its European premiere in Milan at the Sognielettrici Electric Dreams International Film Festival.

Kiwi audiences can catch PleasureDora at Show Me Shorts, as part of the Dystopian Dreams Programme at screenings in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Nelson.

Congratulations to Mark and the rest of the team on the selections!

Last updated on 10 October 2024

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Director Justin Scott: How I Got Started in the Industry

I remember being asked in university what I wanted my career to be. Many of my peers were saying Director, Producer or DOP- my answer was Production Assistant (I think I was a bit realistic about what opportunities were available to me leaving university and I’m glad to say I have exceeded my goal!). Deep down I knew I wanted to be a Director and Producer but I knew that goal was going to take time and hard work- and boy did it. 

At the time I was very lucky to be an unpaid intern for Luke Nola of Let’s Get Inventin fame. I would go into his office and scrub, clean and make coffee. Luke still mentions my window-washing skills and I always credit Luke for my start in this industry, as it’s a hard nutshell to crack without someone taking a chance on you.

Thanks to my credit on Luke’s show, I got my first offer as a proper Production Assistant (killing it) working for another Children’s television show Sticky TV for Pickled Possum Production. I will be upfront, it was rough work. 

There were presenters, children, a large farm as a set, farm animals, mud, “poop” and 256 episodes to complete and very little time to do it in.

Justin showing off his flecki skills / Photo: provided

It was a gauntlet run of prop making, people wrangling, unpaid OT, camera logging and all other forms of production shenanigans which I shared with two amazing humans Sheldene Seth and Elizabeth Koroivulaono. Elizabeth has just released an amazing documentary The Forgotten Pacific and Sheldene now does amazing work in the commercial space as a Producer. The three of us still cackle in horror about some of the tasks we had to do and the immense pressure we were under to deliver.

I remember feeling like it was all too much and I would often feel like giving up. The Props Department, which we all referred to as the “backroom”, was a place we would often go to vent, hide or cry. We all believed in and supported each other and I credit this little team as a key to persevering through it all. I think we all credit the large expectations to deliver to our own work ethics now and perhaps to our tenacity and the success we have all achieved.

Behind the scene of a photoshoot / Photo: provided

I do think times have changed–there isn’t this immense expectation of life or death to deliver but also there is a much more positive kaupapa around content creation, how we look after our younger crew members and advocacy for safer sets and conditions. These days in my current roles I always make sure I’m sharing knowledge with younger crew members and building them up. I wish I had people like this when I started and I like to think those I have helped up will do the same to others. If there is anything I can pass on to emerging creatives, it’s that it’s a lot of hard work to achieve the career you want but it’s important to advocate for yourself and know what safe working conditions are.

About Justin Scott

Justin Scott (Ngāpuhi) is a Director and Producer who prides himself in sharing stories from underrepresented communities. As a Queer, Māori, Neurodiverse man living with ADHD, his practice often touches upon stories from these communities and explores intersectionality. Most recently, Justin worked as a director and associate producer for the TVNZ series Four Go Flatting – following four young men with intellectual disabilities tackling flatting and independence for the first time. He has been working as a director for the Sunday morning series Attitude for the past four years, also directing on the company’s children’s show George and Me for HEIHEI, and intersectional series What’s the Disabili-tea for RNZ. Alongside his directing work, Justin has produced numerous short films with a Te Ao Māori focus including He Hekenga Tūhura and HAKA HAHA. Both of these films have had successful international festival runs, with both premiering internationally at the world’s largest Indigenous film festival ImagineNATIVE in Toronto.

How I Got Started in the Industry is a guest blog series from the Directors and Editors Guild of Aotearoa New Zealand (DEGANZ). Our members reflect on how they made their way into assistant editing, editing, and directing—with no two stories the same. They offer advice for those starting out. Get in touch with admin@deganz.co.nz if you’re a member and would like to share your story.

Last updated on 26 March 2025

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DEGANZ Members are Showing their Shorts

This year’s Show Me Shorts, Aotearoa’s leading international short film festival, features lots of work from DEGANZ members!

Show Me Shorts’ mission is to connect short film audiences in Aotearoa & share local short films with the world. The festival is globally recognized as an Academy Awards and BAFTA accredited festival. This year, you can catch Show Me Shorts screenings nationwide throughout October.

The Sampler

This collection is described as equal parts moving and silly. Here you’ll find stories of triumph, friendship, fantastic creatures, and familial love.

The Sea Inside Her

Fear takes full shape when a loving grandmother is charged with the care of her young grandchild.

Director: Alyx Duncan

Editor: Adam-Luka Turjak

*The Sea Inside Her is nominated for Toi Whakaari Best Actor and DEGANZ Best Director awards.

Aotearoa – Ka Awatea

The characters in this collection of homegrown short films are making sense of the world after a difficult time or crisis.

What’ll It Be Today?

Two men meet, but struggle to greet.

Director/Writer/Producer: Pulkit Arora

*What’ll It Be Today is also featuring in Auckland & Wellington opening nights.

Honey Kaha

When dinner with her son is ruined by seafood poachers, Honey Kaha must hunt down the colonisers who are responsible and bring them to justice.

Writer/Director: Te Waiarangi Ratana

*Honey Kaha is also featured on Wellington Opening Night and is nominated for Department of Post Best New Zealand Film, Toi Whakaari Best Actor, DEGANZ Best Director, and Studio Butter Best Cinematographer awards.

Payback

When a welfare department’s insidious prejudice can no longer be tolerated, a group of unlikely heroes must decide whether or not to stand up for what is right.

Director: Mia Blake

Co-Producer: Miryam Jacobi (Incubator 2024)

Bottle Money

Nelson plays parent to his younger siblings while their unstable and unreliable Mum wreaks havoc on the household.

Director: Rebekah Tyler

Editors: Sam Small & Dan Pavis

Lea Tupu’anga (Mother Tongue)

A young speech therapist disconnected from her Tongan heritage must find a way to communicate or risk her patient’s life.

Director: Vea Mafile’o

*Lea Tupu’anga is nominated for the Department of Post Best New Zealand Film award.

 

Dystopian Dreams

Imagine the world as you know it has shifted… forward into the future. The characters in this collection of science fiction short films are grappling with a new reality.

PleasureDora

A glitchy AI love companion from the ‘semi-mature’ range and her lonely final customer confront mortality, second chances, and life on the scrap heap.

Director/Editor: Mark Prebble

*PleasureDora also features in Auckland & Wellington opening nights.

Deeper Into Love

The stories in this collection of short films pay homage to romantic love of all kinds.

Vivie

Amy has a love-hate relationship with her vagina. Every time she tries to have sex with a new lover, her vagina Vivie, refuses to play ball.

Director: Hweiling Ow (Incubator 2021)

Co-Producer: Mia Maramara (Incubator 2022)

*Vivie is nominated for Department of Post Best New Zealand Film and Best Screenplay awards.

Cold Feet

A continuous take following a bride-to-be who is having doubts just before she walks down the aisle.

Director: Isla Macleod (Incubator 2023)

Producer: Miryam Jacobi (Incubator 2024)

*Cold Feet also features in Auckland & Wellington opening nights and is nominated for the Best Screenplay award.

 

Generational Threads

When the characters in these stories find themselves adrift, they lean on their whānau to remind them who they are and that they are loved.

Māori Time

A Māori property developer is forced to confront his fear of death when an ancient skull is unearthed, and a tohunga must be brought in.

Director: Tim Worrall 

*Māori Time is nominated for the Toi Whakaari Best Actor award.

 

Slashers and Splatters

The films will have you cringing, cowering and crowing with laughter. Aliens, slime, serial killers, travel influencers, tofu with teeth, and toys turned terrifying. Bring a hand to hold.

New Followers

Four influencers embark on the Milford Track, New Zealand’s most famous hike. Found footage exposes cracks in their façade, and jealousy turns to terror.

Editors: Guy Pigden & Samuel Wheeler

 

Defy Expectations

The stakes are high for the characters in these short films as they try to navigate their paths. Friction comes from fellow passengers on the train or bus, teammates on the court, or friends in the backyard or paddock.

Medicine

When Marjorie and Jack offer their help to a passenger and things take an unexpected turn, one wonders who was actually helping who.

Writer/Director/Producer: William Amos McKegg

 

Congratulations to our 16 members involved in the selections!

 

Last updated on 26 September 2024

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