A great evening was had at Networking Drinks with the NZ Cinematographers Society, talking projects and sharing knowledge.
Thanks to everyone who turned out!
Our last Rehearsal Room for the year held on Saturday 14 November in Auckland was a success. We were fortunate to have writer/director and experienced actress Jackie Van Beek facilitate on the day.
DEGNZ directors Mina Matheison, Claire Chitham, Jamie Lawrence and Sean Carley got the opportunity to workshop a scene from their scripts with actors from Equity New Zealand.
Overall, it was a excellent day with some interesting scripts workshopped and some great interaction between the directors and actors, who only found out who they were working with on the day.
A massive thanks to Jackie Van Beek, the four directors and all the actors who kindly volunteered their time to take part: Becky Kuek, Jimmy Hazelwood, Serena Cotton, Ruth Wynne, Terry Hooper, Katherine Mewett, Keisha Castle-Hughes and Tama Jarman.
The next Rehearsal Room will take place in February 2016 in Auckland.
Directors & Editors Guild of NZ (DEGNZ) invites applications from experienced documentary directors with at least one documentary feature with festival success and a documentary project in development to apply for an International Director’s Mentorship with multiple award-winning Canadian documentary filmmaker Jennifer Baichwal.
Jennifer co-founded Toronto-based Mercury Films Inc. with Nick de Pencier. For over 20 years, the pair has been making award-winning, critically acclaimed documentaries that have played all over the world.
Jennifer is currently starting production on her latest feature documentary Anthropocene,the third in a trilogy of feature documentaries preceeded by Watermark (2014) andManufactured Landscapes (2006). Anthropocene follows an international group of geologists who want to change the name of our present interglacial epoch, Holocene, toAnthropocene in recognition of human impact.
The International Director’s Mentorship is designed to assist a director with project development, career planning, creative relationships, new practices in audience engagement, and relationships with producers and agents.
The mentorship will allow for a visit from Jennifer to New Zealand to spend up to two days working with the mentee on their submitted project, and 20 – 30 hours of mentoring time via Skype or phone across a six-month period.
At a later mutually agreed date, the mentee will be encouraged to fly to wherever Jennifer is working to meet and observe.
The overall intention of the mentorship is to inspire a NZ director, demystify the international film industry and offer genuine insight into creative process and engagement with the industry as a whole, while providing a solid platform upon which to build an international career.
To apply, please provide:
- A maximum one-page letter about why you should be chosen and what you hope to gain from the mentorship.
- A maximum one-page document outlining the documentary concept you wish to apply with.
- Up to 3 examples online of past work (not showreel).
A panel including Jennifer will select the successful applicant. An interview may be required.
Only FULL DEGNZ members may apply. If you are not a member and wish to join, you can do so here: www.deganz.co.nz/join/
Applications should be submitted electronically to admin@deganz.co.nz no later than9AM, 30 November 2015.
This initiative is brought to you with the support of the New Zealand Film Commission.
Dear DEGNZ members, come along next Wednesday 18th November for Networking Drinks with the New Zealand Cinematographers Society (NZCS).
We look forward to seeing you there!
DEGNZ invites applications for a Drama Director Attachment on Filthy Productions’ comedy drama TV series DIRTY LAUNDRY for TV One.
DIRTY LAUNDRY, produced by Britta Hawkins, will centre on a middle-class family whose mother is jailed for money laundering. If her children want to keep the lifestyle to which they’re accustomed, they’ll need to keep the family business going.
This paid attachment is currently scheduled to take place for eight weeks commencing March 13. It may include a small stand down period to allow for breaks in the schedule, with the aim of the Attachment getting to experience pre-production, production and post production on a major drama production.
The attachment will cover 1 block (3 episodes) and the director will be one of New Zealand’s most experienced drama directors and long-time DEGNZ member Peter Burger.
Payment will be determined by negotiation with the production company and the level of experience of the applicant.
An opportunity exists for the Attachment to direct a scene in the production, but this is entirely at the discretion of Filthy Productions and its producer(s) and director—it is not guaranteed.
The aim of the attachment is to:
- develop and upskill new television drama directors and
- contribute to the ongoing production of quality future television drama and
- provide another training pathway to the limited opportunities currently available.
To be eligible, applicants must:
- Be a FULL member of DEGNZ, and
- Have a keen interest in television drama, and
- Either:-
- Have 2 short film credits publicly screened to a paying audience at an NZFC accredited short film festival*, OR
- Have held a position as the first assistant director of a publicly distributed and released feature film or TV drama series OR
- Have won an award for a short film at an NZFC accredited film festival*, OR
- Have proven dramatic narrative experience in a screen medium
*The NZFC list of accredited short film festivals here.
To apply, please download the application form cover sheet from the DEGNZ website here, and submit the following in electronic form ONLY (Word file or PDF) by 9am Monday 16 November, 2015 to admin@deganz.co.nz with DIRTY LAUNDRY in the subject line:
• Completed Application Form Cover Sheet with your FULL DEGNZ Membership No., including links to your publicly screened works
• A full CV & Filmography
• A reference (from a senior screen industry practitioner)
• A proposal of a maximum of 1-page outlining why you want to do the attachment.
A shortlist will be developed from applicants. An interview may or may not be required.
We will notify you as to whether or not your application has been successful, but no further correspondence will be entered into regarding your application and the decision will be final.
We look forward to receiving your applications. This initiative has been made possible with the support of NZ On Air and Filthy Productions.