Big Screen Symposium & Script to Screen

Script to Screen was delighted to present this in-conversation with Lee Tamahori, one of New Zealand’s most successful and celebrated filmmakers. He is the director and co-writer of The Convert, starring Guy Pearce and Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne and premiering at Toronto International Film Festival where it was described as ‘a stunning, sweeping & action-packed historical epic’. Paula Morris moderated the discussion exploring Lee's approach to making the film, including story themes, ideology and past experiences that guided his decisions. This talk was held in October 2023 at the Capitol Cinema in Auckland.   ----more---- Lee Tamahori has an extraordinary body of work not limited to Once Were Warriors, Mulholland Falls, Along Came A Spider, Die Another Day, and more recently Mahana aka The Patriach.  ----more---- This talk contains Explicit Language and mentions domestic violence and sexual assault. These themes and topics could be upsetting for some listeners. Discretion is advised.  ----more---- This podcast is brought to you thanks to generous support from the New Zealand Film Commission, Foundation North, Images & Sound, White Studios and The Capitol Cinema.   ----more---- The voiceover was recorded by Jamie Irvine, and the music is by Podington Bear.   You can read more about these speakers at our website www.script-to-screen.co.nz 

Explore the roots of accomplished New Zealand writers Briar Grace-Smith, Michael Bennett, and Pip Hall, and how they have each paved their way for a successful career in the screen industry. Jackie Dennis probes into their screenwriting process and seeks their advice for aspiring screenwriters including navigating writer's block and special tips.  This talk was held in August 2023, at the Christchurch Screen Canterbury offices.  ----more---- Pip Hall writes for television and theatre and has won awards in both mediums. Pip’s most recent works are Jonah and One Lane Bridge.   Briar Grace Smith – Writes for feature films and tv series. Most recently, Briar wrote and co-directed the Feature film Cousins and was a writer for  Season 2 of Rurangi.  Michael Bennett – writes across many mediums, including novels, Tv series and feature films. His most recent release is The Gone, but our audience will also know mini-series In Dark Places and the feature film Matariki.   His novel Better the Blood is currently being adapted for the screen.  Jackie Dennis, Executive Director of Script to Screen, moderated the conversation held in August of 2023 at the Screen CanterburyNZ offices. ----more---- This podcast is brought to you thanks to generous support from the New Zealand Film Commission, Te Puna Matarau, Screen CanterburyNZ, Images & Sound and South Island Media. ----more---- The voice-over was recorded by Jamie Irvine, and the music is by Podington Bear.   You can read more about these speakers at our website www.script-to-screen.co.nz   

Experienced screenwriter, script editor and development producer Nicole Dade breaks down the script development process and discusses how to develop your own idea so that it moves forward. Nicole talks about the main structural element of the story, the story world, and examines how the importance of finding the heart and primal theme of the story is fundamental to its success.  This talk was held in June 2023, at the Christchurch Screen Canterbury offices.   ----more---- Nicole is referencing slides throughout this talk, but it is easy to following her development essentials without them.  This podcast contains one moment of strong language which hasn’t been censored.   ----more---- ABOUT NICOLE DADE:  Nicole Dade is a screenwriter, story developer and story/script producer with 15 years’ international experience in TV, film and online scripted content. She is a screenwriter of original and commissioned work and also contributes to writers’ rooms as writer, script editor or script producer. A skilled story and script consultant, Nicole is highly regarded for her creative and strategic insight and for her expertise in screen story and genre craft...----more---- This podcast is brought to you thanks to generous support from the New Zealand Film Commission,  Te Puna Matarau,  Screen CanterburyNZ, White Studios and Images and Sound. ----more---- The voiceover was recorded by Jamie Irvine, and the music is by Podington Bear.   You can read more about these speakers at our website www.script-to-screen.co.nz 

  ----more---- Episode Example (13min): The Beach | Full Episode | Bluey ----more---- This podcast is brought to you thanks to generous support from the: New Zealand Film Commission, Foundation North, Te Auaha NZ Institute of Creativity, The Capitol Cinema, White Studios and Images and Sound.   ----more---- The voiceover was recorded by Jamie Irvine and the music is by Podington Bear.    You can read more about these speakers at our website www.script-to-screen.co.nz 

Three outstanding writer-directors, Welby Ings, Matthew J. Saville, and Paula Whetu Jones discuss their observations with producer Karin Williams in crafting feature films Punch, Whina and Juniper. If you are telling a story from real life, learn from the experiences of these filmmakers as they recall the creative choices used to weave these screen stories of truth, memory, and social history.   This talk was recorded in Auckland, in March 2023.   ----more---- This podcast is brought to you thanks to generous support from the New Zealand Film Commission, Foundation North, White Studios and Images and Sound.   ----more---- The voice-over was recorded by Jamie Irvine, and the music is by Podington Bear. You can read more about these speakers at our website www.script-to-screen.co.nz   

In the wake of Covid-19, the Government announced a screen sector recovery package. This package includes a Premium Productions for International Audiences Fund of $50m to support the production of high-quality feature films or series dramas that tell strong Aotearoa New Zealand stories with international appeal. This session opens with an address from Hon. Carmel Sepuloni (Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage) who launched the Premium Productions for International Audiences Fund (Pūtea Kiriata Hiranga - Premium Fund) at the Big Screen Symposium. Then producer Emma Sladetalks to Annabelle Sheehan (NZ Film Commission), Cameron Harland (NZ On Air) and Larry Parr (Te Māngai Pāho) asking questions about the fund. The Premium Fund is jointly administered between the NZFC and NZ On Air, and is developed in partnership with Te Māngai Pāho. Essential information on the fund and the guidelines are available on the NZFC Website.

What stories do you need your production materials to tell? Defining EPK, B-Roll, BTS, Featurette, Making-of, Fan Service Videos, Partner video promos etc. The power of BTS stills & video for building engagement. How to be smart with tight resources. What decisions to make before going on set? Connecting your publicity stories to your main story. In this session, EPK, BTS, OMG, publicist and founding member of the Aotearoa Screen Publicists Collective Courtney Mayhew spoke with photographer Kirsty Griffin,  writer/director Todd Karehana and Selwyn Kumar a Social and Digital producer at TVNZ about Smart Strategies for getting all the materials for all media on set. This Podcast is part of The A-Z of Screen Publicity workshop sessions.  The two-day workshop was run by Script to Screen in partnership with the Aotearoa Screen Publicists Collective (ASPC) and was held on 7 & 8 May 2021 in Auckland.

  Now that you know everything, where do you start? In this session Coffee and Publicity we hear from speakers Adria Buckton from Trigger Marketing Publicity, and Leanda Borrett Marketing and Publicity Manager at TVNZ in a korero about NZ On Air’s Music Publicist Mentoring scheme, aka “the coffee cup fund”, which was set up in the midst of Covid to help self-managed artists plan their publicity strategies. How can it be adapted to suit screen creatives? The first ten questions a publicist will ask you, and how to come in prepared for success. This Podcast is part of The A-Z of Screen Publicity workshop sessions.  The two-day workshop was run by Script to Screen in partnership with the Aotearoa Screen Publicists Collective (ASPC) and was held on 7 & 8 May 2021 in Auckland.

We know: you’re busy, you’re underfunded, you have deadlines, you can’t keep up with one of your social media accounts, let alone all of them - and yet, other busy creatives have time to also start a podcast? How to prioritise your public persona. In this session, Chris Henry Director of 818 and PEOPLE OF INFLUENCE speaks to powerhouse duo Miranda Harcourt internationally recognised acting Coach, Actor and Director, and NZ Playwright and Director Stuart Mckenzie in a korero about Personal Branding and Making Authentic Connections with your own Audience. This Podcast is part of The A-Z of Screen Publicity workshop sessions.  The two-day workshop was run by Script to Screen in partnership with the Aotearoa Screen Publicists Collective (ASPC) and was held on 7 & 8 May 2021 in Auckland.

Being prepared for international sales with the best materials possible; what international publicists’ pitches look like; multicultural marketing in the North American context; what it’s like doing Zoom junkets; coming out the other side of Covid; cultural competence, and other global issues to be aware of. In this session Hello World we hear from two publicists working in the US. Gemma Gracewood who is Editor-in-Chief at Letterboxd, and a founding member of the Aotearoa Screen Publicists Collective talks to David Magdael a Publicist who has over two decades in PR and marketing for award-winning documentary films, indie features and broadcast content. Followed by Michelle Huff Elliot Co-Founder and Partner at Strategic Heights Media in korero to Brooke Hawe the communications manager at 387 Entertainment.  Michelle manages strategic publicity campaigns for high-end clients, she talks to Brooke about what international publicists’ pitches look like and multicultural marketing in the North-American context. This Podcast is part of The A-Z of Screen Publicity workshop sessions.  The two-day workshop was run by Script to Screen in partnership with the Aotearoa Screen Publicists Collective (ASPC) and was held on 7 & 8 May 2021 in Auckland.

From Takaro Tribe’s talking dolls to Kiri & Lou fan-made birthday cakes; from Hunt for the Wilderpeople’s Instagram stickers to Officer O’Leary and Officer Minogue delivering Covid safety messages, fan service can take many forms. A dive into fans, fandom, merchandise, cosplay, fan-cons, and the delightful power of letting your audience chart your course—all the way to a sequel, a franchise, a spin-off and beyond. In this session, Tamar Münch asks the Writer, Actor, Producer of Paranormal Activity Paul Yates, and Sacha Judd Director of Hoku Group and Super-fan how they Embrace the Meme. This korero covers the importance of Engaging with Fans. This Podcast is part of The A-Z of Screen Publicity workshop sessions.  The two-day workshop was run by Script to Screen in partnership with the Aotearoa Screen Publicists Collective (ASPC) and was held on 7 & 8 May 2021 in Auckland.

A deeper dive into the world of creating online buzz and meeting audiences where they already are. Which social channel is right for your story—and why you don’t have to use them all. Empowering your artists as your social superstars. How to pivot when you find an unexpected audience. Gifs, memes & quirky bits, and how to take Gen Z into account (aka not be cringe). In this session The Digital Marae, Kenny Williams a Brand and Marketing Strategist talks about creating an online buzz for your project and taking an Iwi approach to building a community. This korero is all about making sure your sh*t is valid on social media This Podcast is part of The A-Z of Screen Publicity workshop sessions.  The two-day workshop was run by Script to Screen in partnership with the Aotearoa Screen Publicists Collective (ASPC) and was held on 7 & 8 May 2021 in Auckland.

Despite the power of social, conventional media still plays a pivotal role in connecting your stories to Aotearoa audiences. Hear how today’s editors approach coverage of arts and entertainment for their audiences, and how you can get a story placed. Simon Day, Commercial Editorial Director at The Spinoff, Kate Rodger Entertainment Editor and Film reviewer from NewsHub, Carmen Parahi Pou Tiaki Editor at Stuff, and Lisa Taouma director and producer at Coconet TV and Tiki Productions, in a korero about MAPPING AOTEAROA’S MEDIA LANDSCAPE IN 2021. This Podcast is part of The A-Z of Screen Publicity workshop sessions.  The two-day workshop was run by Script to Screen in partnership with the Aotearoa Screen Publicists Collective (ASPC) and was held on 7 & 8 May 2021 in Auckland.

In May 2021 Script to Screen partnered with the Aotearoa Screen Publicists Collective to present the A to Z of Screen Publicity Workshop. The workshop’s purpose was to support the industry to increase discoverability by audiences for the shows being made. The sessions were recorded and this is one of ten that you can listen to. Opening remarks were made by Jackie Dennis Executive Director at Script to Screen, Gemma Gracewood founding member of Aotearoa Screen Publicists Collective and Amie Mills Head of Funding at NZ On Air.  

Mā te huruhuru te manu ka rere (with feathers the bird can fly) What do publicists do? In two case studies, we look at the holistic role of a publicist - why bringing them in early and keeping them through unit and release bridges the gap between your project and your audience (and provides care of artists along the way). What a publicist needs from you to make it happen. In this session publicist and mentor, Sue May spoke to Ainsley Gardiner, Co-Director, Cousins; Chris Henry, Managing Director of 818 and PEOPLE OF INFLUENCE, Roseanne Liang, Director of Shadow in the Cloud and Creamerie; and Courtney Mayhew, Publicist from matter about THE CREATOR / PUBLICIST RELATIONSHIP: Setting Yourself Up for Success with Culturally Competent Connectors. This Podcast is part of The A-Z of Screen Publicity workshop sessions.  The two-day workshop was run by Script to Screen in partnership with the Aotearoa Screen Publicists Collective (ASPC) and was held on 7 & 8 May 2021 in Auckland.

H He aha te mea nui o te Ao? (What is the most important thing in the world?) He tangata! He tangata! He tangata! People (audience), people (publicists), people (creatives) Who is your target audience? How do you know? Statistics or Intuition? How does what they think, feel and do connect with the story you have to tell, and how can you transform that alignment into a devoted throng? In this session A IS FOR AUDIENCE Gemma Gracewood who is Editor-in-Chief at Letterboxd, and a founding member of the Aotearoa Screen Publicists Collective spoke to Rueben Wiremu Senior Manager, TVNZ Marketing, Amatailevi Stella Muller Director at Bright Sunday and Stephen Smith Head of Audience Strategy at Radio New Zealand about Creating a Real Connection Between Your Story And Its Audience. This Podcast is part of The A-Z of Screen Publicity workshop sessions.  The two-day workshop was run by Script to Screen in partnership with the Aotearoa Screen Publicists Collective (ASPC) and was held on 7 & 8 May 2021 in Auckland as part of the  A-to-Z of Screen Publicity programme.

CEO of the Swedish Film Institute, Anna Serner, has garnered international attention for her radical work towards gender equality in the screen industry.  In this electrifying talk, she provokes us to think differently about gender equality and lays out her step-by-step plan to achieve it. This session is presented by WIFT NZ. Anna's keynote address took place on Saturday 28 Oct at the Big Screen Symposium 2018 in Auckland, NZ. The Big Screen Symposium is New Zealand's annual premiere film event, proudly brought to you by Script to Screen and janda. This podcast is available on Podbean, Spotify and Apple

Can new technologies address environmental issues and competing world views?  Leading global thinker, Lynette Wallworth discusses her work in the Virtual and Augmented Reality sphere and the ways in which she “brings together technological advances and ancient understandings, new media and old practices, electronics and the electricity of human touch.” Lynette's session took place on Friday 27 Oct at the Big Screen Symposium 2018 in Auckland, NZ. The Big Screen Symposium is New Zealand's annual premiere film event, proudly brought to you by Script to Screen and janda. This podcast is available on Podbean, Spotify and Apple.

In this session filmmaker David Lowery uses a scene from his latest feature The Old Man & the Gun as a starting point to follow the evolution of an idea from first draft to final cut. He leads us on his own very specific filmmaking journey in order to explore the tangents and the detours that inspiration can take on its way to the big screen. This session is presented by The Weta Group of Companies. David's session took place on Friday 27 Oct at the Big Screen Symposium 2018 in Auckland, NZ. The Big Screen Symposium is New Zealand's annual premiere film event, proudly brought to you by Script to Screen and janda. This podcast is available on Podbean, Spotify and Apple.

Michael Bennett, Miriama McDowell, Jessica Hansell, and Todd Karehana each give their take on our theme Authenticity & Pretence in the context of their recent projects, working practice, and view of the world. Presented by NZ On Air This session took place on Sunday 1 October, 9.30am at the Big Screen Symposium 2017 in Auckland, NZ. The Big Screen Symposium is New Zealand's annual premiere film event, proudly brought to you by Script to Screen and J&A Productions.                     .