Following a year of record attendances for the Writer’s Room series in 2009, and the launch of our Te Ao Marama creative development programme with the visit of inspirational Australian film-maker Rolf de Heer, Script to Screen is gearing up for a busy 2010 calendar of events.
March sees the launch of a Wellington monthly discussion series in association with the New Zealand Film Archive, Nga Aho Whakaari, and the New Zealand Writer’s Guild. Happening every third Wednesday of the month at the NZFA auditorium, the series kicks off with a Writer’s Room on March 17. Thank you to the Quality Comfort Hotel Cuba St, Film Wellington and Stella Artois for their generous support.
The monthly Auckland Writer’s Room begins on February 23 with Bombing at the Box Office. CEO of the NZFC Graeme Mason, veteran exhibitor Joe Moodabe, and indie distributor John Davies will join us to discuss the importance of identifying your audience when crafting a film concept. Thank you to Stella Artois and the ASB Community Trust for their continued support.
March also sees Writer’s Room discussions on Saturday 21 in Christchurch and Saturday 27 in Dunedin as part of the annual Film and Television Industry Days in both centres. Mid-year the Writer’s Room will travel to the Hokianga, Whangarei, Waikato, and Rotorua for screenwriting workshops taken by industry practitioners including Nick Ward and Kath Akuhata-Brown.
The Te Ao Marama Creative Development Series 2010 will begin in Auckland in March with three one-day seminars presented by L.A. script consultant Wendall Thomas (courtesy of the New Zealand Film Commission). In May Gaylene Preston is scheduled to present a Masterclass, and expect a further comprehensive series of events with an overseas visitor, which will include a contestable Script Focus Programme for feature writers later in the year.
Look out for this cassette icon on our website, which now includes podcasts of some events as part of our Writer’s Room Discussion Library (previously called the Writer’s Room Archive). Here you can find summaries from our Writer’s Rooms as far back as 2007 organised by either date or topic. There is now also a list of practitioners who have participated in the Writer’s Room. Click on a practitioner to see all the summaries in which they feature.
Next week Robert Connolly is in New Zealand for Q & As following special screenings of his feature film Balibo. Follow the links to find out more and to book for the Auckland or Wellington screenings.
If you are not already aware of it, we have an online forum, which includes other organisations’ upcoming events. Anyone is able to register on the forum and post information on events, interesting links, instigate discussion threads, or respond to existing posts. Last year’s discussion thread regarding the NZFC review was sent to the review panel and acknowledged as contributing to their process.
Please remember that all ticketed Script to Screen events offer significant discounts for members of industry organisations including The New Zealand Writers Guild, Nga Aho Whakaari, the Screen Directors Guild NZ, Women in Film and Television, SPADA, Actors Equity, the Technicians Guild, and MIC.
I look forward to seeing you at our 2010 events!
Simon Marler
Executive Director, Script to Screen
