Post Production Documentary Lab

The Post Production Documentary Lab is a one of a kind mentoring lab for director-editor teams working on long-form documentary projects that includes films and series.

Up to five selected director-editor teams will converge in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington for one mentoring weekend, led by editor Annie Collins, followed by individual team mentoring.

Teams can expect to learn about Annie’s documentary process with the key focus of the Lab on how process supports both the project and the relationship between director and editor. This will be the only workshop of this kind Annie will tutor.

The Lab, 26-27 November 2022

The two days will be divided into blocks covering the different stages of the edit process and tools and mechanisms for creative, long-lasting director-editor relationships:

  • Introductions, approach and expectations
  • Before you get started
  • During logging and viewing
  • During assembly
  • Receiving and dealing with feedback
  • Handovers

The Lab will also cover:

  • Research
  • Archival materials

Preparation: Teams selected will be told what materials they should prepare and bring to the Lab.

Confidentiality: A non-disclosure form will be required to be signed by all participants, observers and tutors.

Travel Grants: We have travel grants of up to $460 per person to support the travel costs of team members based outside the Wellington region.

Follow-Up Mentoring

Each team will receive one 1.5 hour post-Lab mentoring session with Annie Collins within 9 months of the Lab. Meetings can be in-person or on Zoom. The Guild is unable to cover travel costs for mentoring sessions.

Key Dates

Applications open: Wed 5 October

Applications close: Tue 1 November, 1pm

Selected teams confirmed by: Fri 4 November

Lab dates: Sat 26 & Sun 27 November 2022

Kaupapa

The Guild’s kaupapa is to strengthen director-editor teams in our screen industry and see an increase in long-lasting, creative collaborations.

To support teams, we aim to deepen participants’ understanding of the editing process and ways to manage it (and troubleshoot effectively). If you are currently facing issues with your project, this Lab could well be what your team needs to move forward.

Got a question? Please contact admin@deganz.co.nz.

Annie has been editing film since 1975 and was the first independently trained editor in the country. She has specialised in documentary and that has remained her particular love although there’ve been a number of forays into drama, most notably with Robert Sarkies directing and also an extended period in a rather strange country called Middle Earth. She has remained independent throughout her career.

The Post Production Documentary Lab is aimed at emerging/mid-career directors and emerging/mid-career/established editors.

To be eligible:

  • Director-editor teams must be working on their first long-form documentary together OR working together for the first time
  • Both the director and editor must commit to attending the full Lab in November

The Lab is not open to solo director/editors, although there may be a limited number of observers  admitted to the weekend (TBC).

What we accept as long-form documentary:

  • Projects 50 mins or longer
  • Series where episode length is 30 mins or longer

We are interested in mentoring teams across NZ with projects at various stages of the process:

  1. A team that has not started shooting or is in a very early stage of shooting
  2. A team that is at the viewing and logging stage
  3. A team in the assembly stage
  4. A team with a very good edit preparing for feedback screenings
  5. A team with a fine cut preparing for handovers

It is free to apply for the Lab.

The fees for selected teams to attend are:

DEGANZ members – FREE
Non-members of a team – $75 per person

Prices include GST.

Made possible with the financial support of the New Zealand Film Commission.

NZFC

Loading…

Last updated on 11 October 2022