2022 Call for Applications: DEGANZ Emerging Women Filmmakers Incubator

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The Directors and Editors Guild of Aotearoa New Zealand is now accepting applications for the sixth Emerging Women Filmmakers Incubator.

In 2022, the talent-focused development programme will mentor a handful of selected female directors from Aotearoa New Zealand.

Background

The overall vision of the Incubator is to empower the participating directors with the confidence, knowledge and connections that they can use to go on and direct a feature film, drama or scripted series.

The Incubator is intended primarily for emerging debut directors of feature film (drama or documentary), but will also consider those wishing to establish careers in TV drama and scripted content.

Applicants must apply with a project, but the Incubator is primarily focused on filmmaker development, not project development.

The objectives of the Incubator are:

  • Increase the number of women directing features and TV drama.
  • Connect producers, broadcasters, funders and other industry professionals with female directors with a view to getting more female-centric stories into and through development.
  • Create networking opportunities for women directors to further their projects and careers.
  • Inspire and encourage women directors to passionately pursue feature film and drama directing careers through interaction with successful women who serve as role models.
  • Improve directors’ understanding of the business of film and television drama.

Workshops

Participants will attend five one-day workshops across 2022 with the first scheduled to take place in May. All workshops are intended to be held in Auckland, and a travel allowance will be available for participants based in other regions. For safety reasons, all applicants need to have had at least two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Participants need access to a computer to participate via Zoom if the workshops are affected by COVID-19 traffic light settings.

The workshops are individually themed to provide specific knowledge, networks, skills, and inspiration that enable participants to advance themselves and their careers. As the global screen industry continues to undergo constant change, DEGANZ will remain flexible as to the actual content of the programme, seeking to incorporate information and opportunities that are relevant.

 

Eligibility

All applicants will be expected to have a good level of directing experience with scripted content, such as acclaimed web series, shorts with festival success, TV commercials, or broadcast content.

Applicants must:

  1. Have an active project (feature film, documentary feature, telefeature, TV/online drama or scripted series) in development that has never been presented to a broadcaster or funder. It is preferable that the project is at least at first draft script but if not available, there must be a detailed Writer’s Treatment for the project. A Director’s Treatment that includes style, tone, imagery, etc. is NOT requested. The applicant does not have to be the writer on the project.
  2. Have experience as a director of scripted content (drama, comedy) or documentary in the form of the project they are submitting, i.e. if you are applying with a narrative drama project, you must have experience directing narrative drama, or if it’s comedy, experience directing comedy, etc.
  3. Have a directing credit on one of the following:
    • a short film selected for one of the NZFC’s Recommended Short Film Festivals, the New Zealand International Film Festival, Show Me Shorts Film Festival or Doc Edge Festival.
    • a commissioned scripted one-off or series by a broadcaster or digital platform.
    • a self-funded web series that has won or been nominated for an award.
  4. For feature film, be a debut director.
  5. Be available to participate in all workshops and have a valid My Vaccine Pass.
  6. Identify as female.
  7. Be a NZ Citizen or permanent resident.

Membership

Selected participants must be DEGANZ Full members for the duration of the Incubator programme.

Selection Process

A selection panel will shortlist candidates. Shortlisted candidates must be available for a one-on-one interview via Zoom in mid-March. Getting an interview does not imply that you have been selected for the Incubator.

If shortlisted, you will be expected to immediately supply prior to the interview a detailed Writer’s Treatment of your active project (different to your 1-page synopsis). The treatment needs to be within a minimum of 5 pages to a maximum of 10 pages.

The Incubator participants will be selected from the shortlist following the interview.

Decisions will be final and no correspondence will be entered into.

 

How to Apply

Application Deadline: 10AM, Friday 18 February 2022

Application Requirements:

  1. A completed DEGANZ Women Filmmakers Incubator Application Cover Sheet.
  2. A 1-page synopsis of the project with the ending revealed.
  3. A maximum 2-page letter stating what your career goals are and why you want to participate in this Incubator.
  4. A 1-page bio (not a CV).
  5. A filmography and any additional links to completed work that supports the project you are including with this application.

Compile your documents into a single PDF file* in the order matching requirements 1 – 5.

Give your PDF the following naming convention:
(YourName)_DEGANZWomenFilmmakersIncubator_2022

Send your application to admin@deganz.co.nz with DEGANZWFI2022 in the subject line.

* Online PDF merge tool

 

The Incubator is made possible thanks to the generous support of the New Zealand Film Commission.

NZFC


Questions about the Incubator?

Tui Ruwhiu
Executive Director
tui@deganz.co.nz
+64 21 659 950

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Netflix’s The Royal Treatment Cut by NZ Editor Luke Haigh

Edited by DEGANZ member Luke Haigh, American romantic comedy The Royal Treatment premieres on Netflix today. Shot in Dunedin, the film follows hairdresser Izzy, played by Laura Marano (The Perfect Date), as she takes on a job working at the wedding of a charming prince played by Mena Massoud (Aladdin), but things get complicated when sparks between them fly.

Watch the trailer below and make sure to add it to your weekend watch-list.

 

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Strength in Numbers Participants Announced

Script to Screen have announced the 12 participants selected for their initiative Strength in Numbers, including two of our members. Congratulations to Becky Kuek and her company Mooncake Ltd and Matasila Freshwater (DEGANZ 2021 Incubator alumna) of Tomorrow, Rain!

Strength in Numbers is a series of workshops running from February to June 2022. Its aim is to arm participants with the tools they need to build a sustainable screen business.

The course is led by David Court who founded the Compton School, Australia’s first creative business school. He is the former Head of Screen Business at AFTRS, and worked on the Jackson/Court review of the New Zealand Film Commission.

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Laugh Your Way Through 2022 with NZ On Air Funded Content

Shows Rūrangi, Educators and Homebound 3.0 promise entertainment and comic relief for Kiwis with funding from NZ On Air.

Rūrangi

The award-winning Rūrangi has been greenlit for a second season (5 x 22 mins) with recent funding from NZ On Air. DEGANZ member Max Currie directed and co-produced the first season, which tells the story of a transgender activist who returns home to the remote, politically divided dairy community of Rūrangi in hopes of reconnecting with his estranged father.

Season 2 will screen on Prime and Māori Television. Hulu picked up the first season for distribution in the US, among other international sales to Australia, the UK and France.

Rūrangi is a finalist in the 2021 New Zealand Television Awards for NZ On Air Best Drama Series.

The series was also cut into a feature film that screened at NZIFF in 2020 and the Frameline Film Festival in San Francisco, winning an Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature. The film recently took home the award for Best International Feature at the Melbourne Queer Film Festival.

Educators

Returning for a third season is the hit improvised comedy show, Educators. Set in a secondary school, the show centres around the dysfunctional teachers in charge of educating the next generation.

Entirely unscripted and featuring some of New Zealand’s top comedians, Educators is directed by Jesse Griffin (DEGANZ) who also co-writes the storylines. Recently, we hosted an online talk with Jesse and Educators editor Stuart Boone, delving into their process of writing, directing and editing the series. The talk was recorded for the DEGANZ podcast so if you missed it, you can catch it online or wherever you get your podcasts!

Homebound 3.0

DEGANZ 2021 Incubator alumna Hweiling Ow is part of the team behind new comedy Homebound 3.0, written by writer/actor Sam Wang. The project won the South Pacific Pictures Big Pitch at the 2019 SPADA Conference and will now become an exciting reality produced by Kevin and Co for Three.

The half-hour comedy revolves around a struggling 30-something unpublished writer forced to move back home and deal with the disappointment of his Chinese parents.

Read more on NZOA’s funding decisions

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Funded Full-Length Documentary to Follow MP Chlöe Swarbrick

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Our congratulations goes out to the team of Being Chlöe, which has received production funding through NZ On Air! The 90-minute documentary will be directed by member Charlotte Evans (DEGANZ Incubator 2020), produced by Letisha Tate-Dunning (DEGANZ) with executive producers Mark McNeill (DEGANZ) and Philippa Campbell. The film will be edited by Simon Coldrick.

Set to appear on Three after the next election, Being Chlöe will explore the political and personal life of Chlöe Swarbrick, currently New Zealand’s youngest MP. The project was earlier on granted NZ Film Commission script development funding.

In the meantime, audiences can watch OK Chlöe, a 9-minute film made by Charlotte and Letisha through Loading Docs, for a taster of the documentary to come.

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