Helena Brooks Attaches to SPP’s Brokenwood Mysteries

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10 June 2016

The Directors & Editors Guild of NZ (DEGNZ), NZ On Air and South Pacific Pictures Limited (SPP) are extremely pleased to announce DEGNZ member and director Helena Brooks as the TV Drama Director Attachment on an episode of series three of The Brokenwood Mysteries.

Brooks, who is already underway on the show, attaches to one of New Zealand’s most experienced drama directors, Mark Beesley.

“It’s really interesting being deep amongst a telefeature in production and shadowing one of the masters, Mark Beesley,” Brooks said. “He’s extremely generous with his knowledge and I’m learning a truck-load about every aspect of long-form directing. South Pacific Pictures has been very welcoming and I’m pumped about the opportunity.”

“The Directors’ attachment program is a fantastic initiative from DEGNZ and NZ On Air and South Pacific Pictures is pleased to continue its support of it,” said SPP CEO Kelly Martin. “Helena Brooks is a talented director with an impressive body of work to her name and we are pleased to have her on board.”

“As shown in our recent Diversity Report, we need more women in drama directing roles. Professional development opportunities such as this are a logical way to develop more women into these roles. We wish Helena well in this attachment,” said Jane Wrightson CEO of NZ On Air.

Brooks comes to The Brokenwood Mysteries with a strong background in TV commercials and a highly successful short film, Nothing Special, to her credit—it was selected for amongst others the Cannes and Berlin film festivals.

“We are delighted that another talented DEGNZ member gets the chance to increase their knowledge and experience with fast-turnaround TV drama,” said Executive Director of DEGNZ Tui Ruwhiu. “We greatly appreciate the commitment South Pacific Pictures is showing to this initiative.”

The Brokenwood Mysteries is a series of two-hour murder mystery stories set in a seemingly quiet country town where the town’s newest resident, Detective Mike Shepherd, finds that murder lurks in even the most homely location. Each telefeature in the series is a standalone story, which sees the show’s two lead police officers trying to solve a murder case.

Brooks is the fourth DEGNZ director member to benefit from the TV Drama Attachment Initiative. Started in 2015, the initiative has seen actor and director Matthew Saville attach to director Ric Pellizarri on Screentime’s telefeature Bombshell: The Sinking of the Rainbow Warrior, actor and director Aidee Walker shadow director Michael Hurst on SPP’s Westside series, and director Jamie Lawrence join director Peter Burger on Filthy Productioins’ series Dirty Laundry.

The TV Drama Attachment initiative is an industry professional development activity funded by NZ On Air and the production company involved and managed by DEGNZ. It is intended to give emerging drama directors the opportunity to shadow an experienced director through the pre-production, production and post-production process as a means to improve their craft skills.

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For further information, please contact:

Tui Ruwhiu
Executive Director
Directors & Editors Guild of NZ
tui@deganz.co.nz
021-659-950

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Updated Call for Applications for DEGNZ Women Filmmakers Incubator

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Updated: 7 June 2016

Background

The overall vision of the DEGNZ Women Filmmakers 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:

  • Educate writer/directors and directors to improve their understanding of the business of film and drama.
  • Increase the number of females directing features and TV drama by helping to get more female-centric stories into and through development.
  • Encourage producers, broadcasters and funders into closer connection with female directors.
  • Create networking opportunities that directors can use to further themselves and their projects.
  • Provide inspiration and role models to encourage women to passionately pursue feature film and drama directing careers.
  • Get those in positions of power to effect change to help women advance as feature film and drama directors.

The incubator comprises five one-day workshops across an approximately 12-month period with the first to scheduled to take place in September.

The workshops are individually themed to provide specific knowledge, networks, skills, and inspiration that filmmakers can use to advance themselves and their careers.

NZFC Talent Express

The NZ Film Commission will offer additional support to 3 narrative debut feature film directors who are selected as part of the DEGNZ Women Filmmakers Incubator.

Alongside the Incubator programme, those selected for the NZFC Talent Express will attend:

  • NZFC Gaylene Preston Female Director’s workshop – a practical one-day workshop as part of the NZFC Gender Scholarship programme (TBC between 27-29 July)
  • Accelerator Express at Melbourne International Film Festival – Four days of workshops, screenings, seminars and networking events on the business and creative aspects of the film industry by leading film practitioners.  (3-7 August)
  • International industry mentor workshop at Big Screen Symposium – Bespoke half-day workshop with an international industry mentor as part of BSS. This includes passes to attend BSS. (24-25 September)
  • Career development and guidance meetings with the NZFC Talent Development team

All costs associated with these, including travel and accommodation will be covered by the NZFC.

If you wish to be considered for The NZFC Talent Express, please indicate your interest when you apply for the DEGNZ Women Filmmakers Incubator.

Eligibility

Applicants must:

  • Have a project (feature film, documentary feature, telefeature, TV or web drama or scripted series) in development that has NEVER been presented to a broadcaster or funder.
  • Have experience as a director of narrative drama or documentary or scripted content 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; scripted comedy project, experience directing scripted comedy; documentary feature, experience directing documentary, drama TV series or telefeature, experience directing narrative drama

  • For feature film, be a debut director.
  • Be able to participate in all workshops.

A selection panel comprising DEGNZ members and senior industry practitioners will convene to select the successful candidate. The decisions will be final and no correspondence will be entered into.

Every successful applicant must be a Full DEGNZ member.

The workshops will be held in Auckland. A travel and accommodation allowance will be available for those successful applicants coming from other regions.

Requirements

  1. Completed DEGNZ Women Filmmakers Incubator Application Cover Sheet. Available here on the DEGNZ website, under RESOURCES.
  2. A one-page B2B (ending revealed not left hanging for the audience) synopsis of the project.
  3. A maximum two-page letter stating what your career goal is and why you want to participate in this incubator.
  4. A one-page bio (not a CV).
  5. A filmography and links to completed work that supports the project you are including with this application.

How to Apply

Compile your documents into one single PDF in the order matching requirements 1 – 5.

Give the single PDF the following naming convention:

(YourName)_DEGNZWomenFilmmakersIncubator_2016

and send it to admin@deganz.co.nz with DEGNZWFI2016 in the Subject line.

The deadline for submissions is 9AM, Monday 27 June 2016.

This initiative has been made possible with the financial support of the New Zealand Film Commission.

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‘Not Long’ Short Film Event: This Monday June 6

Want to see some of the world’s best short films from around the world, surrounded by fellow cinephiles?

Head to the ‘Not Long’ event, next taking place on Monday June 6, 6.30pm at the Backroom of Whammy Bar in St Kevins Arcade, Auckland and check out the range of animation, documentary and live-action shorts – including two BAFTA nominated films – on offer.

$5 koha. For more information visit the Not Long Facebook page. Screenings take place monthly.

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DIRECTOR JACKIE VAN BEEK CHOSEN FOR NIKI CARO MENTORSHIP

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

1 June 2016

The Directors & Editors Guild of NZ (DEGNZ) is excited to announce DEGNZ member and director Jackie van Beek as the recipient of the 2016 International Director Mentorship – Drama with renowned New Zealand director Niki Caro.

Caro will provide one-on-one mentorship to Van Beek on her projects and career, offering 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.

“Jackie van Beek is an exciting film maker with a strong and original point of view, and I’m thrilled to be able to support her in this stage of her career,” said Caro.

“I’m really excited to have the opportunity to meet and spend time with Niki Caro. I look forward to discussing directing, parenting and everything in between,” Van Beek said.

Niki Caro is most well known in New Zealand for her hit feature film Whale Rider, which touched audiences worldwide. It was a critical and box office success and earned Kiwi actor Keisha Castle-Hughes an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. Caro went on to an international directing career that saw her make films with the likes of Charlize Theron in North Country, Kevin Costner in McFarland, USA, and Jessica Chastain and Daniel Brühl in The Zookeeper’s Wife. Her next film, Callas, is a biopic on operatic singer Maria Callas, starring Noomi Rapace.

“We are so pleased to have a Kiwi actively working on the international stage in director Niki Caro, mentoring one of our emerging directing talents,” said DEGNZ Executive Director Tui Ruwhiu. “Jackie will benefit immeaureably, learning from a New Zealander who has been there and done it.”

The International Director Mentorship is an initiative funded by the New Zealand Film Commission and managed by DEGNZ. This latest mentorship is one of a small number awarded over the last two years that has seen filmmaker Tusi Tamasese in a director mentorship with Sundance Artistic Director Gyula Gazdag, docmentary maker Bryn Evans paired with Canadian documentary filmmaker Jennifer Baichwal (Watermark, Manufactured Landscapes), editor Cushla Dillon with expat Kiwi editor Justine Wright (Locke, Iron Lady, The Last King of Scotland), and editor Tom Eagles matched with Australian editor Dany Cooper (Holding the Man, The Sapphires).

Ends

For further information, please contact:

Tui Ruwhiu

Executive Director

Directors & Editors Guild of NZ

tui@deganz.co.nz

 

Jackie van Beek works as an actress, writer and director in theatre and film. She lives with her young family in Auckland.

Jackie comes from a theatre background. She has had a string of plays commissioned and produced, and has devised and toured comedy shows in New Zealand, Australia and the UK.

During her time in Australia she began to write and direct short films. A number of them, shot both in Australia and New Zealand, have seen success at festivals nationally and internationally.

Jackie directed her debut feature film, Inland Road, in 2015. The film is currently in post production. She has a number of other features in various stages of development.

Niki Caro graduated from Auckland’s Elam School of Fine Arts in 1988, then got a diploma at Melbourne’s Swinburne Film and Television School. Returning to New Zealand, she wrote and directed several short films and TV dramas.

In 1992, her short Sure To Rise was selected to compete at the Cannes Film Festival in France. Caro’s first feature film Memory and Desire was selected for Critics Week at Cannes in 1998. But it was follow-up feature Whale Rider that brought Caro to a large international audience. The film took more than 27 awards, including audience awards for favourite film at Toronto, Sundance and Rotterdam, and best film and director at Seattle. First-time screen actor, 12-year-old Keisha Castle-Hughes, was Oscar-nominated for her role in the film as a young East Coast Māori girl struggling to establish her place in her community.

Caro went on to her debut Hollywood feature North Country, starring Charlize Theron. She followed with The Vintner’s Luck, which saw her reunite with Whale Rider star Castle-Hughes.

In early 2015, Caro directed Kevin Costner in McFarland USA. In 2016, she will complete her latest feature, The Zookeeper’s Wife, starring Jessica Chastain and Daniel Brühl, then move on to shoot Callas, a biopic of operatic singer Maria Callas, to be played by Noomi Rapace.

Niki Caro’s work also includes episodes of 90s TV series Jackson’s Wharf, and a number of music videos, including an awardwinning interpretation of Straitjacket Fits song Bad Note for a Heart.

The Directors & Editors Guild of NZ is a not-for-profit membership organisation that represents Directors and Editors in the New Zealand screen industry. This includes Directors and Editors of feature drama and documentary; television drama, documentary and factual programmes; short films; video art; animation; commercials and web content.

DEGNZ’s two primary roles are advocacy and professional development. We:

  • are dedicated to promoting excellence in the arts of directing and editing.
  • foster collegiality and unity within the screen industry.
  • promote members’ creative and economic rights.
  • work to improve industry working conditions and remuneration.
  • offer professional advice and information on contracts and industry standards and practice.
  • offer professional development events, networking opportunities, career advice, dispute resolution, mentoring, workshops, training, discounts and regular news bulletins for members across all levels of expertise, from novices to seasoned professionals.
  • are a voice for Directors and Editors in influencing policy in the interest of our members. We do this through our membership of the pan‐industry group SINZ (Screen Industry New Zealand), and by making submissions to government and public officials.
  • Internationally work co-operatively with other guilds and we belong to the International Affiliation of English‐Speaking Directors’ Organisations (IEASDO).

DEGNZ is Auckland-based with an office in Grey Lynn.

 

Contact Details:

Directors & Editors Guild of NZ

Level 2, 66 Surrey Crescent

Grey Lynn

P.O. Box 47-294, Ponsonby

Auckland

+64-9-360-2102

admin@deganz.co.nz

www.deganz.co.nz

www.facebook.com/degnz

www.linkedin.com/in/degnz

@degnz_online

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Dynamic Rehearsal Room with Peter Feeney

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Our latest Rehearsal Room in Wellington was a lot of fun! Our moderator Peter Feeney kept it energetic and exciting, and the teams of actors and directors from DEGNZ and Equity New Zealand did a great job working together. Check out some photos below.

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