Creation Films and CUE Television are very pleased to announce the launch of DownUnder, a weekly strand which will showcase thought-provoking New Zealand and South Pacific focussed documentaries and short films. Screening
Friday evenings at 8:30pm on CUE (Freeview Channel 23, Sky Digital Channel 110 and Free to air in Southland). DownUnder will be nationally accessible to viewers and provide a portal for independent programme makers to showcase their work.
Each half-hour will feature locally made, quality pieces, which highlight a particular element of Kiwi or Pacific culture. The team behind the strand, hope that it will become a trusted, regular watch, for those who are interested in something both home-grown & relevant. We hope that local and national film societies, universities, industry organisations and independent producers will seize this wonderful opportunity to see some of our film-making talent screened without the commercial rigour of the major networks.
Submissions are welcomed at www.creationfilms.co.nz/downunder.htm for the first screening round (10 week series commencing October 3rd 2008).
Submissions for the first half of the series close on August 18th, the balance of slots will be filled by September 15th.
Documentaries should ideally be between 10 minutes and 30 minutes, however longer works will be considered.
Submissions should be made on DVD, and a finished version of the documentary will need to be available on Mini DV or DVCAM should the work be accepted.
As the slot occurs after watershed, we are able to consider most works, however please note that excessively violent, sexual or otherwise inappropriate works will not be accepted for broadcast.
Any possible submissions should be sent to Creation Films at the address printed below.
The project is currently non-commercial in nature and there is no licence fee on offer. Longer term, we would hope that the project could generate funds, which can then be sown back into the industry – to achieve this end we need some momentum to get things started.
We hope that this concept is a proactive way for us to gain an opportunity to display our creativity and bring even more thinking, challenge and social interaction to our screens.
Submissions may be sent to: Creation Films, PO Box 30 118, Christchurch, 8246
FILMAKA … Rewarding Creativity
Filmaka.com is a contest site where filmmakers get to submit their short films for viewing, voting, and selection. Jury includes big panel of Hollywood personalities.
Filmaka pledges to reward your creativity. Our monthly competitions provide exciting challenges where you can win prizes, showcase your work, develop your skills and find an audience.
Filmaka encourages debate and feedback between all members, whether you’re a famous filmmaker or a first time novice.
Most of all, we give you the opportunity to express your unique take on life and the world around you.
We hope you’ll take part and share your creative vision with us and our community.
WIN FUNDING FOR YOUR FEATURE FILM
This is where the competition to get funding for your feature begins. First you must enter and win one of Filmaka's monthly short film competitions.
If you win this month's competition, you will be asked to make a follow-up film next month that will be judged by our jury of world-class film professionals.
We provide a theme each month to inspire and focus each filmmaker's work and to ensure a level playing field
Make a film not more than 3 minutes in any language based on the given theme and upload through your Filmaka account. Every month up to 20 winners will receive $500 each and $1000 for a follow up film and proceed to the jury level to compete for $3000 and $2000 in addition to participation in the Final level to win a Feature film contract and $5000.
Last year's final winner, Nuru Rimington-Mkali , got $5 million to direct his film
ON THE ROAD
This month's Feature Film Competition theme is On the Road.
Does that mean friendship among fellow travelers? Or is your story about a loner? On the road again or for the first time? Is it the journey or the destination? You decide in your film!
Submissions for On the Road must be 1 to 3 minutes long and must be uploaded to us by September 4, 24:00 PST.
September 7-14 all entrants must return to the site and vote on their peers' work to stay in competition.
The response and feedback we've received to the first season of FILMAKA has been tremendous.....So many great films and so many great filmmakers.
Check out: http://www.filmaka.com/ontheroad
The Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology is celebrating staff research with Research Week 15 – 19 Sept. –presentations of particular interest to the media are scheduled on Wednesday 17th September in the Rakaia Centre at the Polytechnic;
11am Brian Pauling and Paul Norris are presenting their research paper A Digital Strategy for New Zealand on Air, commissioned by NZOA and at 1130 Ruth Zanker is presenting her work on the Web site ‘Mediascape’ - knowledge dispersal.
If you are interested in the day as a whole, or these presentations in particular – please email zankerr@cpit.ac.nz as soon as possible with your email address and postal address. The Polytech management committee will send you out an invitation and full schedule of the day - stay for drinks at 1630….all free of charge.
THE NEW ZEALAND CINEMATOGRAPHERS SOCIETY WEBSITE IS UP
www.nzcine.com
The website of The New Zealand Cinematographers Society is now online
Some features:
- A direct link to the forum - All Screen production industry people are encouraged to use the open forum to make contact with New Zealand's Cinematographers and camera department crew.
- A link to the Calendar that will be kept current with coming events and meetings.
- A news blog that is still currently being worked on but should be working shortly
- Links under members names take you to there imdb listing
The NZFC has appointed the following three executive producer groups to manage the development and production of short films for the 2008/2009 financial year.
Applications may be made to all three executive producer groups based on the following criteria. Applications will only be accepted by POST (not courier).
The three executive producer groups are: Big Shorts Vicky Pope, Robert Sarkies Kura Shorts Quinton Hita, Tearepa Kahi Robbers Dog Shorts Kristian Eek, Mark Foster, Adam Stevens
You can also download their guidelines and call for entries from the following website:
http://www.nzfilm.co.nz/DevelopmentAndFinancing/ShortFilm/ShortFilmFund....
SET TO SCREEN: FILM3 3 MINUTE FILM COMPITITION
. Reckon you're the next Baz Luhrmann? Here's your chance to prove it! Film3 and 20th Century Fox have teamed up to give you a sneaky peek behind the scenes of Baz's latest epic Australia... and a crack at winning an awesome filmmaker's prize pack.
Baz Luhrmann, director of Moulin Rouge and Romeo + Juliet, has documented Australia's film-making process - and he's giving Film3 viewers exclusive access to his videoblogs. All he wants in return is for you to then turn off your computer, pick up a camera, and show him how it's done.
You can watch Baz's video introduction to the Set to Screen: Film3 3 Minute Film Comp here, which we guarantee will get your creative film making heart thumping!
Using Australia as your inspiration, make a three minute film that encorporates something you've learnt from Baz's videoblogs - and it really is over to you, there are no restrictions on your cinematic creativity!
The videoblogs will be posted episodically in the lead-up to Australia's release on December 26. You can register your email address for updates, or simply keep a daily check here for fresh video.
Once you're film is complete, send it in to us at Film3 for your chance to win big!
Prizes include $2000 towards your next film, a tour of Wellywood, a script assessment from the New Zealand Film Commission and much, much more. So get cracking!
Here’s the link to the site for the Film 3 3 minute Film comp Australia
http://www.3news.co.nz/Entertainment/Film3/Film3Filmmakers/tabid/796/Default.aspx
and here’s the facebook group
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=19859668186
The Fine Print
* Duration: 3 - 5 minutes
* Deadline: 5pm Friday, 28 November, 2008
* Format: Submit on DVD, but you can shoot on anything
* Send to: Film3 3 Minute Film Comp, Private Bag 92624, Symonds St, Auckland 1150
* Courier to: Film3 3 Minute Film Comp, TV3, 3 Flower St, Eden Terrace, Auckland
* Entrants must be living in New Zealand
Full Prize List
The winner of the will receive the following prize package: Set to Screen: Film3 3 Minute Film Comp
* An item about the winner and his/her film on TV3's Sunrise
* A tour of Wellywood – a visit to Park Road Post-production, premier post-production facility; behind-the-scenes presentations from Weta Digital, Academy Award winning visual fx facility and Weta Workshop, world renowned for creatures, special make-up fx & prosthetics, armour, weapons, props, sculptures etc plus a visit to The Cave. The trip includes lunch at a Wellywood favourite café. It is a daytrip with air travel for 2 (if non-Wellington winner), and must be taken up late January/early February 2009.
* A written NZ Film Commission script assessment of the winner’s next film script. The prize must be taken before the end of 2009 and does not imply that any financial and/or development assistance will be made available by the NZFC to the winner at any time.
* $2000 cash contribution towards the winner’s next film (there is no further obligation by Fox or TV3 to the project).
* 2 tickets to WIFT Auckland Awards 2009 plus 1 admission to 2 x WIFT 2009 workshops.
* 1 x one-year subscription to Onfilm magazine, plus one year free access to the Data Book online, plus a hard copy of Data Book 2008/2009.
* 10 tickets to the New Zealand premiere of Australia
* Merchandise from the film Australia
Mark your diaries: Qantas Film and Television Awards 2008 – September 13
The Screen Directors Guild of New Zealand and the New Zealand Television Broadcasters' Council have come together to recognise the best of the best in the New Zealand film and television industry. Previously run as separate awards (the New Zealand Screen Awards and the New Zealand Television Awards) the new awards programme will celebrate achievements in 58 categories.
Award finalists will be announced on Tuesday August 12. The Craft Awards will be celebrated on Friday September 12 and on Saturday September 13 everything comes together when over 1000 guests arrive at Auckland's Civic Theatre. Once the winners of the Qantas Film and Television Awards have enjoyed their moment of fame, a post show party will kick off in the Auckland Town Hall. If you have any queries please email Katie at qantasfilmandtvawards@dazzleevents.co.nz.
If you are heading to the North Island for any reason in August or September, take note of the dates and screening locations of the New Zealand Indigenous Film Festival. You might just find yourself in the right place at the right time.
NZ Indigenous Film Festival!
A festival celebrating indigenous films will be taking to the road from 24 August through to 5 September 2008. The festival is honored to be hosted by Te Wananga o Aotearoa.
This festival is patroned by our own filmmaking pioneer Merata Mita and includes special guests from the Sundance Institute, Bird Runningwater, and Francene Blythe from All Roads Film Project in Washington D.C. The concept of sharing world views to communities is not a new one with many film festivals being hosted throughout Aotearoa. This festival however, takes to the road with an aim to develop a synergy of creativity and accessibility, taking the films and their creators to our communities throughout Aotearoa. The festival programme includes daytime workshops with filmmakers and industry representatives and night time film viewings to the public.
2008 sees the festival begin in Tainui with Raroera campus opening the inaugural event, the festival will then take to the road and spend a week-end in Gisborne being hosted by Whirikoka. The final destination in this year’s festival will be at Manukau where TWoA will host a gala evening on the 5 September.
All staff and students are welcome to participate in this event. A celebration of film creativity with community is the aim and we look forward to your support and contribution.
So in a nutshell:
Kaupapa: Aotearoa Film Festival
When: 24 August to 6 September
Key venue and dates:
25-27 August - Te Wananga o Aotearoa Campus, 510 Te Rapa Road - Hamilton (07) 849 8824
28-31 August - Te Wananga o Aotearoa Campus, 630 Childers Road - Gisborne (06) 868 7045
2-5 September - Te Wananag o Aotearoa Campus, 15 Canning Crescent, Manukau, Auckland (09) 256 5900
News from Screen Canterbury Member Ken Clark.
Teleimage has produced 15 company profile videos for the Export New Zealand Canterbury Export Awards 2008.
Director Ken Clark, Cameraman Lloyd McFadden.
Teleimage has also produced a music video of punk poet and performer Patrik Fitzgerald's song "All the Years of Trying" for UK film company Anonymous Films.
Director Ken Clark, Cameraman Lloyd McFadden.
This month the calls for submissions are for the 15th Annual Slamdance Film Festival and the Accolade Festival. For more information see below.
THE 15TH ANNUAL SLAMDANCE FILM FESTIVAL SEEKS SUBMISSIONS FOR 2009 FESTIVAL
The 15th Annual Slamdance Film Festival, scheduled to take place January 15-23, 2009 in Park City, Utah, has officially launched its call for entries, looking for short and feature film submissions in all genres. New this year, Slamdance is also accepting music video submissions. Entry forms, rules and regulations are available on the Slamdance web site:
http://slamdance.com/festival/submissions.html
The early submission deadline is August 25, 2008 and includes a significant entry fee discount ($25/shorts, $40/features). The final submission deadline is October 10th ($45/shorts, $60/features).
The 2008 Festival received over 3,300 submissions from all over the world, but only 20 features in the narrative and documentary feature categories combined screened in the main competition, which is strictly devoted to films without domestic theatrical distribution, from first-time feature directors, working with relatively low budgets. Slamdance has remained true to its founding mandate that it is a Festival ³by filmmakers, for filmmakers,² whereby the programming team is comprised of filmmakers, many of whom are Slamdance alumni. Slamdance will screen about 100 films in total. All film selections will be posted on the 2008 Festival page during the second week of December. The 2009 Slamdance Film Festival is presented by Kodak.
CALL FOR ENTRIES - ACCOLADE FESTIVAL
Deadline: August 22
Information: www.TheAccolade.net
Now in its sixth year, and named one of the world's top 25 competition festivals,The Accolade, announces its call for entries for filmmakers, television producers and videographers.
The Accolade is a non-traditional virtual venue. Awards go to those filmmakers, television producers and videographers who produce fresh, standout entertainment, animation and compelling documentaries. It is a showcase for cinematic gems and unique voices. Most importantly, The Accolade team works passionately to help worthy productions gain the publicity and distribution they deserve. That is what The Accolade is all about: helping winners of this coveted award achieve recognition and distribution opportunities.
Every filmmaker, television producer and videographer wants credibility associated with their work and buzz about their productions. In addition to target press releases, clips of the 'Best of Show' productions are streamed on The Accolade website reaching thousands of industry professionals. The Accolade is an award recognized for its rigorous evaluation process by buyers and distributors, inspiring confidence that winning productions are of high quality. Quality and creativity are celebrated in three levels of awards: Best of Show, Award of Excellence and Honorable Mention. Best of Show honors are granted only if worthy productions are discovered. Likewise, no more than 15% of entries are granted Awards of Excellence. Notable artistic and technical productions are recognized at the Honorable Mention award level. Annually, a special award is given to a production that makes a significant contribution to social change or a humanitarian effort.
The Accolade receives entries from all over the world: Australia, Brazil, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Columbia, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, United Kingdom and the United States.
Go to www.TheAccolade.net for rules and entry form