Inspired by the Nelson Trolley Derby and shot entirely in Nelson KIWI FLYER is a feel-good movie for the whole family.

Twelve year old Edward Hall stars as Ben who sets out to win the derby in memory of his father. Tandi Wright is his mother Karen, trying to keep that memory real, while fending off the advances of Ben’s teacher Mr Lumsden (Dai Henwood).

Jazz Crooner and Beaurepair’s front man Vince Martin heads the opposition, with Nelson talents Doug Colling and Myer Van Gosliga as his sons Shane and Shannon and Jane Winter of Soundstage, as wife Shirelle.“It’s hard to single out any one performer in the film – it’s been a terrific ensemble cast and the kids have been real pros,” says Simpson.  “Vince and Dai’s presence added so much humour that came across superbly on screen, while Tandi’s motherly instincts really shone.”

Following four weeks of shooting on location in Nelson, KIWI FLYER has wrapped, with many of the cast and crew making a sad departure.

“Filming in Nelson has been just fantastic,” says Christchurch-based director and co-writer Tony Simpson.  “The weather has been stunning – clear blue skies almost continuously and the people have been marvellous – so generous and supportive.”

“It couldn’t have been as successful without the help of so many local organisations and individuals,” agrees Producer Tim Sanders.  “From Nelson Intermediate, the Trolley Derby Club, the Hot Rod Club, Scouts and many others. ]]> http://newzealandfilmtv.co.nz/2011/09/kiwi-flyer-wraps-up-filming-in-nelson/feed/ 0 http://newzealandfilmtv.co.nz/2011/09/pukana-launches-teen-talent-search/ http://newzealandfilmtv.co.nz/2011/09/pukana-launches-teen-talent-search/#comments Wed, 14 Sep 2011 23:33:38 +0000 admin2 http://newzealandfilmtv.co.nz/?p=1770 [ Read More ] ]]>

Star Search discovered Justin Timberlake, the X-Factor found Leona Lewis and the Eurovision Song Contest made Abba – now pioneering Māori language children’s programme PŪKANA wants to provide rangatahi with a similar opportunity!

Following a new season launch on Māori Television in February, PŪKANA seeks five talented singers from around the country to form a pop band.

The preliminary round begins this month (September 2011) with auditions in Palmerston North, Gisborne, Christchurch, Whangārei, Auckland and Rotorua. Details are available on the PŪKANA website: www.pukana.co.nz.

Producer Pania Papa says the PŪKANA team is searching the nation for talented singers 13 – 16 years old who can sing in te reo Māori for a new competition called ‘Uru Whetū’.

Papa says the auditions will produce a rangatahi pop group similar to ‘Aaria’. Formed in November 2000, Aaria found quick success after a nationwide search for talented, positive young Māori role models who could sing as well as converse in te reo Māori.

By 2001, the group had two New Zealand singles and both reached the top 20. ‘Kei A Wai Ra Te Kupu’ stayed on the charts for 12 weeks, peaking at 14, while ‘Cry No More’ lasted four weeks and peaked at seven.

“The five selected youth will be brought to Auckland for a week of bonding, vocal coaching, rehearsing, choreography and styling with a view to recording a single and filming a video clip for release.”

PŪKANA is the work of Auckland-based Cinco Cine Film Productions – an award-winning independent film and television production company with a commitment to engage and train young Māori to write, present and produce television.

Originally called ‘TUMEKE’, the show won a Qantas Media Award in 2003 and the TV Guide New Zealand Television Award in 1999 for best children’s programme – the first time a show entirely in Māori has taken out the mainstream award.

PŪKANA screens on Maori Television every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 6.00 PM as well as on Te Reo every weekday at 7.00 PM and TV3 every Sunday at 8.45 AM.

For more information including images and interviews, contact PŪKANA publicist Vanessa Bidois on +64 21 928 007 or email vanessa.bidois@gmail.com.

TVNZ Kidzone24 will feature trusted educational and inspiring content for pre-school children in an advertising-free environment. TVNZ Kidzone24 will air 24 hours a day on the SKY platform from 1 May.

Chief Executive Rick Ellis is delighted that SKY has made it possible for TVNZ to extend the popular Kidzone brand beyond the two hours that are available on public service channel TVNZ 7.

“Kidzone has been an increasingly popular collection of programming, providing educational and entertaining content for young New Zealanders, with a significant amount of locally produced programming.

“It is fantastic that we are now able to offer a commercially-viable, expanded Kidzone channel, on the SKY platform.”

The TVNZ Kidzone24 schedule features a strong focus on local programming including existing favourites like Kidzone with Kayne which features p resenter Kayne Peters and offers opportunities for young viewers to think and learn about the world around them. Other local shows include Buzzy Bee and Friends , hilarious sketch-comedy show The Giggles and f rom the creative minds of the Academy Award-winning Weta Workshop, The Wot Wots .

TVNZ Kidzone24 will also feature exciting new content including Guess with Jess (the popular cat from Postman Pat) which will allow children to learn about science and nature and Babar And The Adventures of Badou – a show centred around Babar’s eight year old grandson, Badou and speaks to the importance of diversity, acceptance and strong family values.

The channel will be located on SKY Channel 046, within the stable of family channels and will be available as part of the SKY Basic Digital Package. Select content will also be available on iSKY.

For more information please follow this link

Hinetaapora

She is the new milky bar kid, and she is fluent in Te reo.

Blonde-haired, blue-eyed Hinetaapora Short from Rotorua beat out more than 1500 entries to fill the mini-cowboy boots of one of New Zealand’s most well known characters.

Milky Bar spokesman Jeremy Boucher said eight-year-old Hinetaapora was a hit with the judges and New Zealand public alike.

“We opened up this search to all New Zealanders, and it is exciting to have found a winner who not only has the special qualities to come through this audition process but who also embodies New Zealand in the 21st century.”

She is the world’s first female Milky Bar kid.

Three of Hinetaapora’s brothers also entered the competition.

“I think one of them was jealous,” she said.

Hinetaapora attends Te Kura O Tekoutu school and is fluent in Te Reo and also speaks Spanish.

More than 1500 entries were whittled down to a top 10 that featured six girls and four boys.

A panel of judges then picked Hinetaapora as the ultimate winner, but she also had the highest percentage of more than 11,000 total votes received.

“It was not a difficult choice to make,” said Boucher.

In her entry video, Hinetaapora said she would like to become famous.

Proud parents and guardians had been filming auditions of their children since August 9.

Public auditions were also held at branches of The Warehouse, New World and Pak’N'Save stores nationwide.

“We found that there are hundreds of talented kids, which made the judging extremely difficult.”

The finalists will each receive a Nestle hamper and a certificate to commemorate their experience, while Hinetaapora will star in the new Milky Bar television commercial in early 2011.

Hinetaapora’s Milky bar kid audition tape

For the full listing of this story please follow this link: Stuff

Jason Gunn and Janine Morrell-Gunn

Television personality Jason Gunn and his wife, prominent television producer Janine Morrell-Gunn today announced the opening of their 7 million dollar, 2036m2 purpose built television production and post production facility in Princess St, Christchurch. The spacious and client focussed Whitebait-TV facility is the first of its kind in New Zealand.

It features two television studio’s including at 594m2 one of the largest in the country and a control room that is able to broadcast live to national and international networks. With beautifully appointed greenrooms, wardrobe, makeup and props departments the facility is fully equipped and provides an extensive range of production and post production services including editing, audio post production and animation.

We are excited to be putting an even larger stake in the ground for television production in Canterbury. Jason and I wanted to create a one stop shop, a place that TV people and our clients love to come to.

Janine Morrell-Gunn

By the nature of this industry long hours are often involved and as a presenter I know what a difference it makes to work in a nice environment. This is a purpose built TV facility, New Zealand has nothing else like it. At Whitebait we are passionate about making great telly and this building will allow us to make even more!

Jason Gunn

Whilst purpose built for television production the facility can also cater to the film industry. Gunn hopes to one day produce his own entertainment show from the facility and to bring other shows to South Island audiences. “We want the South Island represented, in all shows, on our screens.” Jason Gunn.
For over a decade Whitebait-TV has produced successful and creative work for New Zealand television networks and businesses.

Whitebait-TV is the producer of New Zealand’s highest rating children’s show “What Now” (TV2), “Animal Academy” presented by Sarah Ulmer (TVNZ6) and the new daily afternoon programme on TV2 “The Erin Simpson Show“.

We are very grateful for the support of TVNZ and NZ on Air – their contracts give us the financial stability to make such an investment.

Janine Morrell-Gunn.

Whitebait-TV produces corporate and commercial work for companies such as NZ Cricket, Ian and Mary Grant at Parents Inc., and The Heart Foundation and collaborates with production houses throughout the country.

A significant Canterbury employer; Whitebait-TV has over 140 people that are either, full time, contracted or freelancing going through the companies books each week. This is 30% up on 2008.

This isn’t just about the building, it’s about people too, and creating a springboard for our wonderfully talented team

Janine Morrell-Gunn

With the opening of this facility Whitebait-TV has firmly cemented its position as a leading production house in New Zealand.

Join loveable TV star Erin Simpson, to kick start your afternoons. Hang out, chill and forget your cares while we make you laugh with the best TV show ever!

This awesome new show is packed with stuff you love and we know you want heaps of music, so we’ve got your ear candy sorted! Not only is there a hot, young resident houseband to rock out to but Erin gets the party started with a surprise music video that’s also the show’s theme tune! She’ll join forces with famous NZ band Good Night Nurse to write this catchy hit tune which you’ll be humming all day!

Using the coolest technology from iPods to iPhones and Macs, Erin will be getting all the best bits from surfing the net, downloading tunes and videos, chatting to stars, competitions, free stuff and sweet as prizes!

Fed up of boring TV that tells you what to do? Who cares? Well we do! We want you to tell us what you want and how you want it, so there’ll be heaps of ways to connect, send in your ideas and talk.

Every week Erin will hook up with a team of reporters who are her eyes and ears across the country. These up and coming New Zealanders are really passionate about their jobs and know exactly what’s hot. Fashion is looked after by Katy Thomas; music maven Ruby Frost keeps us posted on the latest music and dance; up-and-coming Crusader Isaac Ross is all things sports; gaming and technology is covered by our favourite funny man Chang from The Edge; and Kimberley Crossman of Shortland St fame reviews all of the latest TV and movies. You’re guaranteed an exclusive front row seat to the biggest events and happenings!

Even Erin’s best mates get in on the act, bringing their own brand of mischief to the show. These two cheeky boys are naughty, full of surprises and love a bit of chaos. Anything can happen when these guys are around cos playing tricks and pranks is their thing. So be warned cos the boys will be roaming the streets of your town looking for unsuspecting members of the public!

Speaking about the new series, Producer Emma Gribble says: “This is a first for Whitebait TV and New Zealand, a totally new magazine format that caters for a cool but demanding audience that will pose some exciting editorial challenges for us.”

“We hope to deliver a series that, besides news, laughs and tasty clips, will have a modern feel, and will really connect with things that make teenagers tick, without being condescending.”

The Erin Simpson Show will broadcast from Monday, April 27th 2009 on TV2 at 4:30 pm.

From the creative minds of the Academy Award winning Weta Workshop comes the WotWots, a stunning new television series for preschoolers.
Set to delight audiences around the world in 2009, TVNZ will launch this much anticipated program in its primetime kids slot on TV2, Monday 23rd March at 8.50am, screening weekdays.
To celebrate the arrival of the WotWots, Wellington Zoo will host an official launch on the 22nd March 2009, including a WotWots fun day and media event. The fun day will include exclusive preview screenings, visits from SpottyWot and DottyWot, treasure hunts, face painting, plus many more fun wotified activities.
Filmed at Wellington and Auckland Zoos, this homegrown sensation follows the adventures of two adorable siblings from outer space, SpottyWot and DottyWot. These delightful creatures come to explore planet earth in their steam-powered spaceship and land themselves in the middle of a zoo. This inquisitive and energetic brother and sister duo delight in discovering all the exotic animals at the zoo as they scoot around in their hover-chairs.
The WotWots is produced by Pukeko Pictures and made at Richard Taylor’s Weta Workshop. Pukeko Pictures is a new business partnership between Academy Award winner Richard Taylor, the co-founder and creative lead of Weta Workshop, and internationally acclaimed author, illustrator and children’s television creator/producer, Martin Baynton. Taylor and Baynton previously teamed up to create the highly acclaimed award winning children’s program, Jane and the Dragon.
Richard Taylor, co-founder of Weta Workshop, said “After a career of helping bring unique characters to the movie screen, such as the Lord of the Rings trilogy and King Kong, it is now very exciting for us to bring that same focus and challenge to creating endearing and unique characters to preschoolers. In collaboration with TVNZ we can’t wait to bring the WotWots to kids nationwide, and we are thrilled to host the worldwide launch of the WotWots right here in our own city of Wellington, New Zealand next month. We have a fantastic day at the Wellington Zoo planned where the WotWots will make their stage and screen debut.”
This innovative 52 x 10 minute series is fast becoming a global preschool brand with broadcast deals already secured for the United Kingdom, Australia, Finland and many more coming on board in 2009.
The WotWots are off to a flying start, with an exciting educational website www.abc.net.au/wotwots (active from March 9) and a range of beautiful toys, DVD’s and books launching later this year.

Trooper Tom

Children?s television production and licensing company, Chapman Entertainment, successfully cemented a partnership in Cannes last week with Pukeko Pictures, with interest received in their new joint venture from 15 broadcasters over two days at MIPCOM JR.

Pukeko Pictures is the new children?s television venture of Martin Baynton and Richard Taylor – five times Academy Award winning Creative Director and Co-Owner of NZ?s Weta Workshop.

Trooper Tom (working title) is a state of the art CGI animated adventure series aimed at 6-12 year old boys. It is set on an epic stage with Shakespearean villainy, a wry sense of humour and breathtaking action. Half human, half robot, all hero – Trooper Tom is a futuristic Pinocchio, an experimental android infused with human DNA. The series is jointly led by Richard Taylor, Martin Baynton, and Chapman Entertainment?s Creative Director, Keith Chapman. The production will be made by Weta Workshop at their New Zealand studios.

Chapman comments: “We are always looking for gaps in the market to fill, and this partnership with Pukeko Pictures provides an opportunity to do just that. We are really excited about this great new sci-fi series and even more excited about working with Weta Workshop, who are the best in the business in their field.” Richard Taylor, comments: “We are incredibly excited by our relationship with Chapman Entertainment and the first property that we have developed with them. The experience of presenting our show together in Cannes was nothing short of fantastic and the reactions to Trooper Tom was very rewarding.” This new 26 x 22 minute animation involves action, speed, heroism and some seriously cool adventures with the greatest battle machines ever invented.

Pukeko Pictures also unveiled their delightful new pre-school series The WotWots at MIPCOM JR last week, with great success. The WotWots follows the adventures of two small puppet-like aliens – a brother and sister – who come to explore planet Earth in their steam powered spaceship.Trooper Tom

Wotwots childrens TV Show

A small steam powered spaceship lands in a local zoo. Inside are two young and very energetic aliens. They wonder who they are and what they will look like when they are fully grown adults. Will they look like one of the zoo animals outside?

DottyWot and SpottyWot are soft puppet-like characters who scoot around a local zoo on their steam powered hover-chairs. They are an inquisitive and energetic pair who embrace their adventures with gusto and enthusiasm. They have big hearts, take great care of each other and are not afraid to show the affection they have as brother and sister.

The adventures of these loveable aliens and their playful exploration of the zoo had a test audience of preschool children squealing with delight when previewed at Weta in Wellington , New Zealand .

The WotWots are launching onto the TV screens of Australia on ABC Children’s television in April 2009 and on New Zealand ‘s TVNZ in March 2009.

Developed and produced by the creative team behind the award winning TV series Jane And The Dragon , these adventures of the WotWots are set to delight, fascinate and educate a new generation of TV viewers across the world.

The multi Academy Award winning artists of Richard Taylor ‘s Weta Workshop have yet again joined with the story-telling talents of Martin Baynton and Theo Baynton to bring this endearing world of comedy and adventure to life.

Tim Brooke-Hunt, Head of Children’s for ABC Television said: “We are thrilled to broadcast this exceptional new series from WETA. We are confident that pre-schoolers will delight in the adventures of Spotty and Dotty, and that the WotWot’s will find an enthusiastic audience in Australia .”

Brief Bios (full details available on contact):

Weta Workshop is the multi Award winning special effects studio, best known for their work on The Lord Of The Rings trilogy, The Chronicles of Narnia and King Kong .

Richard Taylor , executive producer, is the five times Oscar award winning owner, co-founding director and the creative lead at Weta Workshop.

Martin Baynton , executive producer, has written and illustrated more than 30 books for children, published by Penguin, Walker Books, Scholastic, Greenwillow and Methuen .

Theo Baynton , director, was the art director and design supervisor for Jane And The Dragon and has also written and illustrated children’s books.

Andrew Smith, producer , was the supervising producer for Jane and the Dragon and is the commercial manager for Weta Workshop

Jan Haynes, producer, has worked in the film and television industry for over 25 years and has produced several award-winning series. She was the New Zealand Line Producer on Jane and the Dragon.

David Long, composer, composes, performs and produces music and has worked on Peter Jackson’s Lord Of The Rings and King Kong .

Two of the established creative forces in family entertainment, New Zealand based Weta Productions and Chapman Entertainment, from the UK, are forming a unique partnership to develop a range of childrens’ television properties. The first venture will be an animated comedy targeted at boys between six and nine.

The two companies host impressive track records in their respective fields. Chapman Entertainment is renowned for its hit international pre-school shows Fifi and the Flowertots and Roary the Racing Car, these follow Keith Chapman’s creation of the global phenomenon Bob the Builder. Fifi, Roary and Bob currently feature in the UK’s top six selling pre-school toy licenses and have enjoyed impressive television sales to over 200 territories.

Weta, is the multi Academy and BAFTA Award winning company acknowledged as a world leader in special effects following the global success of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, King Kong and The Chronicles of Narnia. Weta has also recently ventured into children’s television, through Weta Productions, with the production of the animated series, Jane and the Dragon, which has received critical acclaim.

The development project will be jointly led by Martin Baynton and Richard Taylor of Weta and Chapman Entertainment’s Creative Director, Keith Chapman. They are working on a selection of 2D and CGI animated properties which will be presented to broadcasters and the licensing community in the near future, with pre-production expected to commence in 2008.

“Weta are the world leaders in their field and we are thrilled and extremely proud to be combining our respective skills to work on this exciting development,” says Keith Chapman. “This special new partnership takes Chapman Entertainment to an important new phase in the company’s history and will add a new age group to our portfolio of shows.”

“We have been fortunate to have worked with just brilliant film makers such as Peter Jackson, Andrew Adamson, James Cameron and Steven Spielberg”, says Richard Taylor “And we are once again fortunate to work with someone as renowned as Keith Chapman and the team at Chapman Entertainment. Weta Productions is looking forward to building on the success of Jane and the Dragon with these new properties”.