The New Zealand International Film Festival 2011 (NZIFF) will screen 20 short works as part of the MIC Homegrown Short Film Programme.

2011 has been a successful year for NZ short films and many of the films selected have screened to acclaim at international film festivals including Cannes, Sundance, Berlin and Tribeca in New York.

Deborah Lawler-Dormer, the Short Film Programme curator said “This year it’s great to support such a diversity of voices. Alongside the NZFC funded films we have independent films that have been created purely by passion and commitment to the art form.”

NZIFF has also expanded its support of emerging film-makers this year through a new initiative in Auckland at the Wintergarden (under The Civic Theatre) which will be utilised as The Film Café. Additional historic short film collections, film maker discussions and panels are all being programmed to give local film makers a chance to get even more out of the International Festival.

The New Zealand International Film Festival opens in Auckland on July 14^th, for more information see www.nzff.co.nz. The MIC Homegrown programme will run in Auckland on July 15^th and 16^th before travelling with the festival nationwide.

Twelve of the films selected have been funded through the NZ Film Commission – details below:

KORO’S MEDAL, directed by James Barr, travels to Edinburgh International Film Festival next week for its International Premiere. As a film made for children it will screen at the NZIFF in front of a (currently secret) children’s feature film.

BLUE, directed by Stephen Kang, has just won the Best Short Film Prize at the Semaine de la Critique in Cannes. Stephen is travelling to Shanghai International Film Festival on Friday to raise interest in his next feature film.

MEATHEAD, directed by Sam Holst, was one of nine films selected to compete at Festival du Cannes this year. Meathead has also been selected for the Melbourne International Film Festival.

EBONY SOCIETY, directed by Tammy Davis, has screened at Sundance, Berlin and Message Sticks in Australia. Tammy has attended all three festivals and has been funded for his next short film which is in pre-production now.

GO THE DOGS, directed by Jackie van Beek, had its World Premiere at the Berlin Film Festival. Jackie is currently in post-production on two more short films and developing a feature film to be shot in the Mackenzie country.

PREFERABLY BLUE, directed by Alan Dickson, has screened at SXSW, Tribeca and Stuttgart Film Festivals. Alan has been short listed with the NZFC low Budget scheme ‘Escalator’ with an animated feature film he is developing.

HAURAKI, directed by Kirsten Green, had its World Premiere at Tribeca earlier this year. The film stars Kirsten’s daughter Coco Lovatt and was initially self-funded.

MENISCUS, directed by Maria-Elena Doyle, is about to have its World Premiere at Annecy International Animated Film Festival. It’s the first NZ film to be selected for this prestigious festival. Elena has also been funded to produce her next short film entitled ‘INORGANIC’ this year.

EELING, directed by Peter McCully, has recently been selected to screen at the Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival in Korea, Asia’s largest genre film gala.

BIRD, directed by Jane Shearer and Steve Ayson, has been selected by Sydney International Film Festival and Palm Springs in the US. This film is the third in a highly successful collaboration between the directors which started with The French Doors in 2001 and was followed by NATURE’S WAY which was selected for Cannes in 2006.

MONIFA, directed by Luke Savage, is hot off the press and has been completed just in time for the NZIFF so this screening will mark the film’s World Premiere.

ELAINE RIDES AGAIN is directed by Michelle Savill, who has just completed a 3 month internship with leading independent film company Killer Films in New York.

And the winners are…

Best Actor – Short Film (Aotearoa Audience Award)

HARLEN HOANI THOMPSON IN “KORO’S MEDAL” DIRECTED BY JAMES BARR

Best Male Actor – Feature Film (2011 Aotearoa Drama)

RANGIMOANA TAYLOR IN “HOOK LINE AND SINKER” DIRECTED BY ANDREA BOSSHARD & SHANE LOADER

Best Female Actor – Feature Film (2011 Aotearoa Drama)

MABEL WHAREKAWA-BURT IN “MATARIKI” DIRECTED BY MICHAEL BENNETT

Best Short Film (2011 Aotearoa Audience Award)

“TAKU RAKU E” DIRECTOR KARARAINA RANGIHAU PRODUCER MERATA MITA

Best International Indigenous Entry (2011 Festival)

“LANI’S STORY” DIRECTOR GENEVIEVE GRIEVES (AUSTRALIA)

Best Aotearoa Feature Drama or Documentary (2011 Festival)

“MATARIKI” DIRECTOR MICHAEL BENNETT

Mana Wairoa Festival Prize (Best Overall Entry Festival 2011)

“OCTOBER 15″ DIRECTOR KIM WEBBY PRODUCER PIETRA BRETKELLY

WIFT Mana Wahine Award 2011

KATIE WOLFE

Katie Wolfe (Ngati Tama, Ngati Mutunga, Pakeha) is a film maker, actor and director, having completed two short films (“THIS IS HER” and “REDEMPTION”) and most recently directed her first feature “NIGHTS IN THE GARDEN OF SPAIN” which is screening next month at Frameline Film Festival in San Francisco.

International Indigenous Entry

“LANI’S STORY” is the true story of a young woman surviving abuse and addiction. Lani Brennan, the subject of the film, is of both Aboriginal and Maori descent.

Mana Wairoa Festival Prize

“OCTOBER 15.” The film profiles the day, October 15, 2007, that New Zealand Police launched anti-terrorism raids on the people of Tuhoe, in Ruatoki Valley and beyond. The Mana Wairoa Festival Prize recognises the most outstanding entry to the year’s festival and also has a kaupapa of supporting film makers whose work contributes to the advancement of the human rights of indigenous peoples.

The Wairoa Maori Film Festival is a non-political not-for-profit community event presented annually by Te Roopu Whakaata Maori Inc. Parts of the programme are travelling on to screenings in Auckland, Invercargill and Raglan.

Go to www.manawairoa.com for more information.

Sam Peacock director of award winning film "Manurewa"

Manurewa, directed by Sam Peacocke, was awarded a Crystal Bear in the Generation 14plus Youth Section of the competition.

The jury awarded the film the prize with these comments on the strength of the project: In a very short time this film synthesises and skilfully compresses independent story lines and characters, merging them together into a single irrevocable, ever-changing moment. Our winning film is not only about perpetrators and victims, but also about human beings.

Manurewa explores the tragic murder of Manurewa liquor store owner Navtej Singh and is acclaimed music video director Sam Peacocke’s debut short film. Produced by Kristian Eek, the film is a multi-stranded narrative impression of the real life robbery and fatal shooting that took place in South Auckland, New Zealand. The film premiered at the Melbourne International Film Festival in July 2010.

The Generation programme receives over 6000 submissions each year and the selection comprises 32 short films and 27 feature length films from 32 countries.

Manurewa was self-funded by the filmmakers and relied on the generous support of sponsors Fuji Film New Zealand, Panavision New Zealand and Park Road Post.

The film was shot on 35mm with a skeleton crew, utilizing available light as much as possible. It was shot on location in South Auckland and features mostly non actors. The film was made with the blessing of the Sikh community and the family of the victim.

Manurewa received post production funding from the NZ Film Commission who also supported Sam Peacocke to attend the festival. International sales for the film are handled by NZ Film, which is the sales arm of the NZFC.

The 61st Berlin International Film Festival ran from the 10th – 20th February 2011. For more information about the Berlin International Film Festival please follow this link

Once again Lee Tamahori has made a Sundance worthy independent film. Lee Tamahori has shot two independent films in his nearly two-decade career as a director, and both have taken him to Sundance: He made his first trip in 1995 with his feature directorial debut, “Once Were Warriors,” a violent tale of domestic abuse in a Maori family in his native New Zealand.

Since then, he’s directed mainstream fare such as “Die Another Day,” “Along Came a Spider” and “The Edge.” This year, Tamahori was back at Sundance with “The Devil’s Double,” which tells the story of the body double of Uday Hussein — the brutal son of Saddam Hussein. The film is based on the life of Latif Yahia; English actor Dominic Cooper (“Mamma Mia!”) plays both the disgusted Yahia and the nefarious Uday.

Do you have any fond memories of your first trip to the festival?

Tamahori: The funniest moment I remember is I had no idea (what was going on) because it was my first film festival ever. I was sitting there not knowing what was going on and kind of getting carried away, and I thought, “I need a drink, I need to get out of this.” I went to this bar and I was the only person in this bar at Sundance because everybody else was on the streets and hustling and everything else. Then a guy comes into the bar and sits right next me and says the same thing, “Quick, I need a drink.” I look at this guy and I go, “You’re Tim Roth, aren’t you?” He goes, “Yeah,” and I go, “Hi, I’m pleased to meet you.” So I meet Tim Roth because both of us were both exhausted by the process and badly in need of a drink and we were the only two in the bar and struck up a conversation. It was very funny at the time.

Let’s talk about Dominic Cooper’s performance in this film.

Tamahori: It’s a breakout performance if I do say myself. From the beginning I always said this film stands or falls on the credibility of the actor that plays both these parts. The whole story is irrelevant if this guy does not have both the talent to pull it off with the two characters, or make the audience believe that we are watching two different characters rather than one actor playing two roles. There have been versions of this before, but not a lot.

How were you and Cooper able to make it work?

Tamahori: We went into the business of creating two different characters, which meant slight adaptations to the screenplay and everything. One is basically psychotic and has an Oedipal complex and is a rapist, killer, murderer and thug, but there is something weirdly attractive about him like Tony Montana. He is a charismatic villain. I stripped (the Yahia) character back to what is essentially a character from an American Western and stripped his morality down to an absolutely clean slate of pure moral principles: (He’s) an upright guy, he’s going to go into the family business with his father because that’s what he’s supposed to do. He has a strong moral code; he will not do things that go against his moral center.

Luckily, once we figured these characters out, and Dominic knew what he was doing with both of him, he was able to switch in and out of them quite remarkably. We didn’t know if we could psychologically put that pressure on him on a daily basis. He loved it. Being a young technical actor and being very good instinctive actor with good dramatic training behind him, he was able to pull off some marvelous stuff.

What was it like getting back in the indie saddle after so many years of doing big studio films?

Tamahori: In doing this movie I wanted to remind myself that I hadn’t lost the ability to jump back into independent film and (that I hadn’t) become a dull studio hack of some sort. You got to remind yourself, can I still do it? It’s up to others to judge, but it was interesting getting into the editing room. We had some problems and I’d say I know what to do here. It all came from doing American studio films.

Did this experience with The Devil’s Double wet your appetite for another indie feature?

Tamahori: I’m going to make another feature in New Zealand very much along the lines of my first.

Kia ora to TangataWhenua.com for this interview

Taika Waititi's Two Cars, One night

The Ministry for Culture & Heritage, in partnership with the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tourism New Zealand, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise and the New Zealand Film Commission, have launched a catalogue of New Zealand feature and short films available for overseas culture events organised by New Zealand’s diplomatic posts abroad.

The showcase is funded by the Government’s Cultural Diplomacy Programme, which invests in the promotion of New Zealand culture overseas. The films selected span 23 years of NZ filmmaking and reflect our unique cultural values.

Launching the Showcase at Parliament this evening, Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Christopher Finlayson says the creation of the Film Showcase will enable overseas posts to share our films with an international audience.

With the addition of new films to the catalogue every year, it will become a valuable cultural diplomacy tool and provide an opportunity to display the talent we have,” Mr Finlayson said.

The Ministry for Culture and Heritage, the New Zealand Film Commission and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Trade will manage and administer the Film Showcase.

The feature films included in the Film Showcase are:

Eagle vs. Shark (writer/director Taika Waititi); Topp Twins: Untouchable girls (director Leanne Pooley); The Strength of Water (writer Briar Grace-Smith; director Armagan Ballantyne); In My Father’s Den (writer/director Brad McGann); Rain of the Children (writer/director Vincent Ward); Apron Strings (writer Dianne Taylor/Shuchi Kothari; director Vaele Sima Urale); The Price of Milk (writer/director Harry Sinclair); Ngati (writer Tama Poata, director Barry Barclay); Rain (writer/director Christine Jeffs); No.2 (writer/director Toa Fraser); Second hand Wedding (writer Nick Ward, Linda Niccol, director Paul Murphy)

The six short films, five of which have Maori in key role are: Journey to Ihipa (writer Vicki-Anne Heikell, director Nancy Brunning) Noise Control (writer/director Phill Simmonds) Hawaikii (writer Tere Harrison, director Mike Jonathan) Two cars, One Night (writer/director Taika Waititi) Tama Tu (writer/director Taika Waititi) and Coffee and Allah (writer Shuchi Kothari, director Vaele Sima Urale)

Some of these DVDs can be purchased from Native Vision

For a full listing of this story please follow link

The collection celebrates the incredibly diverse output of the government body, that, for nearly 50 years filmed everything from wartime newsreels and tourism promos to historical TV epics.

It bred NZ’s first Oscar nominations, pioneering female directors, political controversy, and was a key industry training ground. Screen alumni include Sam Neill, John Laing, Sam Pillsbury, Selwyn Toogood, and many more; and arts icons such as Brian Brake, Douglas Lilburn, James K Baxter, Maurice Shadbolt, and Denis Glover were all involved in NFU films …

The 30 films in the collection provide a sampler pack of NFU classics: from Rhythm and Movement to Ralph Hotere; from Snows of Aorangi to Score; from Gone Up North for a While to Games 74; from The Governor to This is New Zealand, and many more …

In a written background essay, screen historian Roger Horrocks offers a highlights history of the outfit mooted to capture “the Vitamin D of nationality”. And NFU alumni Paul Maunder, Lynton Diggle and Sam Pillsbury provide personal reflections on their time at the unit.

Pillsbury: “People slag off at Government Departments. But like many bureaucracies, the NFU was also a hidden gem … It was a sort of hideout for slackers and innovators …”

There is also a filmed ScreenTalk interview with Sam Neill: before finding fame as an actor Neill was a 20-something director at the NFU, making documentaries on Ian Athfield, Red Mole theatre troupe, windsurfing across Cook Strait, and 70s freestyle skiing:

“It was never stated but you made one for them … the Post Office, Railways or banana company … and you made one for yourself, and I wanted to make a skiing film [Flare] …”

The selection is an unique online showcase of an important part of Aotearoa screen history. Stalwart NFU cameraman Lynton Diggle:

“The National Film Unit played an important role in forging an indigenous film industry, and I congratulate NZ On Screen for their foresight in breathing life back into those early productions.”

There are over 50 NFU titles on NZ On Screen — from Hillary Returns to Legend of the Wanganui River to A Dolphin’s Story — with more regularly added. Their presence on NZ On Screen is made possible with the support of Archives New Zealand, the stewards of the NFU archive

To watch and enjoy this wonderful collection of nz screen culture folow this link :

National Film Unit Collection

The three executive producer groups are:

A Collective Intake of Breath Michael Bennett, Maile Daugherty

Tauihu Shorts Tui Ruwhiu, Poata Eruera, Bradford Haami

Tom Thumb Shorts Steven O’Meagher, Chris Dudman, Polly Fryer

Their guidelines and call for entries follow.

You can also download them from our website:

http://www.nzfilm.co.nz/Premiere-Shorts

PREMIERE SHORTS 2010/2011

All short films funded by NZ Film Commission must contain significant New Zealand content.

In the 2010/2011 financial year, Premiere Shorts will support 6 short films at a budget of $90,000 per film.

Each film will be required to deliver on HDCAM SR (but 35mm ready). All other film delivery items including a film grade, dolby sound mix and license will still be required as part of the HD Cam delivery. If a Premiere Short is invited to an eligible A-list festival (see the NZ Film Commission short film post production guidelines for a list of qualifying festivals) it may also qualify for completion funds of up to $15,000 to finish the film to 35mm – depending on the formats required by the festival. Please email Premiere Shorts Assistant – Lizzie Dunn (lizzie@nzfilm.co.nz) if you have any questions regarding completion funds.

A Colective Intake of Breath Call for Applications – When we saw the first moving pictures, the Lumiere Brothers’ footage of a train leaving a French station… When a small Maori girl stood in tears on a school stage… When a human eyeball was sliced open in Luis Buniel’s extreme close-up… When De Niro stared straight at us asking, “You looking at me?”… When we watched Meg Ryan orgasming in the middle of a busy New York diner… There was a collective intake of breath.

The experience of cinema is a very human experience. It’s visceral. It’s emotional. It’s physical. It’s a group of strangers in a dark room having the exact same reaction at the exact same moment to the 60 ft high celluloid images projected in front of them. It’s a sob. It’s a laugh. It’s a gasp. It’s – A Collective Intake of Breath.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

There’s a million ways to watch stories. Now, more than ever, there has to be a bloody good reason to go to the trouble of going to the cinema. A Collective Intake of Breath has a simple philosophy. Cinema is about the sob, the gasp, the laugh, the cry. We challenge filmmakers to make short films that give the audience the profound experiences only cinema can provide. We have one criterion for the films we will fund. “Stylish” isn’t enough. “Wellexecuted” isn’t enough. “Beautiful” isn’t enough. In a year’s time we want to sit in a dark cinema, we want to watch the films we’ve developed and funded, and we want to experience that collective intake of breath.

Our approach as Executive Producers is also dead simple, and born of our name. Cinema is a collective experience, in the watching and in the making. We will seek projects that live up to our philosophy, we will work with groups that show they can

deliver the goods, we will support them at every stage of the process, and we will challenge the teams to deliver the cinematic experience the audience deserves. A Collective Intake of Breath will support films where the story and the directorial vision combine to create uniquely cinematic experiences, made by filmmakers with a clear vision of their career paths towards feature films. We are especially receptive to filmmakers who demonstrate to us a clear relationship between their proposed short film and their strategy towards feature filmmaking.

The Process

Our process is about development and relationship building. We’re not interested in opening the PO Box on October 29th and finding a pile of projects we’ve never heard about, from people we’ve never spoken to. We want to interface with the filmmaking community, build relationships, identify talent and start the process of developing projects well before application time.

At the Roadshow, the new short film scheme of Fresh Shorts and the Premiere Shorts fund will be introduced. After this, savvy filmmakers must realistically set their sights on the fund which is right for them. With the emphasis on “realistically”. If you’re at the right point in your filmmaking career to apply for Premiere Shorts then start talking to us. Our process looks like this …

[1] Initial Meetings

In the last week of August we will hold meetings over a couple of days, in person in Auckland, or via Skype, with individuals or groups intending to apply to us. Bookings must be made via our website www.acollectiveintakeofbreath.co.nz

We want to meet Writers with great stories. We want to meet Producers at the right experience level and with a thought-out path towards feature filmmaking. We want to meet eligible Directors with a proven track record, and with a committed and demonstrable strategy towards a feature film career.

This first meeting is about starting the development process that will lead to your best possible application. Part of this process will be identifying if you’re knocking on the right door. If it’s clear from this meeting that you should be turning your energy and talent towards applying to Fresh Shorts – then we’ll make that known to you. We don’t want to read scripts at this stage. We’d love to hear pitches. Keep it short. Keep it about story. A two-minute pitch is probably one minute too long.

After these initial meetings, we’ll assemble a list of existing teams, and a list of unattached Writers, Directors and Producers. You might call this the (very) long shortlist. From this we will initiate a Collective Intake of Breath Facebook page, to help you guys find each other and to build teams.

[2] Project and Team Development

For the next month you’ll be beavering away, talking to each other, Directors and Producers reading Writers’ work, brainstorming, finding your ‘tribe’.

By the end of September there will be another round of meetings in Auckland or via Skype – bookings via the website. We’ll be interested in where you’re going with your team-building, where your projects are at and where your application is headed.

Again, no scripts yet please. But if you’re feeling feedback would be useful, pitch us.

Read this!!!

We won’t accept cold-call projects for final submissions. If you wish to apply to A Collective Intake of Breath, you must meet us in at least one of the two rounds of meetings. Our process is about development and clear-headed career strategy, not throwing together an application in the last moments before deadline. And please note, additional meetings will not be scheduled outside of these dates.

Also, we’re very happy to meet with unattached individuals in the first round of meetings, and we hope teams will be formed by the second round. But for final submission we will only accept applications from full teams – ie Writer, Producer and Director.

[3] Submission

After the second round of meetings you’ve got another month to get your application ready.

The deadline is 5pm Friday October 29th 2010

The application must only include –

? Application cover sheet with name of project, team members, contact details

? Full script, industry format – no synopsis, no character pages, just the script

? CVs for Writer, Director and Producer (max. 1 page each)

? Supporting examples of the Director’s previous work (DVD only)

? Director’s Treatment (max. 2 pages)

? Confirmation that the Producer holds copyright for the screenplay, any

copyright material the screenplay is based on, and any copyright material

identified within the screenplay (music, footage, poetry, et cetera)

[4] Shortlist

At the end of November a shortlist of 5-7 projects will be announced. Congratulations!

Now the real work begins with making the script as good as it can be, refining the directorial vision, attaching key personnel, a budget and production plan. The strata-system of Premiere Shorts and Fresh Shorts is a new approach to short film financing, and the development and selection process of A Collective Intake of Breath Ltd is a new approach to project and team selection. The emphasis of the Premiere

Short Fund is to foster talent that has a clear vision of their path into feature films. Our emphasis on development and relationship building is informed by the real-world process of feature film development – and is aimed to give your project and your team the very best chance of making the short film that will launch you down your path towards feature filmmaking.

[5] Contact details

Website: www.acollectiveintakeofbreath.co.nz

Skype: a.collective.intake.of.breath

Postal address for submissions: PO Box 78088

Grey Lynn

Auckland 1245

TAUIHU SHORTS

Call for Applications for PREMIERE SHORTS –

NZ FILM COMMISSION 2010/2011

TAUIHU SHORTS is a team consisting of producer Tui Ruwhiu, writer/director Poata Eruera and writer/producer Bradford Haami.

TAUIHU SHORTS will executive produce two short films in 2011 with a budget of $90k each. While we are all Maori we want stories and applicants from any cultural background. We are looking for experienced auteurs (writers/directors) with the talent, ability and vision to tell powerful New Zealand stories in a distinctively original way that will push the boundaries of cinematic storytelling. You will already have a body of work that showcases your talents.

We welcome new approaches, new technologies and new ways of telling stories. Anyone with the passion, the clarity of vision, and the absolute commitment to craft a unique idea into an award-winning short film should submit their script for consideration. If this is you then TAUIHU SHORTS will support you every step of the way to help realise your vision.

The deadline for applications is 29 October, 2010. At this point you will need to submit

the following:

? 3 unbound copies of the script

? CV’s for key personnel

? director’s notes

? visual material which demonstrates the director’s experience on a single DVD to

support your application.

? a completed TAUIHU SHORTS Application Form. (Available for download from

www.tauihumedia.com/tauihu-shorts)

Up to twelve applicants will be selected for discussions with the executive producers. On 3 December 2010 a short list of six projects will be asked to submit a budget, director’s and producer’s notes and a production methodology by 14 January 2011.

TAUIHU SHORTS www.tauihumedia.com/tauihu-shorts

In February 2011 two submissions will be announced to receive production funding.

Criteria

We are calling for:

? screenplays from talented, experienced auteurs (writers/directors) who have

already made at least one well-received short film or who have a quality showreel

of drama, documentaries, TVCs or self-funded projects.

? screenplays of any genre that exhibit strong, original and recognisable New

Zealand themes.

? applicants with a burning passion for their short film project and the ambition,

commitment and plan to pursue a career in feature film.

? fresh, artistic ideas and approaches.

? an experienced core team (writer/director and producer) attached to the

submission. However applications from a writer/director only will also be

accepted and matched with a producer if the project makes the shortlist.

Requirements

We require:

? Three unbound, well developed screenplays in industry standard format with

title page including contact details. (Do NOT include the names of the applicant

or the team in the header or footer of the screenplay.)

? A completed TAUIHU SHORTS Application Form. (Available for download from

www.tauihumedia.com/tauihu-shorts)

? CVs for key personnel (writer/director, producer).

? Director’s notes

? Visual material which demonstrates the director’s experience on a single DVD to

support your application.

Notes

? Screenplay duration no longer than 15 minutes.

? A maximum of two separate applications per individual/team.

? All projects to comply with NZ Film Commission Act Section 18 – Significant NZ Content.

Submissions

Please send your applications to Tauihu Media Ltd, TAUIHU SHORTS, P.O. Box

104174, Lincoln Nth 0650, Waitakere.

Deadline for receipt is NO LATER than 5PM 29 October, 2010. Late applications will NOT be considered.

Please include a self-addressed, postage-paid envelope or courier pack if you require your submission materials returned.

TAUIHU SHORTS www.tauihumedia.com/tauihu-shorts

The application form is available for download from our website:

www.tauihumedia.com/tauihu-shorts

Checklist:

? One completed Application Form.

? 3 unbound copies of the screenplay in industry standard format with

title page including contact details. (Do NOT include the names of the

applicant or the team in the header or footer of the screenplay.)

? Screenplay duration no longer than 15 minutes.

? Applicant and team CVs

? Visual material which demonstrates the director’s experience on a

single DVD to support your application.

? A maximum of two separate applications per individual/team.

? Post all applications to Tauihu Media Ltd, TAUIHU SHORTS, P.O. Box

104174, Lincoln Nth 0650, Waitakere. Deadline for receipt NO LATER

than5PM 29 October 2010. Late applications will NOT be accepted.

? If you require your submission materials returned, please provide a

self-addressed, postage-paid envelope or courier pack.

TAUIHU SHORTS www.tauihumedia.com/tauihu-shorts

Tom Thumb Shorts is collaboration between Steven O’Meagher, Chris Dudman and Polly Fryer. We three share a similar ambition to make films of quality, talent and imagination – critical characteristics for making short films where money must be used very resourcefully… without sacrificing creativity. Tom Thumb Shorts is a mutually beneficial collaboration for the filmmakers we select… for us… and most importantly, for audiences.

Tom Thumb, a “small but perfectly formed” fairytale character, a little guy with a big personality and a great sense of adventure, he represents the kind of short films we aspire to make. Films that make their presence felt despite their limited stature. Films that are immersive, memorable, thought provoking and leave people wanting more.

Most importantly we want our short films to be CHARACTER DRIVEN and EMOTIONALLY ENGAGING. We are interested in drama, in any style or genre, with clear protagonists and antagonists driving the narrative. And in stories that connect with audiences on a visceral and/or emotional level.

TOM THUMB FILMS …

? have something to say

? are there to be seen and noticed… as dynamic and explosive as the tiny

firecracker.

? are original and deserving of the big screen (no homages please)

? are character-driven stories, with a memorable and distinctive cast.

? belong to any dramatic genre be it a comedy, western, horror, science fiction

or based on true life (it’s the story that’s key)

? are visually and stylistically executed to the demands of the story telling

(there’s no ‘art for art sake’)

? make audiences feel something; they amuse, thrill, infuriate, scare, or

sadden… we want to feel like there’s a human being behind the story being

told

? know who their audiences are and respect their intelligence

? they are doable… they show an understanding of budget constraints and

respect the limited duration of the short film genre

WHO WOULD MAKE A TOM THUMB SHORT FILM?

‘You have to love something enough to be able to take risks, jump over the hurdles and break through the brick walls that are always going to be placed in front of you. If you don’t have that kind of feeling for what it is you are doing, you will stop at the first giant hurdle’. – George Lucas Tom Thumb Shorts will be talent led. Our filmmakers can come from any region of the country, be of any socio-economic background, from any ethnicity, political persuasion or cultural group. If you’ve got a “small but perfectly formed” idea for the big screen then we want to help you realise this dream.

We’re looking for filmmakers who share our passion for telling stories on the big screen, who are interested in knowing and finding an audience for their films. Filmmakers who CARE about something and have something to say. We’re looking for creative people (and / or teams) who can identify their unique voice, idea and who aspire to excellence.

We expect teams to have some level of industry experience; this is not a scheme for inexperienced or first time filmmakers. We want to help build Writer – Director – Producer teams into successful creative collaborations that have the potential to work together on feature projects. We prefer teams (filmmaking is a team sport) but are open to Writers submitting scripts without Producers or Directors attached.

Directors will need to show evidence of their talent and understanding of narrative film; examples include commercials, music videos, short films, TV drama and theatre. We welcome first time and experienced Writers. We require Producers to have a body of production experience and be committed to developing these skills towards a feature film career.

WHAT WILL WE DO FOR YOU?

Steven, Chris and Polly are committed to this process of identifying great films to make, therefore we promise to:

? Read each and every script in the first instance without knowing who are

the team behind it. We want to have clear emotional reactions to stories

without being clouded by personalities.

? Provide some notes and suggestions for script development for all teams

that we meet at the shortlist stage.

? Be open-minded and ready to be inspired!

DETAIL

? Up to two submissions per individual

? Films must be a maximum of 15 minutes in length

? Films will have to be delivered on HDCAM SR but be 35mm print ready

SUBMISSIONS

Call for submissions from Monday 9th August 2010

Deadline for all submissions is Friday 29th October 2010

The shortlist will be announced before the 25th December 2010

To be considered please submit THREE unbound hard copies of:

? A completed application form (downloadable from

www.tomthumbshorts.co.nz)

? A covering letter introducing your team and project

? A well developed and formatted script (with title page and contact details)

? CVs for key personnel (Writer, Director and Producer)

? Director’s vision – a short statement or images that give us an idea of your

thinking

? One example of the Director’s work. Not a showreel but something that

demonstrates your ability to realise this story.

Please send all material to: Tom Thumb Shorts, PO Box 78/272 Grey Lynn,

Auckland

QUERIES

Please look at FAQs at www.tomthumbshorts.co.nz or email Polly on

production@tomthumbshorts.co.nz.

Eel Girl character from one of Campion's other short films

Principle photography has begun in Wellington, New Zealand on World War II Horror pic, THE DEVIL’S ROCK.

Written by Paul Finch, Paul Campion and Brett Ihaka, The Devil’s Rock is award-winning short film director Paul Campion’s debut feature film. His short films Night of the Hell Hamsters and Eel Girl have screened at every major genre film festival worldwide.

Produced by Leanne Saunders (The Devil Dared Me To, A Song of Good), the film is set in the Channel Islands on the eve of D-Day. Two Kiwi commandos, sent to destroy German gun emplacements to distract Hitler’s forces away from Normandy, discover a Nazi occult plot to unleash demonic forces to win the war.

Academy Award winning New Zealand company WETA Workshop (Avatar, District 9, Lord of the Rings, King Kong ) will create the film’s physical effects, whose ensemble cast includes Craig Hall (Love Birds, Boy, 30 Days of Night, The World’s Fastest Indian, King Kong), Matthew Sunderland (Out of the Blue, Under the Mountain), Gina Varela (Xena, Siones Wedding, Power Rangers) and Karl Drinkwater (A Song of Good, Lord of the Rings, Spartacus: Blood & Sand).

The Devil’s Rock has been financed by the New Zealand Film Commission and Chameleon Pictures. It will be distributed in NZ by Vendetta Films. NZ Film, the sales arm of the NZFC, is handling world sales of the film.

To watch some shorts of Campion’s body of work folow these links:

Night of the Hell Hamsters (2007) http://vimeo.com/7200256

Eel Girl (2008) http://vimeo.com/7199863

The NZ Film Commission is delighted to announce Fresh Shorts, a new low budget short film scheme for promising and emerging filmmakers. Fresh Shorts will be run in-house by the short film team at the NZFC.

Each year Fresh Shorts will fund eight $10,000 short films and eight $30,000 short films, with the level of funding based on the director’s experience.

Fresh Shorts aims to identify the next generation of NZ feature filmmakers by nurturing and inspiring up-and-coming talent.

Fresh Shorts is looking for new, distinctive and original directorial voices, fresh ideas not seen before in short film, cinematic ideas that deserve to be on the big screen, films that take risks, provoke and challenge audiences, and narrative films with impact.

Applications open on Wednesday, 28 July 2010 and close on Friday, 8 October 2010. Applications should be sent to Fresh Shorts, NZ Film Commission, PO Box 11 546 Wellington.

The NZ Film Commission will hold a Fresh Shorts Roadshow to discuss the criteria and answer questions about the new scheme from 24 – 27 July 2010 in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin.

For more details about Fresh Shorts, the Roadshow, or to download the criteria, folow this link: http://nzfilm.co.nz/fresh-shorts/ or email Fresh Shorts Assistant Lauren Granshaw – freshshorts@nzfilm.co.nz

NZ Short film 'Poppy'

NZ short Film Poppy awarded for its innovation of motion capture and flawless facial animation. Poppy has been awarded the Computer Animation Festival’s Jury Prize ahead of the SIGGRAPH 2010 International Conference and Exhibition on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques, which is being held in Los Angeles on the 25th – 29th July.

Poppy is a CGI drama set on France’s Western Front during World War I. Based on true events, two NZ soldiers trapped behind enemy lines find a crying baby while trying to make their way to safety. Directed by James Cunningham and produced by Paul Swadel, the film’s writer, David Coyle, is a great grandson of one of the soldiers. This is the first time a NZ film has won an award at the Computer Animation Festival.

The film was chosen from 750 submissions from around the globe, presented by both professional studios and students alike. In announcing the award, the Festival Jury said Poppy was an innovative combination of motion capture with exquisite facial animation.

Director James Cunningham said “I have attended SIGGRAPH about four times since 1998. To have something selected to screen there is a dream of mine and to win an award is phenomenal. The Jury’s acknowledgement of the hand key frame facial animation is a testament to the great actors we had to work with. Congratulations and thanks to Matt Sunderland, Paul Glover, Camille Keenan and Marek Sumich; and also to Weta Digital’s incredible motion capture team. The body movements they recorded were superb and I was so lucky to be able to work with them on Poppy.”

In all, 100 films will be shown during the Computer Animation Festival. Some of the year’s top visual effects for feature films are featured in the Computer Animation Festival including Avatar, The Last Airbender, Sherlock Holmes, Iron Man 2, Prince of Persia, 2012, and Alice in Wonderland.

Poppy was made in association with the Short Film Fund of the New Zealand Film Commission.

For more information on Poppy please visit the film’s website:

http://www.poppyfilm.com/index.html

To view the trailer please visit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyUWxV2rY-c