AUCKLAND, Today: The NZ Advertising Producers Group, in association with the NZ Film Commission, has unveiled a director mentorship programme to support talented female directors.
The scheme is designed to support four emerging filmmakers to undertake a paid three-month creative mentorship at five leading New Zealand commercial film production companies – Exit, Sweetshop Thick as Thieves, Flying Fish, and Finch.
The NZFC is supporting the four successful applicants with awards of $10,000 each over the three-month course of the mentorship.
NZAPG chair (and Finch producer) Rebekah Kelly said: “The commercial film industry is a leading light in developing the craft and storytelling skills of filmmakers here in Aotearoa and internationally.
“TV commercials offer a densely packed experience of the whole filmmaking process.”
“The NZAPG are committed to upskilling the next generation of filmmakers. Skills learned under the programme are specific but very applicable to their ongoing craft as a filmmaker, across a wide range of formats.
“This new programme will offer the four successful applicants an immersive experience in the highly focused craft of commercial film workflows – from treatment writing and pitching, casting, storyboarding, shooting, through to post-production and more.
“We encourage female applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply – particularly Māori and Pacific Island filmmakers, as they are significantly underrepresented in the TV commercial sector.
Applicants will go through a two-stage process and be assessed by a selection panel from the NZAPG, the five production companies, and the NZFC. It is anticipated successful mentees will ideally undertake the programme between September and December 2019.
Rebekah Kell: “TV commercials offer a densely packed experience of the whole filmmaking process – and to intern at one of the top production companies in New Zealand is a unique opportunity”.
Applications need to be in by Friday 26 July.
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