AUCKLAND, Today: Film Construction and Media Design School are heading to Hollywood with Flock, a new short film that offers a strong look at where the next wave of filmmaking could be heading.
Directed by Film Construction Director Harriett Maire, Flock has been selected for the Beverly Hills Film Festival and will screen at the Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard this April.
Blending live action with complex visual effects created by senior Media Design School students, the film tells a quiet and emotionally grounded story about connection, movement and finding your place.
Set in a small coastal New Zealand town, Flock follows a young woman arriving in unfamiliar surroundings while, overhead, a bar-tailed godwit completes one of the longest migratory journeys on earth.
The project was designed as a full production environment for senior students, who were responsible for all animation and visual effects across the film.
“The industry doesn’t need graduates who can just operate software. It needs people who can think, collaborate, and contribute to the story. This was about creating an environment where those skills are tested under real conditions.” – Perry Bradley, Film Construction founding partner
That meant tackling everything from bird anatomy and flight dynamics through to ocean environments and storm systems, while still making sure the technical work supported the emotional tone of the story.
Producer and MDS tutor Peter McCully says the aim was to close the gap between training and industry. “Students often work in isolation from real production pressures. Here, they were part of a live project with a director, a deadline, and an expectation that the work would hold up internationally. That shift in context changes the quality of thinking.”
For Maire, the mix of live action and visual effects opened up new creative possibilities. “I’m drawn to stories about people finding their place. The godwit’s journey is extraordinary, but it’s also instinctive.
“There’s something very human in that. We wanted the emotional truth of the performance to sit comfortably alongside the scale of the animation.”
Shot on location in Miranda on the Thames Estuary, Flock also reflects a broader shift in the screen industry, where storytelling, collaboration and adaptability matter just as much as technical skill.
It is a strong example of how education and industry can work together to produce work that feels ambitious, relevant and ready for an international audience.
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