Air NZ And Acclaimed Filmmaker Launch Scholarship

Media Release

2 August 2007

Air New Zealand and Acclaimed Filmmaker

Martin Campbell, Launch New Film Scholarship

Air New Zealand has secured internationally acclaimed director Martin Campbell as mentor for its new scholarship within the Inspiring New Zealanders programme – the Inspiring New Zealanders Scholarship in Film.

The New Zealand-born Campbell’s commitment and the new scholarship were announced by Air New Zealand CEO Rob Fyfe at the Air New Zealand Screen Awards held last night in Auckland.

The new programme will foster the next generation of filmmakers, and will include unprecedented access to Campbell, one of the world’s most commercially successful filmmakers. This will include working with Campbell on his next feature film, a short course in Entertainment and Performing Arts at UCLA Film School as well as other career enhancing opportunities.

Mr Fyfe says the airline is delighted to have someone of Martin Campbell’s calibre involved in the programme.

“Martin is one of New Zealand’s most commercially successful filmmakers, and we are incredibly fortunate that he has agreed to make time for the Inspiring New Zealanders programme. There is no substitute for the guidance that only an experienced veteran such as Martin can offer, and he will be a great mentor for one talented filmmaker who is still at a formative stage in his or her career," says Mr Fyfe.

Mr Campbell says. New Zealanders have a great can-do attitude that allows them to succeed anywhere in the world.

“Having spent a number of years living in both the United Kingdom and the United States, I hope that sharing my experience in the film and television industry can help another Kiwi reach the top,” he says.

Campbell is credited with rejuvenating the James Bond franchise. In 1995 he directed GoldenEye, starring Pierce Brosnan, which went on to gross more than $350 million Most recently, he directed his second James Bond film, the widely acclaimed Casino Royale, starring Daniel Craig.

The Air New Zealand Inspiring New Zealanders scholarship in Film 2007 is open to New Zealand residents or passport holders, based not only in New Zealand, but around the globe.

The online applications and submissions (including a DVD containing a showreel or sample of an original piece of work) will be reviewed by a panel including members from the NZ Film Commission, Investment New Zealand, Screen Directors Guild of New Zealand, and Air New Zealand. Following an initial review, a short list of candidates’ entries will be sent to Campbell for review and final decision. One scholarship recipient will be selected.

Aspiring applicants for the Air New Zealand Inspiring New Zealanders scholarship in Film can apply online at www.inspiringnewzealanders.com . Applications open 30th August 2007. The successful scholarship recipient will be announced mid October 2007.

The inaugural Air New Zealand Inspiring New Zealanders Scholarship in Film is the latest addition to the Inspiring New Zealanders programme which currently includes scholarships in Olympic Sports, Film and Wine.

About Martin Campbell, Filmmaker
Born in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand, Martin Campbell began his career as a cameraman in London. Campbell made his directorial debut on the British police action series The Professionals, and continued with two more popular BBC series Shoestring and Minder. By the mid 1980s, Martin was considered one of the U.K.’s top television directors.

Martin is best known for rejuvenating the James Bond franchise. In 1995 he directed GoldenEye, starring Pierce Brosnan, which went on to gross more than $350 million. Most recently, he directed his second James Bond film, the widely acclaimed Casino Royale, starring Daniel Craig.

Today, Martin is considered one of the Hollywood’s top directors. Martin is currently prepping 20th Century Fox's thriller Unstoppable and 36, a remake of the French-language thriller 36 Quai Des Orfevres.

Other career highlights include:

• The Academy Award® and Golden Globe nominated The Mask Of Zorro, which launched the international careers of Antonio Banderas and Catherine Zeta-Jones

• Vertical Limit, the film earned over $200 million in worldwide box office sales
• Martin won six BAFTA awards for his work on Edge of Darkness, a five-hour BBC mini-series about nuclear contamination in England

• Black Joy, selected for competition at the Cannes Film Festival
• British telefilm, Reilly: Ace of Spies

About the Air New Zealand Inspiring New Zealanders scholarship programme

Inspiring New Zealanders is a scholarship programme that involves "inspiring" New Zealanders who have achieved the highest level of achievement in their field, providing inspiration and guidance to the next generation of talented New Zealanders.

The first scholarships launched in September 2005 in Olympic Sports. In July 2006, the programme was expanded to include the Inspiring New Zealanders scholarship in Fashion and, in December 2006, the Inspiring New Zealanders scholarship in Wine for apprentice winemakers was added to the programme.

For more information, please visit www.inspiringnewzealanders.com

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