New Screen Industry Collaborations to Spark in the Capital
Key issues affecting the future of New Zealand’s screen industry will be examined in the capital this week at the SPADA
(Screen Production and Development Association of New Zealand) conference held in Wellington on Thursday 12 and Friday
13 November.
“This year’s conference comes after a challenging year economically and is all about getting ahead on trends, ideas and
the latest on what’s happening here and internationally,” says SPADA’s Chief Executive, Penelope Borland.
“Some wonderful collaborations have sprung from the SPADA Conference resulting in new projects with talented New
Zealanders connecting with industry leaders from all over the world. Our conference delegates are the generators of so
many of New Zealand’s film, television and digital projects, and employers of talented production teams; so much of the
future of New Zealand’s screen industry rests on the ability of our audience to get new projects off the ground.”
The SPADA Conference brings together international and national screen industry speakers. It includes plenary sessions,
workshops and masterclasses covering producing, creating, financing and distribution. SPADA is the industry body that
represents New Zealand’s independent film and television practitioners on all issues affecting the business and creative
aspects of screen production.
From the creative minds of the Academy Award-winning Weta Workshop comes The WotWots. Producer Jan Haynes, Visual
Effects Supervisor Trevor Brymer, Director Theo Baynton and Designer Daniel Falconer will discuss their stunning
animation series for pre-schoolers and reveal what’s what with The WotWots.
Matthew Weiner, series creator and executive producer of this year’s Emmy Award winner for Outstanding Drama Mad Men, is
the keynote speaker for the conference. Mad Men – described as near to genius as TV gets - is set in the world of
advertising on New York’s Madison Avenue, is a multi-layered 1960s period drama. Since its inception Mad Men has
garnered a slate of awards including last year’s Emmy and two consecutive Golden Globes for Best Television Drama
Series. Weiner was an executive producer and writer for the critically acclaimed television series The Sopranos.
Graeme Mason, Chief Executive of the New Zealand Film Commission, is stepping straight off the plane from the American
Film Market to share the latest on market trends and conditions with New Zealand Producer Dave Gibson (Aftershock, The
Insiders Guide to Love) Managing Director of the Gibson Group. Graeme also shares his observations, thoughts and vision
for the New Zealand film industry and the New Zealand Film Commission.
Media commentator Derek Fox and New Zealand film maker and television producer Tainui Stephens will take part in the
session chaired by Colin James, with television networks, looking at the topic of How Far is Te Reo Maori from
Mainstream Prime Time?
New Zealand television producer Julie Christie will give this year’s John O’Shea Memorial Address. Founder and Chief
Executive of Eyeworks New Zealand and Australia, Julie has achieved most of her international success with unscripted
formats including The Chair, Miss Popularity and Treasure Island. Julie received the 2006 SPADA Independent Producer of
the Year Award.
Co-production is one of the themes of this year’s conference with specific reference to arrangements with the United
Kingdom and Australia.
Australian producer Antony I. Ginnane, who has produced, co-produced and executive produced 60 feature films, TV movies
and mini-series, will discuss Australian/New Zealand co-productions – how do we make more?
UK producer Gareth Wiley, winner of this year’s Golden Globe for Best Picture Comedy for Vicky Christina Barcelona, is
attending the conference. Gareth has worked extensively with Woody Allen (Vicky Christina Barcelona, Scoop, Match Point,
Cassandra’s Dream). Gareth is currently an executive producer of the NZ/UK co-production Tracker currently shooting in
Auckland. The producing team includes New Zealand executive producer and SPADA President Richard Fletcher (Under the
Mountain), New Zealand producer Trevor Haysom (In My Father’s Den) and UK producer David Burns. Tracker directed by the
UK’s Ian Sharp, stars Ray Winstone (Sexy Beast) and Temuera Morrison (Once Were Warriors).
Other international guests include German director Andreas Dresen, whose feature Cloud 9 was selected for the 2008
Cannes Film Festival Un Certain Regard section and is currently screening in the German Film Festival, and Carey Kyler,
Vice President of Television Programming and Commissioning at the Travel Channel.
Park Road Post Production Masterclasses include Film Scoring with director Jonathan King and composer Victoria Kelly.
Jonathan and Victoria worked together on the New Zealand feature film Under the Mountain based on the children’s novel
by Maurice Gee. LA based film animation artist Academy Award nominee John Stevenson will present the 3D Animation
Masterclass. John was at the helm of Dreamworks latest animation concept Kung Fu Panda.
The conference also includes South Pacific Pictures’ Big Pitch pitching competition held during the Screenrights’ Lunch.
On Friday evening at the TVNZ sponsored dinner hosted by the Minister for Broadcasting, Hon Dr Jonathan Coleman, the
SPADA New Filmmaker of the Year, the SPADA Independent Producer of the Year, and the SPADA/Onfilm Industry Champion will
be announced.
SPADA Industry Awards are supported by the following sponsors: New Filmmaker of the Year (Principal sponsor: Park Road
Post Production, Sponsors: Panavision, FACB, Kodak, Stage and Screen and Air New Zealand); Independent Producer of the
Year sponsored by Crombie Lockwood/MTJ’s; and SPADA/Onfilm Industry Champion.
The SPADA Conference is supported by the following sponsors: Principal Sponsor NZ Film Commission, Premium Sponsors
TVNZ, Park Road Post Production and Wellington City Council, Key Sponsors New Zealand On Air, Te Puni Kōkiri,
Screenrights, TV3, Sponsors and Supporters Crombie Lockwood/MTJ, Film Finances, FIUA, Fujifilm, Fulcrum Media Finance,
Havana, Images & Sound, Māori Television, New Zealand Trade & Enterprise, Onfilm, ScreenHub, South Pacific Pictures, Stage and Screen, The Film Archive, Voyage Affaires: and SPADA’s
Premiere Partner Telecom.
ENDS