Big Screen Symposium & Script to Screen

In this panel discussion, moderator Sacha Judd speaks with narrative designer, producer and screenwriter Harry Feltham, writer for screen and VR, Dane Giraud and Design Manager at Wellington-based games company Pikpok, Rick Stemm, about the similarities and differences between the storytelling requirements in games, VR, film and television. They discuss what they have learnt from working in the respective mediums and what opportunities there might be to cross over. This session is presented by Screen Canterbury. 

The Big Screen Symposium was held in Auckland on the 9th and 10th of July 2022. 

In this session, four screen industry practitioners, producer Mia Henry-Tierney, producer and showrunner Quinton Hita, writer/director Paula Whetu Jones and Pou Ārahi Kaupapa / Head of Content at Te Mangai Paho Blake Ihimaera as they share their experiences developing and creating work as Māori storytellers, building capacity in the industry, and their vision for the future of Māori stories on screen. This session is moderated by Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship and Director of Māori Advancement at AUT, Dr. Ella Henry. 

The Big Screen Symposium was held in Auckland on the 9th and 10th of July 2022. 

In this panel discussion, sustainability manager and steering committee member for Greenlit Rose Archer, producer and Greenlit chair Craig Gainsborough and Vector’s senior sustainability partner Dr. Prageeth Jayathissa shed light on the enormous sustainability challenges faced by the screen industry. They offer practical methods and tools to help film productions reduce their environmental impact, meet local and international carbon reduction targets, and reduce waste in the screen sector. This session is presented by Screenrights. 

The Big Screen Symposium was held in Auckland on the 9th and 10th of July 2022. 

The opening keynote addresses are centered around the theme Transforming

Culture and are delivered by five storytellers: documentary maker Leanne

Pooley, games designer and producer Maru Nihoniho, writer and activist Cole

Meyers, producer Emma Slade, writer/ director Sebastián Lelio online from

Chile, and microbiologist Dr Siouxsie Wiles. Each speaker presents their ideas on

the transformative power of story and the transformation the screen sector is

currently experiencing from their own unique point of view and relevant to their

recent work. This session is presented by Te Māngai Paho. The speakers are

introduced by event MC & journalist Paula Penfold.

This session is from the Big Screen Symposium held in Auckland on the 4th and 5th of December 2020.

The Big Screen Symposium 2020 was brought to you by Script to Screen and J&A

Productions. We gratefully thank our event partners - the New Zealand Film

Commission, New Zealand On Air, Te Māngai Paho, Images & Sound, Screen

Auckland and AUT.

In this session, two-time Academy Award-nominated producer Finola Dwyer

whose projects include Brooklyn and An Education, shares her approach to

filmmaking using the film Brooklyn as a case study. Finola talks to Carthew Neal,

Academy Award-Winning producer for Jojo Rabbit, about the response to

challenges thrown up during production that ultimately achieved this ambitious film.

This session is from the Big Screen Symposium held in Auckland on the 4th and 5th of December 2020.

The Big Screen Symposium 2020 was brought to you by Script to Screen and J&A

Productions. We gratefully thank our event partners - the New Zealand Film

Commission, New Zealand On Air, Te Māngai Paho, Images & Sound, Screen

Auckland and AUT.

In this case study of 2020 box office hit Savage, writer/director Sam Kelly and

producer Vicky Pope share what they learned from the unforeseen pitfalls and

breakthroughs while bringing to life this ambitious feature film.

This session is from the Big Screen Symposium held in Auckland on the 4th and 5th of December 2020.

The Big Screen Symposium 2020 was brought to you by Script to Screen and J&A

Productions. We gratefully thank our event partners - the New Zealand Film

Commission, New Zealand On Air, Te Māngai Paho, Images & Sound, Screen

Auckland and AUT.

In this session, we hear from Australian multi-hyphenate Scott Ryan about his process creating, writing and starring in the crime drama series Mr In-between. FX renewed the series for a third season which was in production when this session was recorded. Scott is the sole writer and Nash Edgerton is the sole director across the seasons. Mr In-between is based on the 2005 feature film The Magician, which is also written by and stars Scott Ryan. This session is moderated by entertainment journalist, film critic and broadcaster Dominic Corry.

This session is from the Big Screen Symposium held in Auckland on the 4th and 5th of December 2020.

The Big Screen Symposium 2020 was brought to you by Script to Screen and J&A Productions. We gratefully thank our event partners - the New Zealand FilmCommission, New Zealand On Air, Te Māngai Paho, Images & Sound, Screen Auckland and AUT.

In this session, NZ On Air's Chief Executive Cameron Harland and Head of

Funding Amie Mills outline the challenges, ideas and opportunities ahead as we all

try to put 2020 behind us. How do we get local content in front of fragmenting

audiences and young New Zealanders in particular? How do we achieve

authenticity for diverse audiences? If there's a year to transform culture, it is 2021.

This session is moderated by producer Kay Ellmers.

This session is from the Big Screen Symposium held in Auckland on the 4th and 5th of December 2020.

The Big Screen Symposium 2020 was brought to you by Script to Screen and J&A

Productions. We gratefully thank our event partners - the New Zealand Film

Commission, New Zealand On Air, Te Māngai Paho, Images & Sound, Screen

Auckland and AUT.

In this panel discussion, writer and director Becs Arahanga, content commissioner

at Māori Television (kaikōkiri Kaupapa at  Whakaata Māori) Lanita Ririnui and

producer Piripi Curtis explore ideas and methods for Tikanga Māori to be

incorporated into the creation of screen work, from the development of the idea,

through to funding, production, distribution and audience engagement. They share

their own transformative experiences and discuss future ways to tell stories with

Tikanga led values and processes. This panel is moderated by producer Kay

Ellmers.

This session is from the Big Screen Symposium held in Auckland on the 4th and 5th of December 2020.

The Big Screen Symposium 2020 was brought to you by Script to Screen and J&A

Productions. We gratefully thank our event partners - the New Zealand Film

Commission, New Zealand On Air, Te Māngai Paho, Images & Sound, Screen

Auckland and AUT.

In this masterclass, screenwriter Sophie Henderson explores how to build a story

with empathy that connects with its audience. She argues for character authenticity

over likeability and talks about putting your whole self into your script. This session

is presented by Department of Post. Sophie is introduced by actor and director

Lucy Wigmore.

This session is from the Big Screen Symposium held in Auckland on the 4th and 5th of December 2020.

The Big Screen Symposium 2020 was brought to you by Script to Screen and J&A

Productions. We gratefully thank our event partners - the New Zealand Film

Commission, New Zealand On Air, Te Māngai Paho, Images & Sound, Screen

Auckland and AUT.