Download - Communications and Development Department ...

More documents

Recommendations

Info

New Zealand on FilmThe American Film Institute has described the New Zealand film industry’s growth as “one of thewonders of the world”. New Zealand Film Commission CEO Ruth Harley is pleased with progress.By Chanel HughesNew Zealand film has undergone anastonishing revolution in the pastsix years. Not only has it enjoyedan unprecedented success on theinternational scene, with more Oscarsthan we can shake a stick at, but asteady stream of quality local movies isproducing a never before seen box-officecontinuity that has audiences clamouringfor more.In the past 12 months alone theproduction of New Zealand films has beenexceptional. Following hot on the heelsof Peter Jackson’s and Andrew Adamson’sDecember 2005 blockbusters King Kongand The Chronicles of Narnia: the Lion, theWitch and the Wardrobe were The World’sFastest Indian, River Queen, No.2 and Sione’sWedding — high-quality New Zealand filmstelling New Zealand stories.The World’s Fastest Indian grossed $7million in box office sales, holding itsnumber one position for six weeks,which was previously unheard of for adomestic film.Glowing with pride at this renaissance ofNew Zealand cinema is Canterbury alumnaDr Ruth Harley, Chief Executive of theNew Zealand Film Commission (NZFC),whose nine-year tenure has prepared arich ground for the industry’s continuingnourishment.Since she joined the organisation in 1997,Harley has dramatically reshaped the FilmCommission’s vision and significantlyincreased the number of films in which thecommission invests.“When I started there were quite a fewthings I thought the Film Commissioncould do better. The organisation was veryrun-down financially and had received verylittle government funding for a long time.“Another thing I thought we needed tochange was the relationship betweenfilmmakers and distributors and thefocus on marketing, which had been poor.With my television background, I wasvery used to the idea that a project wasdeveloped for an audience. It’s importantto ask, who is this film for and how do wemarket to them?”Harley implemented a much strongerbusiness affairs capability in theorganisation and set about consciouslyestablishing a closer relationship with NewZealand’s overseas filmmakers.Most significantly, Harley and her teamimplemented the Film Fund, which PrimeMinister Helen Clark agreed to in 2000,resulting in an instant $22 million cashinjection. Whale Rider, Perfect Strangers,River Queen, The World’s Fastest Indian andPerfect Creature have been the primarybeneficiaries of this, showing high returnon investment in terms of raising theprofile of New Zealand film. Whale Riderwas the most successful independent filmof 2003, and Harley says both it and TheWorld’s Fastest Indian will be two of themost successful domestic films of all time.Peter Jackson’s phenomenal success withthe Lord of the Rings trilogy, which earned13 Academy Award nominations andfour BAFTA awards, lifted the entire NewZealand film scene beyond the industry’swildest dreams. Harley has successfullymanoeuvred the NZFC into a position to beable to maximise the flow-on benefits fromthis, of which one of the most valuable isprobably the new sense of optimism amongNew Zealand filmmakers.“The scale of ambition has grownenormously, and that’s very largely to dowith Peter’s success. People now feel freeto stay in New Zealand and imagine makingfilms on any scale they like. Previouslythey would have been absolutely certainthat they needed to go to Hollywood orLondon.”Established in 1978 by an act of the NewZealand Parliament, the NZFC has thestatutory responsibility “to encourageand participate and assist in the making,promotion, distribution and exhibitionof films” made in New Zealand by NewZealanders on New Zealand subjects.It does this in four ways: by providing loansand equity financing to filmmakers; byactively assisting with the sales andmarketing of New Zealand films through itssales agency, NZ Film; by facilitatingtraining and professional development26 Canterbury Magazine
within the industry; and by supportingfestival and awards programmes, torecognise excellence and rewardachievement. All these initiativesencourage growth.Harley says the professional developmentinitiatives fall into two broad categories.“One relates to our slate of projects, andwe usually generate those initiativesourselves and run them in a very handsonway. The second category is for moregeneral industry development, for lessexperienced filmmakers. We usually dothose in association with the likes of theNew Zealand Writers Guild, Script to Screen,the Screen Directors Guild or SPADA [ScreenProduction and Development Association],and they are more broad-based initiatives.”Part of this involves forging closerrelationships with New Zealand filmmakerswho are offshore. “We work very hard onthose relationships to encourage theirinvolvement in a professional developmentor mentoring capacity, and to encouragethem to make their films here.”The funding takes a two-prongedapproach that both fosters first-timedirectors and supports experiencedfilmmakers, and is treated as investmentrather than grant funding.The NZFC puts in significant work over abroad range of film projects. “We currentlyhave an active slate of 70 projects,excluding offshore features and slates runby independent producers,” Harley says.Only a slim 10 per cent of those, however,will make it to feature film.“And just over 10 per cent of those willbe successful,” she says. “That’s a slightunderstatement at the moment, as we’reexperiencing higher growth than that, butit’s a tough game.”It’s a long-term investment though, asdemonstrated by Jackson, who Harleysays has probably been the mostsupported filmmaker in the history ofthe Film Commission.Of the 236 feature films made in NewZealand since 1939, the NZFC has investedin 118 of them, of which 46 have beenduring Harley’s tenure.The busy phase continues with Out ofthe Blue (the retelling of the Aramoanamassacre) and the comedy horror BlackSheep enjoying world premieres at theToronto International Film Festival inSeptember. The Ferryman, The Tattooistand Eagle vs Shark are also due for releasewithin the next 12 months.Each of these films tells a uniquelyAntipodean tale, a feature that has nowbecome a market strength in the industryrather than a disadvantage.New Zealand Film Commission Chief Executive Dr Ruth Harley is proud of the renaissance of New Zelaand cinema.“New Zealand content is a strong criterionfor [NZFC support], both because of theresult it produces, of telling our stories onscreen, but also because of the marketingedge it gives us. They are unique in a veryovercrowded market.”Harley has been “telling our stories”almost since her career began. She sether course in the arts world from a youngage, studying English literature at theUniversity of Canterbury before travellingfirst to the UK and then to Egypt for ayear, where she taught English as a secondlanguage in Cairo. This was followed bya brief stint in an English comprehensiveschool in London.Returning to New Zealand, Harleycontinued her studies with an MA inEnglish literature and film at AucklandUniversity, and a PhD on politics and publicthemes in New Zealand literature between1930 and 1950. She worked as a temporaryassistant junior lecturer at Auckland, alsoteaching film in the university’s continuingeducation programme, before joining theQueen Elizabeth II Arts Council in 1979.Harley spent six years with the ArtsCouncil, first as an advisory officerthen as chief advisory officer, beforemoving to TVNZ as its first programmecommissioning editor, in which role shebrought to air such classic Kiwi staples asthe Topp Twins’ first television special.When New Zealand On Air was created in1989, Harley was recruited as its first chiefexecutive, with responsibility for setting upthe procedures and processes for fundingNew Zealand-made television productions.She held this role for six years before beingrecruited by Saatchi & Saatchi in Wellingtonas the firm’s national media director, whereshe remained until joining the NZFC.The year before she took up the role withthe NZFC, Harley was made an Officer of theOrder of the British Empire in recognitionof her exceptional commitment tobroadcasting and the arts in New Zealand.She was made a Companion of the NewZealand Order of Merit for services to filmin 2006.Harley is succinct in summarising herattraction to the arts, though it clearlydefines a lifetime passion. “I like thetruths that are told in the realm of theimagination.”She will concede, though modestly, that theburgeoning success of New Zealand film inrecent years has contributed to a growingsense of national identity.“I think the success of our film industryat the highest levels has led to a sense ofpride, a sense of achievement and a sense ofambition, in the same way as New Zealand’ssuccess with the America’s Cup did. In thatrespect, I think it absolutely contributes toa growing sense of confident identity.”Summer 2006 27
Page 3 and 4: Vice-Chancellor’s welcomeWelcome
Page 8 and 9: ARTS FIND A GREATA two-week celebra
Page 10 and 11: In search ofBeatrice Hill TinsleyBy
Page 12 and 13: MRI scans flag neurodevelopmental i
Page 14 and 15: 40786342375673411234256790421467803
Page 16: 16 Canterbury MagazineA Century ofE
Page 19 and 20: Robotic research is no monkey busin
Page 21 and 22: Canterbury Awards which celebrate t
Page 23 and 24: Monitoringmerino movementsBy Maria
Page 25: The gift that goes on givingBy Chan
Page 29 and 30: Dan Sinclair (far left) and a colle
Page 31 and 32: Insider politicsBy Maria De CortSay
Page 33 and 34: “The reality is that outside acad
Page 35 and 36: HELPING HEARTSBy Diana MoirA Canter
Page 37 and 38: “What are you going to learn bybe
Page 39 and 40: How to Look at a PaintingJustin Pat
Page 41 and 42: Corks pop for century of commerceUn
Page 43 and 44: for acute inpatients at St George
Page 45 and 46: Photos: istock photoAlumni Networks
Page 47: Alumni BenefitsIn many instances yo

Download - Communications and Development Department ...

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?