Michael Bennett, Miriama McDowell, Jessica Hansell, and Todd Karehana each give their take on our theme Authenticity & Pretence in the context of their recent projects, working practice, and view of the world.

Presented by NZ On Air. This session took place on Sunday 1 October, 9.30am at the Big Screen Symposium 2017 in Auckland, NZ.

Moderated by Brita McVeigh.

David Michôd and Luke Davies have been in Los Angeles, living and working in close proximity a lot of the time for nigh on 10 years.

They talk to Brita McVeigh about their quite different respective experiences of this Hollywood chapter of their lives, their observation of each other’s individual working processes, and their feedback loops on each other’s projects.

They are now working together as co-showrunners of the TV adaptation of Catch 22, in development. They explore how the collaboration is taking shape: how they have been writing together, how they attempt to create flow, how they try to be efficient, and how they are dividing the labour.

This session took place on Sunday 1st October, 2:40pm at the Big Screen Symposium 2017 in Auckland, NZ.

Moderated by Brita McVeigh.

“An exquisite, beautifully shot meditation on love clouded by fear and doubt.” Lovesong Review, New York Times, Stephen Holden

Experienced independent director So Yong Kim is known for creating intimacy and atmosphere in her critically acclaimed films In Between Days, Treeless Mountain, For Ellen and Lovesong . In this session she talks about working with the actors to create this mood, and cultivating an individual voice when directing feature films.

As a sought after episodic director for leading series Transparent, American Crime, Queen Sugar and Room 104, So Yong will contrast her feature film experience to directing episodic television using someone else’s blueprint.

So Yong Kim’s session took place on Sunday 1st October, 11:10am at the Big Screen Symposium 2017 in Auckland, NZ.

Presented by Images and Sound

Bec Smith is an agent at United Talent Agency, one of the biggest talent agencies in the world. Originally from Australia, Bec has worked at UTA in Los Angeles for 10 years and her client list includes many acclaimed fellow Australians.

The agency system in the US plays an integral part in the packaging of film and high-end television projects, and Bec’s work as an agent goes beyond the representation of filmmakers.

Connecting talent, seeking finance and representing sales for her clients’ independent films are key parts of her job.

In this special conversation with Jill Macnab, Bec demystifies the US agency system and gives you her take on the current film and television market informed by her recent attendance at festivals and markets including Sundance, Berlin, Cannes, Venice, Toronto and the American Film Market.

Bec’s session took place on Sunday 1st October, 1:20pm at the Big Screen Symposium 2017 in Auckland, NZ.

Los Angeles based Luke Davies is one of Australia’s most sought after writers. In this session, he delves into the challenges of adapting source material for the screen.

Luke adapted his own novel Candy for the screen, and the book A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierley into LION, which went on to be nominated for 2017 Academy Awards Best Adapted Screenplay and to win a BAFTA in this same category.

His current work includes Beautiful Boy an adaptation of a memoir chronicling meth addiction and recovery through the eyes of a father, produced by Brad Pitt’s Plan B, directed by Academy Award nominated Felix van Groeningen and starring Steve Carrell; and a six-part limited series adaptation for television of the beloved Joseph Heller novel Catch 22.

Luke talks about his creative process when working with existing material to create blueprints for compelling film and television. This includes tough decisions he has made, and craft problems he has solved.

Presented by South Pacific Pictures.

Luke’s session took place on Saturday 30th September, 11:40am at the Big Screen Symposium 2017 in Auckland, NZ.

Moderated by Shuchi Kothari.

During this in-depth craft focused session, David Michôd delves into his directorial process and approach with moderator Shuchi Kothari.

Find out how David develops his vision for the look and feel of a film, and ensures it translates on to the screen. David will share his aesthetic preparation including the way he collaborates with DoPs, production designers and actors in pre-production and on set.

Having moved from gritty debut breakout Animal Kingdom to The Rover that was in official selection at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival then big budget Netflix War Machine, David addresses how scale has impacted his directorial vision and process.

David’s session took place on Saturday 30th September, 3:00pm at the Big Screen Symposium 2017 in Auckland, NZ.

Leading distribution strategist Peter Broderick gives an up-to-the-minute overview of the lay of the land, the opportunities, and the perils of distribution. This session is designed to empower filmmakers to design the best roadmaps for their projects.

In this masterclass Peter reviews possible destinations, and explains the importance of starting with clearly defined goals. He demonstrates how traditional routes often turn into dead ends including wide theatrical distribution; highlights promising new paths such as semi-theatrical campaigns; and addresses how essential windows are in marking the legs of the journey. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how you can reach your potential audience in today’s world.

Presented by Loading Docs

Peter’s session took place on Sunday October 1st, 11:10am at the Big Screen Symposium 2017 in Auckland, NZ.