In our Opening Keynote Addresses, six creatives in roles integral to the filmmaking process respond to our theme Mana Auaha, Creative Power. Composer Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper, colourist Alana Cotton, costume designer Jane Holland, editor Jabez Olssen, production designer Ra Vincent, and unit stills photographer Kirsty Griffin each share insight into their individual creative process and what Mana Auaha means to them. This session is presented by Screen Auckland. The speakers are introduced by event MC and actor Morgana O’Reilly. 

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

In this panel discussion presented by the Aotearoa Screen Publicists Collective, publicist Courtney Mayhew and comedian Joe Daymond dive into the importance of social media content and its role in helping your next project reaching its audience. They discuss building a successful strategy, what you need to stand out and how to do so while remaining authentic to your story and audience. This panel is moderated by Letterboxd Editor in Chief and Tangata Tiriti Chair of the Aotearoa Screen Publicists Collective, Gemma Gracewood.

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

In this conversation, ground-breaking writer turned showrunner and producer, Neil Gaiman, speaks with moderator Sacha Judd about the joys and constraints of adapting his stories for the screen. They discuss collaboration; bringing worlds and characters he created in the past into the present; and what he’s learnt steering projects as a showrunner including Netflix’s the Sandman, which was yet to be released at the time of recording. This session is presented by South Pacific Pictures.

Update: this is now the Screen Industry Workers Act

The Screen Industry Worker’s Bill was introduced to Parliament in 2020 and is expected to pass in the coming months. In this panel discussion, Principal Policy Advisor at MBIE (Emby), Gayathiri Ganeshan; the Executive Director of SPADA, Sandy Gildea; ED of DEGANZ, Tui Ruwhiu; ED of the NZ Writer’s Guild Alice Shearman; and the director of Equity New Zealand, Denise Roche speak with producer-director Leanne Pooley, offering an overview of the Bill and what it means for the screen industry. This session is presented by the SAE Institute.

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

This session is a presentation by the New Zealand Film Commission – Te Tumu Whakaata Taonga. Hear from acting CEO Mladen Ivancic, Pou Whakahaere, Te O Kahurangi Waaka, Head of Incentives Catherine Bates, Head of International Screen Attraction Philippa Mossman, and Head of Marketing Jasmin McSweeney as they celebrate recent creative, cultural and commercial achievements within the screen industry since BSS 2020. The team outline NZFC’s focus on supporting the industry through COVID-19, re-engaging internationally, and adopting a strategic approach to change.

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

In this session, writer, director and producer Toa Fraser shares insights into his creative process and how it has changed with his diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease. Toa speaks with writer, director Paula Whetu Jones about growing up in England, making his way to New Zealand and connecting with his Fijian roots all while creating stories and discovering what Mana Auaha means to him. This session is presented by Hnry.

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

In this session, celebrated writer director Destin Daniel Cretton speaks with NZ writer director Roseanne Liang about his journey developing his directing and storytelling voice throughout his career. They discuss his experience making the award-winning Short Term 12, and how its success eventually led to him directing Marvel Studios’ Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings – the first film in the MCU to be led by an Asian actor and have a mostly Asian cast. Destin joined the Big Screen Symposium via live stream. This session is presented by Wingnut Group.

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

In this session, series creator Simone Nathan and director Aidee Walker discuss the process of making the binge-worthy Jewish comedy series Kid Sister, from conception through to post-production. They speak with journalist Alex Casey about the writing process, the wearing of multiple creative ‘hats’, the joys of working with other female creatives, and the challenges of overcoming budget limitations.

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

In this session, NZ On Air gives an update on what it’s been working on since December 2020, and where to from here. Chief Executive, Cameron Harland and Head of Funding, Amie Mills take us through topics such as innovative data framework for pan-sector audience measurement, new frontiers in children’s content, success of collaborations including Te Puna Kairangi and the co-fund with Te Māngai Pāho, some insights on what opportunities changes to NZSPG [SPIG] might bring, proposed updates to funding policies in the wake of the NZMF Review, and the win-win of bringing together New Zealand music and local screen content.

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

In this session, Grant Major delves into his involvement as a production designer on The Power of the Dog, from first reading the script, to the painstaking work in bringing the physical settings to life, and shepherding them through the filming process. He talks about how story and authenticity were the paramount drivers in day-to-day decisions, and the collaborations he had with a brilliant, creative team of people in the world-building for this highly successful film. This session is presented by Department of Post.

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

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 was 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.