The New Zealand Writers Guild (NZWG) and the New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) are excited to announce an additional pathway for New Zealand writers under the highly successful NZWG Seed programme for new creative projects.
The NZWG Seed Grants allow writers to be innovative, brilliant, and to create something they own, just as they see it. A producer is not required to access the grant. Introduction of a new Seed Advanced element this year is aimed at reducing competition in the Seed pathway between emerging writers and more experienced writers.
The new grants acknowledge experienced writers by offering a higher grant level and flexibility around development costs.
The NZWG has been operating the Seed Grants Scheme for three years, with funding from the NZFC, and to date has seen 30 projects from 35 writers each awarded grants of $10,000 to develop feature film scripts.
A number of Seed-funded scripts have gone on to be picked up for investment or win acclaim in the international market, including last year’s Untitled Teen Pregnancy Road Movie (With Zombies) by Casey Whelan and Steve Barr, which was voted among 2016’s best spec scripts on the Hollywood-based Hit List.
For details of the 2017 NZWG Seed and Seed Advance scheme see below.
SEED and SEED ADVANCED – Created by Writers for Writers
To give the New Zealand screen industry its best chance of success we need strong and new ideas. We need stories that resonate. NZWG believes that our primary storytellers need to be unleashed and offered diverse pathways for developing these stories. Allowing writers space to find their voices will see new and fresh perspectives emerge to enrich the industry and the country.
The goal of these NZFC funded grants is to create an opportunity for writers to create the feature film scripts they believe in. Seed provides unencumbered development funding specifically for writers only.
Seed
NZWG Seed Grants are offered over two rounds with a total of eight grants of $10,000 (+ any applicable GST) for the development of a first draft of a feature film script. Included in each grant is $2,500 (+ any applicable GST) to put toward script consultation.
For full details, conditions and criteria, see the NZWG Seed Page.
Seed Advanced
NZWG Seed Advanced Grants are offered over two rounds with a total of four grants of $12,500 (+ any applicable GST) for the development of feature film scripts. Seed Advanced is open to established writers who have more than one hour of scripted broadcast credits. Included in each grant is $2,500 (+ any applicable GST) for further development of the feature film script. This can include (but is not limited to) workshops, table reads, research and multiple script consultants.
Applicants can only apply to one fund per round – either Seed or Seed Advanced. One or more applications may be submitted per round.
For full details, conditions and criteria, see the NZWG Seed Advanced Page.
NZWG SEED + SEED ADVANCED GRANT DATES – 2017
Seed + Seed Advanced Round ONE
Round 1 OPEN for entries: 7 April 2017
Round 1 Deadline: 2 June 2017 – 12 noon
Seed + Seed Advanced Round TWO
Round 2 OPEN for entries: 25 August 2017
Round 2 Deadline: 20 October 2017 – 12 noon
Further information and how to enter here.