A troupe of kiwi comedians, a DIY wizard and the steepest street in the world are just some of the unique New Zealand stories to be brought to the screen for the 2012 New Zealand Young Producer Shorts on BBC Knowledge.
Click to tweet: BBC Knowledge & SPADA announce winners for New Zealand Young Producer Shorts 2012 @BBCKnowledgeAU http://bbc.in/IC8gOc
Five talented producers will receive grants of $5,000 AUD (approx $6,350 NZD) to produce their short films as part of the joint film-making initiative between BBC Knowledge and New Zealand’s Screen Production and Development Association (SPADA). The five films will premiere on BBC Knowledge on SKY TV later this year.
Now in its second year, the New Zealand Young Producer Shorts invites local producers under 30 to submit film concepts telling NZ stories that reflect the spirit of the BBC Knowledge channel – intelligent, informative, innovative and sometimes irreverent.
The judging panel, consisting of representatives from the NZ production sector, SPADA, SKY TV and BBC Worldwide, said the entries were of a remarkably high calibre this year covering an ambitious and diverse range of subjects.
Deirdre Brennan, General Manager and Director of Channels and Branded Services, Australasia comments:
“We are thrilled to be partnering with SPADA and the New Zealand production community once again to bring fresh local stories to BBC Knowledge audiences. There was a significant increase in the volume of entries this year and it will be a great pleasure to see the final five evolve. I look forward to seeing them on the channel later this year.”
SPADA Chief Executive Penelope Borland added: “We are delighted that this partnership nurturing young talent has been such a success in its first year and there has been even more interest this year in this wonderful opportunity for short-form documentaries by young New Zealand filmmakers to be screened on BBC Knowledge both in New Zealand and Australia.”
The full list of winners is as follows:
Joey Bania, Dunedin
Lost and Found
In a remote corner of New Zealand's South Island, enigmatic inventor Blair Somerville has created the ultimate tribute to DIY wizardry, a collection of interactive artworks he calls the Lost Gypsy Caravan. Lost and Found invites viewers down the rabbit hole to experience Blair's world in all its homemade glory.
Andy Boreham, Wellington
Beneath the Wig
Beneath the Wig will strip back the glittery façade of drag to reveal some of the real and raw stories of men who sometimes wear dresses.
George Dawes, Dunedin
Steep Street: Tales from the Steepest Street in the World
Steep Street tells the story of a quiet – but steep – street. Take a trip up Baldwin Street and meet the residents of the steepest street in the world. From drunken antics of Dunedin’s students to the little old lady running a gift shop in her living room where the prices are, frankly, a little steep
Heidi O’Loughlin, Auckland
Mum I’m off to Melbourne for a laugh
Four young kiwi comedians travel to the Melbourne International Comedy
Festival in an attempt to find success at Australia's biggest cultural event of
the year, all whilst trying to keep their heads above water and their
friendship in tact.
David
White, Wellington
Who is Lee Harris?
Crime, accusations and narking - but is any of it true? Who is Lee Harris? is an investigative documentary to find the facts about one of the biggest mysteries in the Manawatu Gorge.
For more information or interviews with Deirdre Brennan or the filmmakers, please contact: Nicole Haraldson at BBC Worldwide Australia on +61 2 9744 4551 email nicole.haraldson@bbc.com
About BBC Worldwide
BBC Worldwide Limited is the main commercial arm and a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The company exists to maximise the value of the BBC’s assets for the benefit of the licence fee payer and invest in public service programming in return for rights. The company has five core businesses: Channels, Content & Production, Sales & Distribution, Consumer Products, Brands, Consumers & New Ventures, with digital ventures incorporated into each business area. In 2010/11, BBC Worldwide generated profits of £160 million on sales of £1158 million and returned £182m to the BBC. For more detailed performance information please see our Annual Review website: www.bbcworldwide.com/annualreview
About BBC Worldwide Australia
Australia is a priority territory for BBC Worldwide, focusing on growth across all five of its core businesses. Based in Macquarie Park, Sydney, the company’s addressable market share has trebled in three years. BBC Worldwide Australia wholly owns five channels; UKTV, BBC Knowledge and CBeebies in Australia; UKTV NZ and BBC Knowledge NZ in New Zealand; and is responsible for the sales, promotion and distribution of World News which transmits in both countries. It distributes great British content from the BBC and other producers to all free-to-air and most subscription channels in Australia and New Zealand. BBC Worldwide Australia is a stakeholder in Australian production company Freehand and has a joint venture company with ACP, Park Publishing, which publishes BBC-branded magazines in the territory. It works with partners to bring BBC Worldwide DVDs, digital apps, innovative products and live events to the local market, as well as offering advertising opportunities for the BBC’s world renowned bbc.com news site and lonelyplanet.com. BBC Worldwide Australia has recently launched the global BBC iPlayer in Australia.
About Channels
BBC Worldwide Channels is one of five BBC Worldwide businesses. Formed in 2005, the business’ diverse portfolio of channel brands provides a global showcase for the best mix of British TV across factual, entertainment, children’s and lifestyle programming. The company is the UK’s leading international broadcaster, operating a network of localised channels that reach over 300 million homes in more than 100 countries around the world.
