The DEGANZ Podcast
By DEGANZ
DEGANZ is the New Zealand guild and union that represents directors, editors and assistant editors working across screen and new media.
The DEGANZ PodcastOct 05, 2022
The Director & VFX with Sharon Lark and Stan Alley
Sharon Lark, an independent VFX producer and consultant, and Stan Alley, a VFX supervisor, shed light on the power of VFX and how it can open doors to new story possibilities, in this online talk.
With examples from their own work and from the audience, Sharon and Stan share advice on the ideal relationship between director-VFX, what different budgets can get you, and how VFX can serve your story.
Directing Kids: A Case Study with Steven Chatterton
UK director/writer Steven Chatterton shares the tools he found useful when working with a first time child actor in his short film Adnan. He discusses how important the tools were when working on every aspect of Adnan, through auditions, rehearsals and sets.
Adnan is the story of an imaginative ten year old Syrian refugee boy who has had to flee his home country with his mother after the rest of their family were killed and their neighbourhood destroyed. Now settled in the UK, he must use all his creativity to break through his mother’s PTSD or risk losing her forever.
Coming Home in the Dark with James Ashcroft & Annie Collins
Director James Ashcroft and editor Annie Collins discuss their successful collaboration on New Zealand thriller Coming Home in the Dark. Enjoy this largely spoiler-free Q&A, moderated by DEGANZ member/director Rob Sarkies.
Starring Daniel Gillies (The Vampire Diaries), Erik Thomson (The Luminaries), Miriama McDowell (Head High) and Matthias Luafutu (Ghost in the Shell), Coming Home in the Dark garnered rave reviews after premiering at Sundance 2021. It won Best Narrative, Best Director and Best Supporting Actor (Luafutu) awards at the Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival.
Content warning:
- This episode is for mature audiences only.
- It contains references to abuse in state care.
LGBTQ+ Film Festival Directors Q&A
Meet film festival directors Andrea Coloma (MIX COPENHAGEN), Spiro Economopoulos (Melbourne Queer Film Festival) and James Wooley (Frameline: San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival), joining us to discuss the rich histories and stories of how their Queer film festivals came to be.
Moderated by filmmaker Kayne Ngātokowha Peters, our international guests discuss the social, political and creative landscape of gay cinema; and how New Zealanders can submit their films and join their global communities.
Content warning:
- Strong language.
- Contains sexual references.
Screenlink: Champagne Taste on a Beer Budget
Writer/director Sam Kelly (Savage, Lambs), DOP Jess Charlton (Loimata, The Sweetest Tears) and DOP Richard Bluck NZCS (Black Sheep) weigh in on the creative advantages of filmmaking and collaborating on a small budget. We all want to make amazing work that looks exceptional. But what can you do when your budget doesn’t look so great?
Moderated by director Kathy McRae, this event was held in Wellington in June 2022 as part of the Screenlink series, and presented by DEGANZ and the New Zealand Cinematographers Society.
Editing the Facts
Experienced editors Huhana Ruri-Panapa, Phil Holt and Anthea Ede Smith discuss their careers and the many aspects of their work in factual editing.
Factual content makes up a great deal of Aotearoa New Zealand’s Screen Industry — stories framed by real people, places, and events. What does it take for an editor to work on anything from a large scale factual series to a one-off documentary?
This in-person session was moderated by editor and composer Chris Anderton, and is packed full of nuggets of wisdom, sure to be useful for you, whether you’re an established editor or embarking on your own journey and looking to get a foot in the door.
Content warning:
- Strong language.
Screenlink: Sound Design - The Unsung Author
Listen to acclaimed sound designers Dave Whitehead (The Power of the Dog, Dune, Blade Runner 2049, Arrival) and Michelle Child (Night Raiders, Cousins, Arrival, Elysium) in a session moderated by director James Ashcroft, on the impact of the creative art of sound design.
Sound is a powerful storytelling tool that shortcuts the pathways and goes straight to the emotions of the viewer. It is a critically essential part of filmmaking, yet, it is often overlooked or left to the last minute in post-production; and often when there is just a fraction of the budget left.
Presented by DEGANZ and our friends at the Screen Music and Sound Guild of New Zealand as part of the Screenlink series.
Educators: The Craft of the Laugh
Director Jesse Griffin and editor Stuart Boone join DEGANZ to discuss the fascinating process of writing, directing and editing the hit, unscripted comedy series Educators.
Comedy isn’t just canned laughter and superficial gags, it has depth and the ability to reveal home truths about ourselves and human nature. Discover how to mine a scene for golden nuggets of truth, how to find the funniest moments in the edit suite and bring order to improvised comedy. As the duo admits, “It’s like putting together a jigsaw puzzle except the pieces have nothing on them...”
Content warning:
- Spoilers.
- Strong language.
- Sexual references in relation to the show.
Intimate Perspectives with Intimacy Coordinator Tandi Wright
Tandi Wright introduces directors to her work as an intimacy coordinator and provides tips for working with ICs.
Intimacy coordinators have fast become a staple on sets when filming sex scenes and nudity. But what does an intimacy coordinator do? And how does an IC fit into your team and creative vision as a director? Tandi will cover how she prepares and her involvement during shooting and rehearsals on low-budget student films to large international productions.
Content warning:
- This episode is for mature audiences only.
- Contains sexual references.