NEWS
How Toi Whakaari is creating the future of theatre and film in New Zealand...
TOI WHAKAARI FILM PROJECT QUARTERS AT NEW ZEALAND INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Quarters is a set of four evocative short films made by students in their last year of Design at Toi Whakaari: NZ Drama School. The film project was funded through the School’s pitched project scheme, which supports independent collaborative work made in a student's final year. Jessica Sanderson, Rowan Pierce, Ian Hammond and Richard Larsen all graduated in 2009.
Quarters is a compendium of abstract, dream-like short films that capture diversity in Kiwi experience and challenge familiar concepts of national identity. Jessica Sanderson’s Our House reanimates the latent memories of a family home that is being left for the last time. Rowan Pierce’s Bethankit focuses on the traditions and rituals of Scottish culture: through distance and time these practices take on arcane, even surreal, qualities. The Depth of Place by Ian Hammond unearths faintly grasped images of childhood, while memories of a distant past become tangible in Richard Larsen’s On the Shore of a Frozen Sea. Also screening on this programme is Alyx Duncan’s Appetite, which reimagines the mythic creation of New Zealand in a bustling sushi bar.
Screening dates: 22 & 29 July 1.30pm at the City Gallery Cinema, Wellington.
More information at the New Zealand International Film Festival website.
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TOI WHAKAARI: NZ DRAMA SCHOOL IS MAKING HISTORY – LITERALLY.
As part of the yearlong celebration the students and staff of the School have put together a Time Capsule, which will take greetings from the current Toi Whakaari crew to the future one in 2050. The burial of the Capsule and planting of a kowhai tree to commemorate the 40th Anniversary took place on Monday 14 June. The event was attended by The Governor-General, Hon Sir Anand Satyanand and his wife Lady Susan Satyanand. The Time Capsule is marked by a bronze plaque with inscription:
This kowhai tree was planted by the Governor-General of New Zealand,
Hon Sir Anand Satyanand, on 14 June 2010, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of
Toi Whakaari: NZ Drama School.
Ma mua ka kite a muri, ma muri ka ora a mua.
Those who lead give sight to those who follow; those behind give life to those ahead.
Time Capsule contributions include something from each year of all the six of the School’s courses and the staff. The Director of Toi Whakaari, Annie Ruth, and two past Directors have written letters to the School’s Director in 2050 and a recording of a typical Friday staff meeting will be included.
Students have contributed by inserting transcripts of tutorials, photos of the building they inhabit today, stories and photographs of themselves and Wellington in our time, music videos and recordings of their memories. Some students have written letters about what they think will happen in the future and included equipment list of their tools today to compare with those of the future. Also a handmade patchwork quilt will be buried in the Time Capsule along with a self-made jigsaw with hopes and tips written on the pieces. Even a miniature model of Head of Design Penny Fitt and a written dedication to her will be buried underground for the next 40 years.
Click here to read the Speech given by the Governor General.
IT IS ALL ABOUT SCREEN DESIGN AT TOI
It was ‘all about screen’ in the design department last week with guests from The Hobbit and and Rings Trilogy Team, a visit from an LA based textile artists and a host of experts contributing to a screen hui that will influence the Bachelor of Design ( Stage and Screen).
It was wonderful to get some of the experts from The Hobbit design team in to talk to the students. Alan Lee (UK) and John Howe (Switzerland) were the concept artists for the Lord of the Rings trilogy and are currently here again working with Guillermo del Torro. They were very generous with their time and inspired the students with images of their work (the bits that are not top secret!) as well as answering the many questions.
2 days later, we welcomed Matt Reitsma, textile artist from LA, who came with piles of his fabric samples and demonstrated some of the techniques he uses to create them.
On top of all this we had a meeting of our screen practitioners’ think-tank, who are supporting and contributing to the development of ‘screen’ within the design degree. These guests included Jim Acheson, who is now working with us in so many ways to be an ambassador for the design degree and for Toi Whakaari. Also Tommy Honey from the Film School, designers John Harding and Nicola Marshall, John Downie from Victoria University (Theatre and Film Dept.), Sam Trubridge and Paul Bradley.
We’d like to thank all those practicing designers and inspirational thinkers for contributing to the design department.
chelsie is Home by ChrisTmas
Chelsie Preston Crayford graduated from Toi in 2008 and is currently playing her grand mother in the kiwi feature movie, Home by Christmas. It is a love story written, produced and directed by Gaylene Preston (Chelsie's mum) based on the wartime marriage of her parents, Ed and Tui. With a loving and compassionate eye, her lifelong curiosity and special imagination, she reveals the two sides of a traumatic separation brought about by World War II.
Since graduating Chelsie has been awarded ‘best performance in a short film’ at the 2007 New Zealand Screen Awards for her role in Peter Salmon’s Fog, winner of the audience vote at Cannes Film Festival Critics Week.
Her feature film work includes Taika Waititi’s Eagle Vs Shark, (Official Selection, Sundance Film Festival) and Anthony McCarten’s Show of Hands, for which she attracted special mentions in numerous reviews.
Her theatre work includes leads in The Sally Rodwell Monologues and the Silo Theatre productions of Ruben Guthrie and That Face both directed by Shane Bosher.
For more info on the film check out the official website www.homebychristmas.com
pick of the fringe picks toi whakaari students
Last night at the Wellington Fringe awards, Toi Whakaari students and grads swept the floor with a bouquet of prizes including Best One Man Band (Guy Langford, acting grad 2009), Best Production Design and Where Did You Come From? (Best Newcomer) for A Love Tail with design from Thomas Press (ET grad 2005), Richard Larsen and Ian Hammond (design grads 2009) directed by Kate McGill, starring Aroha White and Matariki Whatarau (acting grads 20090, teched by Marie Deere (current BPAM student).
See Guy in action on Good Morning here.
The prestigious and highly competitive Pick of the Fringe prize that sees a return season from 18 March at Downstage Theatre, went to Wannabe a one-man show by 2009 acting grad Guy Langford, directed by MTA student Erina Daniels, produced by BPAM student Ricky Beirai Burjac, and Back/Words which was created by current second year actor Victoria Abbot, Jackie Shaw and Catherine Wright with production and stage management from current BPAM student Sophie Dowson. Well done guys!
For more info on Pick of the Fringe visit www.downstage.co.nz
Louis Sutherland picks up another award for short film,
The Six Dollar Fifty Man
New Zealand short film The Six Dollar Fifty Man has won the Jury Prize for International Short Filmmaking at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah.
Written and directed by Toi acting grad Louis Sutherland and Mark Albiston and produced by Wendy Cuthbert, The Six Dollar Fifty Man tells the story of a gutsy eight-year-old boy who retreats into a make believe world to deal with playground bullying.
“We are fortunate enough in New Zealand to have a crew that pretty much walk off Peter Jackson’s sets and then jump on ours and work for two or three weeks for a day rate. That’s the kiwi kind of attitude, and we’re proud of that,” said Sutherland.
The Six Dollar Fifty Man has gone from strength to strength after having its world premiere and gaining ‘Special Distinction’ at Cannes last year. Last week, it won the ‘Cooper Award’ for ‘Best Short Film’ Australasia’s only Academy-qualifying film festival, Flickerfest.
The 15 minute short won a slate of awards at the 2009 Qantas Film and Television Awards, which included: Best Short Film, Best Performance in a Short Film and Best Screenplay for a Short Film. It also won the ‘Black Pearl Award 09’ for ‘Best Narrative Short’ at the Middle East International Film Festival in the United Arab Emirates and Best Short Fiction Film in the official competition of Expresion En Corto International Film Festival in Mexico.
The 26th Sundance Film Festival is held in and around Park City in Utah each January. This year the festival's short film program comprised 70 short films from US and international filmmakers selected from a record 6092 submissions.
The next stop after Sundance for The Six Dollar Fifty Man is the short film festival in Clermont-Ferrand, France, next week. It will then be screening in the Generation Kplus competition of the 60th Berlinale Internationale Film Festival from 11- 21 February 2010.
Watch a clip on Youtube.
WATCH CLASSIC GRADUATE FILMS ONLINE
NZ on Screen are featuring some classic Toi Whakaari graduation films on their website. Click on the film names below to have a watch, all free and not too long.
BAD DATES Graduation Film 2005 WATCH
Written and directed by Grant LaHood.
Bad Dates peeks into a fictional evening of speed dating; those evenings where singles meet prospective partners on fast-rotation. This quick-paced short turns the idea into tragi-comedy, where, in the vital opening bouts of small-talk, a series of prospective relationships go down in flames before they've even begun. Writer/director Grant LaHood democratically gives equal screen time amongst the ensemble cast of graduating Toi Whakaari students and to a range of idiosyncrasies ranging from the infantile to the sex-obsessed.
Duration: 15 mins.
DEAD END Graduation Film 2003 WATCH
Written and directed by Mark Albiston. Script by Louis Sutherland.
Before their award-winning short films Run and Six Dollar Fifty Man (both invited to Cannes, in 2007 and 2009 respectively), Mark Albiston and Louis Sutherland (Toi Acting grad) gave early notice of their talents with this short. Dead End chronicles the tensions and preparations as various people converge for a funeral. Director Albiston utilises imaginative angles, music, humour and surprise to inject energy into a familiar scenario. Invited to film festivals in NZ, Sydney and Ourense (Spain).
Duration: 16 mins.
NEW DESIGN STUDIOS OPENED BY JOHN KEY
In a dramatic theatrical event on Tuesday 6 October, Prime Minister John Key officially opened the new Design Wing at Toi Whakaari: NZ Drama School, the learning place of the theatre and screen designers of the future. The Bachelor of Design for stage and screen at Toi Whakaari is the only course of its kind in New Zealand.
The new design wing contains three purpose built design studios, providing a separate studio for each year of students. The gorgeous new studios were designed by Aonui Architects in conjunction with the Design department of Toi Whakaari and Te Whaea Services and take advantage of the fantastic views northeast towards the city and harbour. Each studio has opening windows, plenty of natural light, running water, and the large box window which runs down the front of the building creating a lot of interest. In addition, a new Props Workshop has been created giving the design, costume and technical students a “dirty” area so they do not need to use their studios for messy work.
Not only have the architectural features of the original building been incorporated into the new design wing, but also in an exhibition space that has been created on the upper level of the studios. This allows design work to be creatively displayed, an important part of the design process and gives the students an opportunity to show examples of the wide range of work covered in the degree.
TOI WHAKAARI IN SHANGHAI
Director Annie Ruth and Jonathon Hendry, Head of Acting, took four students to the UNESCO ITI Asia-Pacific Festival of Theatre Schools in Shanghai in early June.
The International Theatre Institute (ITI), an international non-governmental organization (NGO) was founded in Prague in 1948 by UNESCO and the international theatre community. A worldwide network, the ITI aims to promote international exchange of knowledge and practice in theatre arts (drama, dance, music theatre, any of the performing arts) in order to consolidate peace and solidarity between peoples, to deepen mutual understanding and increase creative co-operation between all people in the performing arts.
Toi Whakaari was formally ratified (unanimously) as a full member of the Asia Pacific Bureau. Both the Shanghai Academy of Dramatic Arts and the National Drama School of India have signed bilateral exchange agreements with Toi Whakaari.
