Empowering Call To Action For Young Filmmakers Against The Backdrop Of Funding Cuts And Challenging Times Ahead

Amid shrinking funding budgets, slashed opportunities and media outlet closures - there is one bright spark holding on, growing stronger and providing vital talent development opportunities for young people with a passion for screen storytelling.

Day One Hāpai te Haeata, a dynamic organisation that fosters the talent of rangatahi filmmakers across Aotearoa (previously known as The Outlook for Someday), is thrilled to announce a relaunch alongside evolved opportunities for aspiring creators.

Giving a rousing speech to a packed house at Tāmaki Makaurau’s Te Pou Theatre on 3 April, Day One Executive Director Chris Widdup outlined the current landscape:

“Talent development is under fire. How do we as a society demonstrate to our young people that their ideas matter and that their voices will be heard? Providing opportunities and support for young people to express themselves on screen is so important - telling stories for a better tomorrow. With arts budgets being severely cut across the motu, short filmmaking will decline in New Zealand. Short films are a proving ground for storytellers to find their voice and showcase their skills, and a whole host of other crafts people get to step up and demonstrate their potential. Supporting mahi like ours is how talent development will work for the foreseeable future.”

NZ On Air Chief Executive Cameron Harland speaking at Big Screen Symposium shared that the screen industry was “facing incredibly turbulent times.” New Zealand Film Commission Chief Executive Annie Murray stated “We really do need to rethink how we do things” and called for more industry led talent development opportunities. So how does Day One Hāpai te Haeata achieve this?

Day One Hāpai te Haeata, a supportive not-for-profit community, provides rangatahi filmmakers (traditionally 29 years of age and under) with the tools, guidance and opportunities to share screen stories. With 17 years (and counting!) of collaborating with young creatives under their belt, Day One continues to centre youth storytelling and filmmaking due to a firm belief in the power of creativity to have real-world impact.

“The diverse perspectives that have come through Day One are representative of the real aims and concerns that young people have and the topics they care about. Whether that’s language preservation, or mental health, or the housing crisis, their visions for the future are crucial to our cultural and social landscapes.What we find in these stories is that they appeal across generations and communities, they become about human connection.” - Day One Director, Anna Duckworth.

As part of Day One’s relaunch, they have commissioned a brand new website and branding designed by Curative NZ. Through their website dofilm.co.nz and social media channels (listed below), aspiring screen storytellers can access:

• Invaluable Learning Materials: Easy to follow tips and how-to guides which provide a strong foundation for creative filmmaking. People of all ages and backgrounds are encouraged to interact and give filmmaking a go.
• Unique Community Building & Film Education Opportunities:

Day One Shorts (formerly Someday Stories) funds selected commissioned teams to create professional-standard short films. Day One Challenge asks young people to give filmmaking a go, regardless of experience level, to showcase creativity and win prizes. Day One How To is a series of funny and engaging educational videos that teach people how to make a film from start to finish.

• Inspirational and Diverse Archive: Explore the many works of past Day One alumni and delve into a treasure trove of engrossing and relevant films.

With a kaupapa that prioritises creativity, experimentation and working collaboratively, Day One Hāpai te Haeata urges people to DO FILM.

At Day One, we are setting young people up with skills for their careers but it’s so much more than that - we are building authentic communities, we are growing a platform for young people to have a sense of purpose and be genuinely listened to. We strongly believe contribution and participation in creativity and culture are crucial pillars for a healthy society. Investing in the stories of young people means we are investing in a brighter, hopeful future.” Day One Director, Anna Duckworth