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As part of the Documentary Edge Festival and Screen Edge Forum 2013, we asked filmmakers what they think about the new documentary funding and what else is needed to support docos in NZ.

• Add your comments

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In March this year NZ On Air and the NZ Film Commission announced a new $2.5 million documentary fund for feature-length documentaries. Plus a NZFC $250,000 fund for emerging and experimental documentary makers to explore one-off ideas.

At the 2012 Screen Edge Forum session 'Mind the Gap' the industry considered how NZ docos were becoming an endangered species.

Organisers, the NZ Documentary Trust, have described the new funding as a "kiss of life to documentaries".

The 2013 Forum (18-19 April) session 'Plugging the Gap' will be a forum to find out more from NZOA and NZFC.

• We asked filmmakers what they think about the current funding and support.

James Brown - Red White Black and Blue

What do you think of the new documentary funding?

I think the new documentary funding is a great idea. Documentary filmmakers are a dedicated bunch, but often without a lot of capital. A small amount of funding up front can get a film going and growing – enabling filmmakers to move the project to a stage where they can get something shot and in turn encourage more interest in their film.

What else is needed to support documentaries in NZ?

I find short, low cost events like DOC2DOC are great for all. Anything that can create a more integrated social environment between often solitary filmmakers. Our projects are about collaborating with the right people, so meet-ups are a great way to find people you work well with.

Tony Burt - The Snapper Sandwich

New funding: The new documentary funding model is great news for an industry that really has not had the same level of financial support compared to dramatic productions.

It is good to also see there is a step up model to support first time directors and start up projects. Ideally there needs to be funding options that will cater for and support filmmakers be they experienced or first time directors. I hope that the gap between experienced filmmakers without a feature film and first time directors is catered for and funding options are available to cater for all experience levels. I look forward to an increased number of quality documentaries produced as a result.

Further support: An audience. For this we need films people will want to watch.

Hap Cameron - Bikes for Africa

New funding: Bloody great, amazing opportunity to shed some light on New Zealand issues and unsung heroes and everyday kiwis. I just hope that they don’t try and incorporate “reality TV” under the umbrella of documentary. Would be a shame to see funding spent of another GC when there are social issues in New Zealand such as youth suicide, the shark finning in our waters, the plight of our waterways, the proposed tunnel linking Queenstown and Te Anau that would be great put the spot light. And also some positive stories, for a small country we have some amazing people, I’d love to hear the stories of kiwis doing great things.

Further support: Air time on national television. But I suppose that has to start with a demand from the viewer.

Monica De Alwis – Pretty Brutal

New Funding: I think it’s great that NZ On Air and the NZ Film Commission have responded to the concerns of the industry about the state and importance of documentary in New Zealand. Thanks to all those who have fought for this. I wish the fund had been around when I started on my first documentary feature! The fact there was little or no documentary funding for first time directors, who did not have big names attached to their projects, was both disheartening and fortifying.  I understand funding in these circumstances is a risk for investors but the lack of support also deters a lot of people from starting or staying with documentary.

Further support: More platforms.  More jobs.  Work needs to be done to position the idea of quality local documentary content amongst wider audiences, to create awareness and in turn appreciation. By that I don’t mean more putting more crappy reality shows on TV. I think the argument that ‘the demand isn’t there’ is misguided. Amongst some broadcasters and agencies, I think there needs to be a shift away from judging documentaries purely in terms of their ability to generate commercial revenue (in a conventional sense). This view obliterates many culturally valuable stories that should be told and impacts on innovation.  I feel it would be good for certain funding bodies to loosen the criteria around local filmmakers having to focus on a New Zealand based subjects.  Stories told by New Zealanders about many subjects will give us more international exposure. I think how kiwis see the world is just as relevant and valuable to explore.

Mike Jonathan - Road to the Globe

New funding: I think it's awesome that we as doco artists have another avenue of support. Lets make more great kiwi docos!

Further support: In some cases you will need the big crew to shoot your doco. But sometimes it's more convenient to shoot stuff yourself. With the technology today you can shoot, do your own sound and editing and make something amazing. So maybe we need more workshops like this for doco artists to become more au fait with technology?

Slavko Martinov – Propaganda

New funding: I like it because it ensures that taxpayers have more opportunities to actually see what they’re funding. I also think that the decision-making process will be more democratic and should result in decisions that encourage New Zealand stories and ideas to succeed internationally.

Further support: Crowdfunding has been heading in the right direction. The recent arrival of Boosted is welcome because it’s a step closer to something we lack here, which is philanthropy and patronage for documentary making. I noticed at IDF Amsterdam last year that most doco makers from around the world have cultures of patronage that support doco makers as much as they do sculpture and painting etc. Surely there are wealthy patrons in New Zealand who want to be Executive Producers!

Robyn Paterson - Finding Mercy

New funding: It’s great.

Further support: More broadcast time slots available for documentary, or documentary series. I know it’s about ratings – but I believe good docos can get bums on seats.

Kathleen Mantel - The Green Chain

New funding: I think it is so exciting.  There are so many wonderful stories to tell. 

Further support: I think we need to think a little bigger and a little smaller.  We should sometimes think about telling the small stories in a big way.  And telling the big, not necessarily local stories, in our own distinctive way.  I think there are too many same same documentaries.  We should be embracing the auteur no matter what the subject matter.  We should aim high and shout loud.  Other people are interested in our stories.  The Documentary Edge Festival is a treasure.  We should all be supporting it.

Ric Esther Bienstock - Tales from the Organ Trade

New funding: I think it’s great that NZ has created this new fund.  Based on what I learned when I was there for the Doc Edge Festival, I still think filmmakers need more flexible funding in New Zealand but every bit counts.  Doc makers are very entrepreneurial when it comes to raising funds and making use of what’s available so I’m sure some great work will come out of this funding.

Further support: That question is hard to answer.  How long is a piece of string? :)  We always have to keep pushing for more funding and more support.

• The Big Idea is proud to be a Media Partner for Documentary Edge Festival 2013.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 New Zealand License.