A list' film festivals such as Melbourne, Edinburgh, Berlin, Telluride, Venice and Hamburg, as well as established festivals such as Rotterdam and Sydney are all now accepting films shot and delivered on digital, either in official competition or as part of a digital sidebar programme.

Image: Digi feature Tongan Ninja - shot in stunning yet convenient locations.
A list' film festivals such as Melbourne, Edinburgh, Berlin, Telluride, Venice and Hamburg, as well as established festivals such as Rotterdam and Sydney are all now accepting films shot and delivered on digital, either in official competition or as part of a digital sidebar programme.

Image: Digi feature Tongan Ninja - shot in stunning yet convenient locations.
The NZ Film Commission is calling for Expressions of Interest from producers interested in managing a new Digital Feature Film Scheme as Executive Producer(s)/Producer(s) of a slate of 2-3 Digital Feature Films per year over a 2 year period.

The upward trend in digital filmmaking and the advances in the quality of digital screening technology have been reflected and validated by the increasing number of established festivals which are now accepting films shot and delivered on a digital format.

Internationally the potential of this format is already being embraced by increasing numbers of established filmmakers who are now shooting digitally at all ends of the budget spectrum (from Spy Kids 2 to Lars Von Trier's Dancer in the Dark, to Michael Winterbottom's In This World, Dylan Kid's Roger Dodger and Hal Hartley's Book of Life).

This trend is also reflected in the rise in screening venues capable of projecting digital films. The UK Film Council has recently established a distribution and exhibition department with the aim of supporting the distribution and exhibition of specialised film in the UK.

A similar trend in New Zealand has been noted with a steady increase in the number of digital films being made each year. Digital films like Gregory King's debut feature Christmas, Florian Habicht's second feature Woodenhead, and Jason Stutter's Tongan Ninja have been picked up by the NZFC's Sales Agency and have found local distributors and international festival audiences.

The digital format is here to stay, and the audience for films produced and delivered digitally is only going to expand and grow as time goes by. The NZFC would like to assist New Zealand film-makers to make an international impact with films made in this highly accessible format.

HOW IS THE DIGITAL FEATURE FILM SCHEME DIFFERENT FROM A SHORT FILM TENDER GROUP? Many applicants will be familiar with the way the NZFC Short Film tender groups are run. The Digital Feature Film Scheme will be similar to the Short Film tender groups in that it is also a devolved funding arrangement. However it differs in a number of important ways. Firstly, potential Executive Producers of the Short Film tender groups are invited to tender for an established scheme, with established budgets and delivery requirements already defined. With the Digital Feature Film Scheme, we are calling for applicants to have input into the elements of the scheme - including what sort of digital features should be being made, how many should be being made, and at what budget level. Secondly, whilst the EP's for the Short Film tender groups provide assistance to the film makers they fund in terms of development and production expertise, they are nevertheless primarily commissioners, rather than developers of the short films they fund. With the Digital Feature Film Scheme we are looking for the EP's to play a much more active role in the films they fund.

We are particularly interested in hearing exactly how applicants plan to develop these films and how they will market them and deliver them to audiences. This more involved role may be reflected in a higher overhead for the management of the scheme than that which is on offer for the Short Film tender groups. Thirdly, the development of the films for the Digital Feature Film Scheme will involve a highly collaborative relationship with the NZFC and the NZFC will participate in production funding decisions. TIMEFRAME
- Expression of Interest are invited for submission by end of business Friday 1 October 2004.
- The NZFC will announce which applicant it will enter into discussions for the management of the contract after the November 1st Board meeting.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS Applicants are expected to have a substantial filmography themselves and a track record in working with new talent. A Business Plan with Budget should be presented which covers the following:

CONTACTS Enquires regarding applications should be directed to Caroline Grose (Head of Development) or Matt Horrocks (Development Executive)

Applications should be addressed to:
Daniel Story, Development Assistant
New Zealand Film Commission
PO Box 11-546
Wellington daniel@nzfilm.co.nz