Seed Grants Scheme for New Zealand Writers.
New Zealand Writers Guild (NZWG) and New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) are excited to announce the continuation of the Seed and Seed Advanced grants pathways in 2019, with Round 2 now open.
The NZWG Seed grants allow writers to be innovative, brilliant, and to create something they own, just as they see it. A producer is not required to access the grant. Seed Advanced pathway is aimed at reducing competition in the Seed pathway between emerging writers and more experienced writers.
The Seed Advanced grants acknowledge experienced writers by offering a higher grant level and flexibility around development costs.
NZWG has been operating the Seed Grants Scheme for five years, supported in funding by NZFC, and to date has seen 49 projects from 54 writers each awarded grants of $10,000 for Seed and $12,500 for Seed Advanced to develop feature film scripts.
A number of Seed-funded scripts have gone on to be picked up for investment, win acclaim in the international market, acquire development and even win awards once distributed. A number of Seed-funded scripts have gone on to be picked up for investment, win acclaim in the international market, acquire development and even win awards once distributed – The Breaker Upperers by Jackie van Beek and Madeleine Sami was in the first round of Seed with NZWG in 2014.
NZWG SEED + SEED ADVANCED GRANT DATES – 2019
Seed + Seed Advanced Round TWO
Round 2 OPEN for entries: 12 July 2019 – 12 noon
Round 2 Deadline: 6 September – 12 noon
SEED and SEED ADVANCED – Created by Writers for Writers
To give the New Zealand screen industry its best chance of success we need strong and new ideas. We need stories that resonate. NZWG believes that our primary storytellers need to be unleashed and offered diverse pathways for developing these stories. Allowing writers space to find their voices will see new and fresh perspectives emerge to enrich the industry and the country.
The goal of these New Zealand Film Commission funded grants is to create an opportunity for writers to create the feature film scripts they believe in. Seed provides unencumbered development funding specifically for writers only.
SEED
NZWG Seed Grants are offered over two rounds with a total of eight grants of $10,000 (+ any applicable GST) for the development of a first draft of a feature film script. Included in each grant is $2,500 (+ any applicable GST) to put toward script consultation.
SEED ADVANCED
NZWG Seed Advanced Grants are offered over two rounds with a total of four grants of $12,500 (+ any applicable GST) for the development of feature film scripts. Seed Advanced is open to established writers who have more than one hour of scripted broadcast credits. Included in each grant is $2,500 (+ any applicable GST) for further development of the feature film script. This can include (but is not limited to) workshops, table reads, research and multiple script consultants.
Apply HERE
Please note, this will take you to an exciting new Seed application portal!
For full details, conditions and criteria visit: https://www.nzwg.org.nz/seed-grants
With thanks to New Zealand Film Commission.