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Making Maori stories for the screen . . . and for radio . . . means encouraging new talent and supporting them into the industry.
That’s the task Nga Aho Whakaari, the umbrella group for Maori in screen and television, has been doing for two decades, and which it will continue doing as part of its 20 years celebration in Auckland next month.
Chair Christine Asher says while there’s time in the two-day conference and gala awards evening to remember those artists like Barry Barclay, Merata Mita and Don Selwyn who paved the way, there will also be opportunities for tomorrow’s contributors.
That includes a pitching contest for television programme concepts, and workshops on how to turn raw ideas into film.
"That’s our job. We nurture people coming into the industry. After a while you should be able to take care of yourself and off you go but those people are still expected to support our organisation because we understand we have to build capacity and keep building up our numbers. We can't make films and tell our stories on screen if we don't have our own people doing the mahi themselves," Ms Asher says.
Nga Aho Whakaari’s Te Pou Ihiihi conference is at the University of Auckland’s Waipapa Marae on October 7 and 8.
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