The New Zealand Screen Awards 2005 Ready To Roll

Wednesday, 9 March, 2005

Lights, Camera, Entries. The New Zealand Screen Awards 2005 Ready To Roll.

After three years of high profile successes on the world stage, local film and television productions get their chance for long-overdue recognition right here at home.

The inaugural New Zealand Screen Awards 2005, recognising the best in the local film and television scene, opens its call for entries in more than forty-five categories today, Wednesday 9 March, 2005.

The new awards, sanctioned by the industry and led by the Screen Directors Guild of New Zealand (SDGNZ), are positioned as the premier industry awards in New Zealand, after the decline of the former AFTA Film and Television Awards, last held in 2003.

SDGNZ President Dan Salmon says The New Zealand Screen Awards 2005 have already received support across the film and television industry, and this is a great chance for all contributions, big and small, to be formally recognised and judged at the highest levels.

“We have consulted the industry to ensure The New Zealand Screen Awards adequately reflect the best achievements of New Zealand film and television. We’re taking them as seriously as the Oscars or the Emmys,” he says.

“So far, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive and we would love to see entries from both the big names and the lesser-known figures in the industry. It is only through fierce competition that we can help recognise the next Taika Waititi (Two Cars, One Night), Andrew Adamson (Shrek & Shrek 2), Vanessa Alexander (Being Eve) which won Gold at the NY Television Festival, or Keisha Castle-Hughes (Whale Rider star and Oscar Nominee).”

The industry will have until April 22 this year to complete their entries, with official judging beginning in early May. A five-person judging panel, appointed from a range of experienced industry professionals, will decide each category.

According to Dan Salmon, quality of entries is paramount to ensuring a successful industry event that remains sustainable long-term, and organisers have put a number of safeguards in place to protect the credibility of the awards.

“This is about honouring the best achievements of member industries and home-grown productions with a focus on craft and creativity, not about handing out awards by default.”

Finalists will be announced at a special event in Auckland on June 28, 2005, one month before the official 2005 New Zealand Screen Awards evening on July 27.

Please find attached the full list of NZ Screen Award categories for both television & film. Also attached is a media backgrounder that has a summary of the awards, background about SDGNZ and a brief bio of SDGNZ president, Dan Salmon. All the above information will also be available on the web.

To download an entry form or to gather more information, please visit the official website, www.sdgnz.co.nz.

ENDS

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