Kōpere Ake Grant Recipients Announced!
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New Zealand Writers Guild (NZWG) and Irirangi Te Motu | NZ On Air are pleased to congratulate the recipients of Kōpere Ake for 2024.
NZWG in partnership with NZ on Air launched Kōpere Ake as a pilot programme in 2023, enabling Aotearoa screenwriters to create high quality world-class scripted proposals for series. The grants are for writers only and provide development funding for quality, premium series proposals and pilot script development.
In this round, 196 applications, created by 235 writers, were received. The number of applications is a testament to the level of talent in the screenwriting community of Aotearoa New Zealand.
Due to the high volume of applications this round an additional judge was added to assist with reading and assessment. The six judges worked hard to assess and score all applications through the blind read process.
NZWG and the judging panel, want to take this opportunity to thank the writing community. You wrote with spirit, originality and most importantly with resilience.
Congratulations to the recipients and the finalists!
Alice Shearman
Executive Director | New Zealand Writers Guild Te Puni Taatuhi o Aotearoa
The Finalists 2024
Top 6
CONGRATULATIONS!
Out of 196, these applicants are grouped within the final six applications before two grants were awarded.
Dead Men Can’t Dance - An Emma Rose Mystery
Writers: Stephen Campbell & Amanda Alison & Michelle Ang
I Am An Iceberg
Writers: Florence Hartigan & Mara Marski
Mr Black
Writer: Nick Ward
Sylvie
Writers: Ro Bright & Stephanie Brown & Fen Ikner
Top 18
CONGRATULATIONS!
Out of 196, these applicants are grouped within the final 18 applications before a Top 6 were selected, and then two grants were awarded.
A Cat Called Fred
Writers: Dana Leaming
All My Friends Are Ugly
Writers: Sally Bollinger & Dani Yourukova
Basmati Bitch
Writers: Ankita Singh & Bala Murali Shingade
Burglar
Writers: Millen Baird & Siobhan Marshall
Cancer Bitch
Writers: Anna Nuria Francino & Paul Jenner
Dot.
Writers: Larissa Allen & Sarah Oemcke & Joss King & Melissa Mae
Dragon OE
Writers: Jack Woon & Sam Wang
Ex's & Oh’s
Writers: Prashanth Gunasekaran & Shivneil Maharaj
I, Elizabeth
Writer: Pennie Hunt
The Truth About Eels
Writers: Nick Ward & Stephanie Ann Ngaparani Matuku & Te Waiarangi Kalani Zion Ratana-Saunders & Kathryn Burnett
Ways to Love
Writers: Ash Reid & Nathalie Reid
Who The F*ck Is Alistair.
Writers: Jessica Smith & Benedict Wall
The Recipients 2024
HELLO, STRANGER | Ryan Carter
Hello, Stranger follows the story of Katherine Kirkwood, a grieving mother who goes to war with a showrunner when he starts making a TV series about her daughter's killer.
THE AUNTIES ARE COMING | Matasila Freshwater
When their niece goes missing, three estranged Island Aunties undertake a mission of vengeance in a retro small town known as the “butthole” of NZ.
Judging Panel 2024
Kōpere Ake is judged through a blind-read process. The judges assess each application on three key criteria:
- Idea – is it compelling, amazing, or engaging? Does it reflect Aotearoa New Zealand in some way?
- Craft – is the applicant(s) able to execute the series on a high enough level to deliver on the promise of the idea?
- Audience – is there a clear and identifiable audience for this idea?
A point to note about the blind-read process, the assessors do not have access to any identifying details of the writers applying to Kōpere Ake, the works were judged solely on their application materials.
NZWG Staff and Board (unless in their capacity as a judge) do not have any input in the judging process or decisions.
Kōpere Ake Judging Panel 2024
Steve Barr – Aotearoa New Zealand
Steve worked in the Hollywood system for 16 years before transitioning into writing and producing. Recently Steve spent 4 years as the Commissioner of Drama & Scripted Comedy at TVNZ. As a screenplay consultant he has written formal analysis on thousands of screenplays, and lectured at the Screenwriter's Expo, StoryBoard, Scriptwrights, Northwest Writers Guild, and dozens of institutions and industry organisations in America and New Zealand. Steve now spends his time writing and producing and serving the screenwriters of Aotearoa NZ on the Board of NZWG.
Nicole Dade – Australia
Nicole is a writer and story developer for film and TV. She is known for her deep understanding of story and genre, and has developed projects internationally, working with a wide range of talent. Nicole has held roles as senior creative executive at international companies, including Screen Australia.
Nicole is passionate about empowering diverse storytellers, and she has created a new story programme, Elements of Story, which demystifies story principles, breaks free of old models and puts the storyteller at its heart. She designs and presents story workshops and talent labs for international industry organisations, funding bodies and film festivals.
Jennifer Davidson – Ireland
As Chair of the Writers' Guild of Ireland since 2020, and elected Chair of the IAWG in 2023, Jennifer is a fierce advocate for Irish writers. Jennifer has been a core writer on Ireland’s national soap opera, Fair City, since 2012, and is currently developing an original romcom series with Wildfire Films called Meet Cute.
Having spent over twenty years working for a number of Ireland’s top independent production companies, securing commissions for a wide range of programmes, Jennifer’s years spent encouraging other people to have their stories told on screen informs the ethos at the heart of her production company, HeartFelt Drama.
Rachel Lang – Aotearoa New Zealand
Rachel is an award-winning television writer, creator, showrunner and executive producer. She is best known for long running series Outrageous Fortune, Go Girls, Nothing Trivial and The Almighty Johnsons.
Her career as a writer started on Shortland Street, where she was the first NZ story editor. Rachel has also worked in development and as a script editor, script consultant and mentor. She’s been a member of NZWG for many years and joined the board to help promote the interests of NZ screenwriters. In 2017, Rachel was made a member of the order of NZ for her services to television.
Scott Mullen – America
Scott is a playwright, screenwriter and long-time story analyst based in Burbank, California. Scott’s short plays have been produced over 700 times around the world, including at the South Pole. He is a two-time winner of Amazon Studios' screenwriting contest, and wrote the TV movies STALKER, THE SUMMONING, IN BROAD DAYLIGHT, LINE SISTERS and BLOOD ON HER BADGE.
Dana Youngman – Aotearoa New Zealand
Samoan New Zealander, Dana Youngman is an award-winning content executive and board director, with 25 years of leadership experience in the New Zealand Screen Sector.
A respected Television Director, Writer, Producer and Executive Producer, Dana’s also the former head of Production at TVNZ. Most recently she was the network executive and content commissioner at Sky Network television, TVNZ, and Streaming service NEON. Dana currently works as the Strategic Advisor to the Chief Executive at the New Zealand Film Commission.
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