New Leadership and Industry Support

Kia Ora All,

Sitting down to write my first article for the NZTECHO magazine, I would like first of all to acknowledge the four valued members of our industry that have passed over the last month – Debbie Sinton, Penny Cooper, George Wilson, and Anthony Faifai. I send out my sincere heartfelt condolences to the families and the friends of all of them.

I am now going into my third month from taking over this role from the lovely Karla Rodgers. I feel I am in a very fortunate position to have been handed the baton and to be able to run with it through the next stages of the Guild's growth. I am very grateful to Karla for her amazing organisational skills which have made it easy for me to slip into her very big shoes. I can’t thank her and the committee enough for all of the support over the past months while I have been getting up to speed. The group of people that quietly work behind the scenes are incredible and I am incredibly proud and grateful to be a part of this winning team.

I have been working in and alongside the industry on and off for the past 20+ years and taking this role on is my most exciting position yet. My career started in publishing and when I moved to London in the ‘90s, I had the opportunity to work for one of the first production companies to bring food and house renovation to television viewers. On my return to New Zealand, I landed back in publishing again and where a lot of people know me from on Onfilm magazine and The Data Book. Over 12 years later, I was back in the production office making TVCs, but it wasn’t long before The Data Book and ScreeNZ came calling, so again I was back to publishing. I also found myself in the event management role for the NZ Cinematographers Awards (now for the 4th year) and I have just handed in the towel after working with WIFT as their workshop coordinator to take up this position. So this move to be the EO of the Guild I find myself combining all of the above into one place and the perfect combination.

I am passionate about the Guild, where it’s come from and where I can help take it in the future. I wholeheartedly believe in what the Blue Book stands for. I am pleased to see that the productions based here whether they are local or international are referring to the Blue Book’s standards and that they are being embraced.

One of the reasons that excited me most about taking over this role was the fact that the Screen Industry Guild covers around 95% of the industry. We all know it takes a particular personality to ride the rollercoaster of the industry and to be able to support the members of this Guild is a real pleasure. As part of my role as the EO, I would love to see an increase in our membership which in turn will allow us to support more of the crew in their day-to-day roles. It has been a great start to the year with several films and TV series in production and some interesting ones coming to our shores.

Over the coming months, I will be focusing on training for our members. I am working through a list of potential workshops that will be held over the next year and I look forward to hearing more suggestions from you all. So let me hear your thoughts, call me!!

ScreenSafe, Screen Women’s Action Group (SWAG) + Sexual Harassment Policy UPDATE:

ScreenSafe is now officially under the umbrella of the Guild. ScreenSafe still works as an independent entity but under the SIGANZ administration. The ScreenSafe steering committee (which I am now a member) will continue to oversee all of the policy implementation and updates. As it will be a living document that will continue to evolve, this ensures that we can continue to keep on top of the changes in the industry and it enables us to look at a more holistic approach in a changing landscape. Health and safety is more than just about the physical aspect; it is also about mental health. Bullying, harassment, and sexual harassment are now going to be an essential part of the ScreenSafe mandate.

Under this more holistic approach, ScreenSafe has partnered with SWAG and has been collaborating on a new sexual harassment policy for the industry. This also includes a sexual harassment training workshop, guidelines, on-set briefings, and a toolkit to support the industry as a whole. There has been in-depth consultation with the industry and we are very grateful for the support of The Film Commission, NZ on Air, and Te Māngai Pāho. This initiative will help in creating a safer environment for everyone working in the industry.

Harassment affects all persons on all levels of production, any gender or cultural background. This initiative is about everyone standing up and taking steps to change behaviour. We will let you know when the information will be readily available on the ScreenSafe website.

If you have any further questions about this initiative or anything to do with the Screen Industry Guild, send me an email: info@screenguild.co.nz or pick up the phone. I look forward to hearing from you.

Ngā Mihi Nui,

Kelly.