Maori Representation

1) What was the event being held in NZ and what was it's purpose?

• The Power of Inclusion Summit took place over two days from 3-4 October

• Hosted by the NZFC & Women and Film in Television International 

• A Disney-sponsored film/television diversity and inclusion summit event, The Power of Inclusion, was where Jean Teng spoke to New Zealand film-makers and funding bodies to assess how well we’re doing with “diversity and inclusion” in Aotearoa. More specifically: are we failing to support emerging filmmakers from minority communities, and can this summit act as a catalyst for change

• The summit’s stated intention was to “posit future action to create a more inclusive industry and world”.

• The presence of producers and decision-makers in high positions meant the summit would be “a place where you could have gatekeepers think about what they do”.

2) Why was Heperi Mita identified as a significant voice? What did he direct and what did he do?

• Heperi Mita (director of Merata: How Mum Decolonised the Screen) called out New Zealand’s film industry for its racism, both historical and contemporary, towards Maori
  

•  Another voice claimed “Diversity” and “inclusion” should be reframed as decolonisation, “as a means to acknowledge the power structures that are in play in our society. It’s not just about inclusion, but those with the power actively giving that power up.”

3) Both NZFC and NZ On Air have a strategy for Maori content, what is it?

• Te Rautaki Maori
  
  
• NZFC released theirs just last year after hui with Maori filmmakers and representatives around the country, announcing a range of initiatives specifically for Maori, including a Rangatahi Development Fund — grants for initiatives and organisations to run programmes for young Maori creators — and the Te Reo Development Fund for shorts, features and online content. It is some evidence of momentum, but such initiatives can create their own problems pertaining to tokenism, accessibility and the application process.

4) What was the concern that Heperi Mita had with the fact that although there was funding, producers were still being hired from big studios to re-tell Maori stories?

• Too many of the sessions, in an attempt to be broad and global, failed to correctly explore the nuances of each issue, especially as it applied in New Zealand
  
  
• There was no specific discussion for tangata whenua (the people of the land)
  
  
• Through the funding process for both NZ On Air and NZFC, most applications require a practitioner to find an experienced producer for their project, which can force them to work with producers they may not feel comfortable with. Having emerging film-makers attach themselves to experienced key players is essentially a risk-mitigation strategy.
  
  
• The issue of producers was raised again and again in relation to the telling of Maori stories. In his speech at the summit, Heperi Mita said, “I get very concerned when I hear about big-budget production companies coming in and adapting traditional Maori stories or stories about Maori families. Although the intention may be good, and advice may be given, advice doesn’t necessarily need to be received. And at the end of the day, it is those that hold the purse strings that have the final authority, and it is exceedingly rare that those people are Maori.”

5) Last year, NZ On Air revamped its roadmaps and added a strand for “newer storytellers”. Explain what progress has been made here?

• There was an announcement of an Asian and Pasifika New Storytellers initiative under both NZ On Air (for a TV or web series) and the NZ Film Commission (for a Sunday Theatre feature, funded to the tune of $3 million).
  
  
• Later, Kothari was commissioned by NZ On Air to conduct an independent review for the Asian thread on the initiative. One of the main findings was simply that the majority of Asian practitioners were emerging and needed more support.
  
  
• “We want to use data as well as the feedback from the conference to improve policies, develop new policies, and create new programmes.”
  
  
• Yet the Asian and Pasifika New Storytellers initiative will not be reinstated as a yearly affair, so there’s still a question of sustained change.

6) What are some other important points that have been made as a result of this inclusion summit?

• A recurring theme at this summit was that people felt that there is a lack of support for emerging practitioners in the industry from the "big-name "gatekeepers" - The NZFC, NZ on Air and other big-name production companies and broadcasters.
  
  
• Essentially, a lot of these issues stem from a lack of finance to fund various aspects of films whether it be talent development, training, industry networking etc., which is because of the government's limited budget
  
  
• Members believe in inclusion both on and off the screen: who is at the writer’s table is, for example, absolutely essential to authentic storytelling, and consciously hiring Maori/Pasifika crew and heads of departments on Maori and Pasifika stories allows a collective voice to be built.
  
  
• NZ On Air announced drama funding under its Rautaki Maori. One of the funded projects is being produced by South Pacific Pictures, a mostly white production company, which is behind some of the biggest productions in the industry. The director is Maori. “Why are they getting money from the Rautaki?” one Maori film-maker asked. “They already take all the money from the mainstream fund as well. They leach onto diverse storytellers, diverse projects, and diverse funding to sustain themselves.” Talking about the same initiative, it was pointed out that not a single dollar went into the bank accounts of a Maori production company.