Shorts newsletter - 17 April

We will once again be running our assessment of HEIHEI video content proposals over two funding rounds in 2020. First, we will be inviting applicants to submit short pitch documents to our July round (28 May deadline). Shortlisted pitches will then be invited to submit full proposals to our September round (6 August deadline).

Please read the full round information for funding applicants - HEIHEI content here.

Here are this year’s content priorities for HEIHEI, to help guide your pitch.

HEIHEI Content Priorities:

• 7-to-9: content that skews towards the older end of the HEIHEI demographic.
• Video-based content.
• Factual: Premier factual 'edutainment' series that promote STEM subjects in fun and engaging ways.
• Animation and Scripted Live-Action – noisy, complex themes with well-developed characters and relationships.
• Cultural diversity and reflecting tamariki in Aotearoa is an underlying tone.

Please note:

• We are not commissioning any audio-only content or games in this funding round. This funding round is for video-based content for HEIHEI.
• Children’s applications for platforms other than HEIHEI only need to submit an application to the September round. You will need to have the support of that platform confirmed when you submit your full application in September.

Important dates:

30 April 2020, 4pm - Funding round opens for two-page pitches for content for HEIHEI.

28 May 2020, 4pm - Deadline for two-page pitches. Round closes.

16 July 2020 - Shortlist confirmed, all applicants notified.

6 August 2020, 4pm - Deadline for shortlisted HEIHEI applicants to submit full proposals AND deadline for children's applications for platforms other than HEIHEI.

30 September 2020 - Decisions confirmed, applicants notified. This date may be extended at NZ On Air's sole discretion.

Our July round information is due to be published next week - please keep an eye out in your inbox for our next Shorts newsletter.

Thank you to everyone who has already completed our Covid-19 production survey sent out last Friday. Each response helps us build a clearer picture of the impact Covid-19 is having on our funded projects, and informs the ways in which we can ensure our production community continue to deliver projects safely.

From the responses so far it's clear to see many of you are facing unexpected costs, filming delays and limitations imposed by lockdown that may impact on the delivery of your project. But on a positive note, what also shines through is the incredible resilience of so many of our funded creatives, whether it's editing material from the safety of your bubble, embracing zoom to keep development flowing or broadcasting essential news from your kitchen table.

Your feedback is invaluable and helps us to better understand the breadth of issues being faced by producers in the current lockdown period, as well as plan for what measures will be needed for productions to resume.

If you have a funded production and have not yet filled out the survey, we ask that you please complete it via the link here. Please be assured your information will be treated in the strictest of confidence.

NZ On Air is saddened to hear of the passing of New Zealand screenwriter, playwright, and journalist Dean Parker.

Well known for his adaption of big-screen comedy Came A Hot Friday, Parker also wrote extensively for the small screen, including NZ On Air productions such as Street Legal, Spooked and most recently A War Story, which screened as part of TVNZ 1's 2019 Sunday Theatre series.

NZ On Air extends our condolences to Parker's friends and whānau.