Want to see how meaningful and empowering collaborations can lead to international success?
Join us in the second instalment of How We Got There: From Idea to Impact, where attendees come face to face with two vanguard storytellers whose cultural identities fuel their mahi.
This event brings you face-to-face with Kiel McNaughton and Kerry Warkia, a storytelling duo whose cultural identities fuel their creative work. Starting as actors, they've built Brown Sugar Apple Grunt Productions into a force in the New Zealand screen industry. Their passion for diversity and showcasing unique stories has led to a successful portfolio of web series, features, and television series.
Delving into BSAG produced series Good Grief, this informative discussion facilitated by Marc Laureano covers how, with a budget of $500,000 from NZ On Air, Kiel and Kerry collaborated with the creators, produced and marketed the sleeper hit series to becoming a hot property. They secured a second season with AMC in the US and distribution across North America, Australia and the UK.
Emerging filmmakers and producers with series ambitions can learn how BSAG identifies and delivers quality under considerable constraints and, more broadly, hear Kiel and Kerry’s insights practical advice on a range of topics including authentic storytelling that resonates with audiences, IP and growing sustainable careers.
With a Q&A session and post-event opportunities to mingle with other attendees and practitioners, this is a session not to be missed.
Speakers Bios
Kiel McNaughton
Kiel is a director and producer of innovative film and television including the award-winning comedy series Auckland Daze, Find Me A Māori Bride, This Is Piki and Good Grief which has been acquired by AMC for Sundance Now and IFC. Kiel was the lead director on action/thriller Vegas for TVNZ and has directed episodes of My Life is Murder for Channel 10 and Acorn TV in the US. Kiel’s first film as a director, The Legend of Baron To’a was acquired for release in the US in Dec 2020 by Gravitas Ventures. Kiel was recently awarded Best Director at the 2023 NZTV Awards for the telefeature Princess of Chaos and is currently working as the showrunner on the drama series Tangata Pai. Kiel is a co-founder of joint venture company Green Sugar Media and has a slate of film and TV projects in development both locally and internationally.
Kerry Warkia
Kerry has been at the forefront of NZ’s most innovative content including the ground-breaking feature film Waru which premiered at TIFF. Her second feature Vai premiered at the Berlinale Film Festival 2019. Kerry’s third feature, The Legend of Baron To'a was released in 2020 to critical acclaim; acquired by Gravitas Ventures for distribution in the US. In 2021 Kerry secured a commission from AMC for Good Grief which was released in the US, UK, Can, Aus & NZ. In 2022 Kerry produced Kāinga, the final chapter in the trilogy of female-led portmanteau features, a legacy that has given a platform to 29 women of colour filmmakers. Kerry is currently producing the drama series Tangata Pai as well as a feature film co-production with Australia and has a number of projects in development.
Marc Laureano
Marc is a writer, director, and educator. Coming from a broadcasting and advertising background in his native Manila, he migrated to New Zealand where he studied English Literature, Media Studies, Drama and Education at the University of Auckland. Following the completion of his Master’s degree in screen production, majoring in directing and screenwriting, he served on occasion as a guest lecturer for screenwriting. Through Script to Screen, in 2021 he received a scholarship to UCLA’s 10-week online course on Writing Screenplay Coverage under the tutelage of Barry Lichtenstein. Formerly the General Manager of Pan-Asian Screen Collective, Marc now sits on the board, where he actively advocates for equity in the New Zealand Screen Industry.