Hi. I am in Michigan, US now but plan to move to NZ within a year. My husband has applied for a medical license and awaits word from the RACP. My son wants to attend Film School in NZ but we are having a difficult time choosing one from here. Anyone have any advise on that subject? Do any of you know of the reputations of the various film schools there? Should he go early, get a job and apply to school then? It is all so confusing.

I am glad that I found this site and hope to make a few friends before we come so that our transition is a bit easier.

About us: We are in our early 40's, both are in medicine and medical software. We have liberal political views and are hoping to either own our own or share an organic farm with other like-minded people in the Nelson or Christchurch area. As well as work in our professional fields.

We spent 2 weeks on our honeymoon in 1999 in New Zealand and have been working toward moving there since then. Can't wait to be called Kiwi!

[Penny]

Hullo there :wave: And Welcome to New Zealand... well almost anyway!

Sorry I can't help you with any of your questions about film schools. I'm not sure NZ is the best place to start to get into the film industry, although with Peter Jackson's efforts it may be better now!

I hope all your planning and things can be sorted out easily for you!

[Teelo]

Otago university does film and media studies, but thats all I can tell you, because I have never taken any of those papers :P


www.otago.ac.nz

Then again, there are polytechnics here that do film and media studies, I suggest one of:
www.ucol.ac.nz
www.tekotago.ac.nz
many others that I dont know the websites of.

Thanks Teelo. I will give those links to my son to check out.

[nih]

SouthSeas is a studio that also does an accredited course. They produce quite a lot of good stuff, and a few friends have been through there. It's reasonably exclusive and the intakes are small.

The impressions I get of the uni film courses are that they're full of people who need easy credits.

nih, thank you for the great info. We have seen South Seas site. So you have heard that they have a good reputation? Do you know graduates of that school? Do you think that they would be willing to talk to my son, Andrew?

Also, thanks for the tidbit about the university's film classes. I can see how they wouldn't take it very seriously. Andrew is VERY serious about this. He is taking a 2 year technical course now in highschool, he even spent a semester in Europe interning with a well known (in Europe) director. We are actually a bit concerned that he may have already learned all of the technical stuff and really needs more theory and job searching skills than anything else. But from here (US) it is hard to tell what these schools offer.

I appreciate your advise.

Thanks to you also, Penny.

[Teelo]

Originally Posted by nih

SouthSeas is a studio that also does an accredited course. They produce quite a lot of good stuff, and a few friends have been through there. It's reasonably exclusive and the intakes are small.

The impressions I get of the uni film courses are that they're full of people who need easy credits.

Lol well its not really my place to disagree with you there, because I dont study film, but that sounds a little excessive.

[nih]

I just know too many of the wrong kind of people Teelo.

Unfortunately I'm not really in touch with the couple of people I knew who went through SouthSeas, but their past intakes include some Shortland St regulars (Rachel and Nick I think). I think they cover most aspects of the industry, including acting, camerawork, production, directing, but I'm not 100% certain.

This is going back a few years so it's foggy.

They definitely have a good reputation, and if you call them they can guide you to other schools as well.

Originally Posted by nih

but their past intakes include some Shortland St regulars (Rachel and Nick I think)

I am sorry but, what is Shortland St? That may be something that my son is familiar with but I haven't heard of it.

[nih]

Hehe sorry. It's the local version of Coronation Street. Which is like a UK Jerry Springer dramatisation remake but done slower, over several episodes a week and ending just as the fighting, swearing and adultery gets good.

Oh!! A television show.! Got to be better than the crap we have here. I only wartch BBC America because I can't stand American humor (and I was born and raised here). I hope NZ tv is similar to British tv.

[Teelo]

Originally Posted by nih

Hehe sorry. It's the local version of Coronation Street. Which is like a UK Jerry Springer dramatisation remake but done slower, over several episodes a week and ending just as the fighting, swearing and adultery gets good.

Kind of like Dragon Ball Z... amirite?

(Image coming)

[nih]

That banner is so true.

[Teelo]

Originally Posted by nih

That banner is so true.

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