Screenwriters in the Bay of Plenty are in for a treat this month with two guest speakers scheduled for their weekly Zoom meetings.

Joss King and Paula Whetu Jones are both speaking at upcoming meetings during June, passing on their knowledge and sharing their screenwriting journeys, tips and advice with local screenwriters.

Joss King has been working as a professional TV writer in NZ and around the world - London, Melbourne, Budapest, New York - for 27 years.

He began at Shortland Street in 1993, fulfilling various roles over a period spanning 15 years. These included storyliner, script editor, script writer, story editor and head writer.

Joss has worked in many genres. These include children's programmes such as H20, Just Add Water series 1-3, which are still screening on Disney and Nickleodeon Worldwide. He has also created the one hour thriller/mystery/drama, such as 'The Sounds”, 'Bad Seed”, and 'Head High”.

Joss has won a number of awards, both in New Zealand and overseas - including the Australian Writers Guild Award For Excellence for 'Smalltime Gangster” which is one of a number of shows he's created or co-created.

Joss King. Photo: Supplied.

At present his work can be seen onscreen in New Zealand in the form of 'Ahikaroa”; 'One Lane Bridge' Series 1 and now shooting series 2 (TV 1); 'The Sounds” (Neon); and 'Toke” (TV 3).

He's also a writing mentor employed by the NZ Film Commission to assist rising local talent.

He currently has many series in development and at various stages of production, with production companies around NZ and overseas.

Joss King will be guest speaker at Film Bay of Plenty Screenwriters 7pm, Monday June 5 on Zoom.

Paula Whetu Jones

Paula Whetu Jones is a director, producer and writer and will be speaking to the Film Bay of Plenty Screenwriters group at their Zoom evening meeting on Monday June 19.

She has directed and produced a range of works over the past 20 years, including a number of social issue documentaries and critically acclaimed feature films.

She is one of the writers and directors of the anthology film Waru and co-director and co-writer of Whina.

As well as speaking via Zoom with the screenwriters group, she will be in Tauranga later in the week on Thursday June 22 for an evening at the Village Cinema at Tauranga Historic Village.

There, the audience will have the opportunity to be involved in a Q & A with Paula after watching the biopic film, Whina.

Paula is primarily coming to Tauranga for The Incubator Creative Hub Matariki Programme, Village Cinema Matariki Showcase. The whole programme runs for four weeks and is available at www.theincubator.co.nz/matariki-2023-1

The event at Village Cinema with Paula on June 22 is a collaboration presented by The Incubator Creative Hub, Film Bay of Plenty and WIFT NZ, in support of The Incubator Creative Hub Matariki Programme.

To book a ticket to Whina and Q&A with Paula Whetu Jones on Thursday June 22 click here

Film Bay of Plenty Screenwriters

The Film Bay of Plenty Screenwriters group formed in March 2020 just as New Zealand went into lockdown. Originally planned to be a regular meeting around a table where screenwriters could table-read their screenplays to each other, because of Covid-19, it immediately became a group that met by Zoom on Monday nights.

Members continue to meet via Zoom, as well as participate in face-to-face table reads, workshops, and feedback sessions. The purpose of the group is based around helping grow the film industry in the Bay of Plenty, and the group is supported and aided by Film Bay of Plenty with workshops and guest speakers.

Individual members as well as smaller groups formed within the large group, are working on documentaries, TV series pilots, short films, and feature film ideas.

Membership is free, and anyone wanting to join can contact Rosalie or Sarah via Facebook or email Rosalie@topshelfdesign.com