LOADING DOCS | About |

ABOUT

Loading Docs is a unique initiative that aims to produce short (3-minute) documentaries that will captivate and inspire audiences locally and internationally, while also developing and promoting New Zealand filmmaking talent.

Our aim is to provide local documentary makers with a platform to promote their creativity and talent and to create work that inspires, pushes boundaries, and moves audiences.

Loading Docs launched in May 2014 with a selection of three-minute documentaries that represent a diverse range of subjects and filmmaking styles. 2014 Loading Docs films have been viewed all over the world via the Loading Docs site and The New Zealand Herald and featured on high profile sites such as Short of the Week, Laughing Squid, The World’s Best Ever and Film Shortage as well as achieving Staff Picks on Vimeo.

The films all explore unique aspects of ‘home’ and showcase the filmmaking talents of some of New Zealand’s finest filmmakers:

Loading Docs films have been broadcast in New Zealand on 3News, Seven Sharp, 20/20, Te Kaea, as well as on the Māori Television Series Iti Pounamu and on the Rialto Channel. The films have also been selected for film festivals such as Show Me Shorts (NZ), Out Takes (NZ), ImagineNATIVE (Canada), New Zealand Short Film Festival (Aus) and screened on Air New Zealand flights.

LOADING DOCS 2015

The theme for 2015 is 'connection'. How the filmmakers interpret this theme is open to them, be it an exploration of human connection, our relationship with technology, the environment, community, spirituality or culture.

In 2015 successful applicants will take part in professional development workshops and receive support from Loading Docs producers. Films will be made freely available to view and share online and promoted locally and internationally to achieve maximum exposure for filmmakers.

Loading Docs is a Notable Pictures initiative, produced by Julia Parnell and Anna Jackson, and funded by the New Zealand Film Commission and NZ On Air’s Ignite Digital Media Fund.

THE TEAM

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS

Julia Parnell is an award-winning producer and documentary director. In her 10 year career as an independent producer she has created a diverse range of projects including the renowned comedy Wayne Anderson: Singer of Songs and documentaries and documentary series Relocated Mountains, Henare O’Keefe, Restoring Hope, Both Worlds, Prime Rocks: The Exponents, Drug Court: Rethinking Rehab and Prime Rocks: The Dragon Story (currently in production).

In recent years Julia has expanded into producing drama with four NZFC-funded theatrical shorts Hitch Hike, Friday Tigers, Dive andRising Dust. Friday Tigers, won the New Zealand International Film Festival’s Best New Zealand Short Film for 2013, while for the last 18 months Hitch Hike has been in competition at major international film festivals such as Tampere Film Festival, Melbourne International, Bristol Encounters, Hawaii International and Durban International and Heart of Gold International, Australia.

Anna Jackson is the founder and co-director of Transmedia NZ, an organisation that seeks to promote the development of transmedia and other innovative media production practices in New Zealand. She is the co-producer of online documentary initiative, Loading Docs and a blogger for The Big Idea. Anna recently completed a joint PhD at The University of Melbourne and the University of Auckland, researching innovation and change in New Zealand’s documentary production ecology.

LOADING DOCS AMBASSADORS

James Franklin

James Franklin is a Graphic Designer. He has a specialism in creating identities, web sites, outreach and distribution tools for independent filmmakers - using his background in marketing working with clients like Jaguar Cars, SKB, Intel, the BBC and Volkswagen. Over the years he has worked on the releases of over two hundred films. In 2010 James founded Assemble, a revolutionary toolkit to help filmmakers build an audience for a film - the result of everything he has learned so far. Currently he is also the Creative Director at BRITDOC, working across all aspects of the film foundation's presentation and design on and off-line, including Good Pitch and Doc Academy. James regularly speaks at film festivals on new distribution models and audience aggregation and enjoys finding new ways of making the process of promoting a film and finding an audience online easier and more efficient.

Amie Mills

Amie is an online thinker and doer based in Auckland. She works for TVNZ Blacksand as their Senior Digital Producer and is responsible for delivering innovation in the digital space. She has a particular fascination with transmedia storytelling and the way narrative can weave itself across platforms to create immersive storytelling experiences for hungry audiences.

Karl Sheridan

Karl Sheridan has worked extensively as a freelancer in the film industry over the last 6 years on projects including ‘Spartacus’ and ‘Yogi Bear,’ and many television commercials, short films and music videos. He now runs Monster Valley – a digital media company with clients from Air New Zealand to Orcon.

David White

David White is an awarding Producer and Director of documentaries. His past work includes notable films such as Shihad: Beautiful Machine, I Kill (SXSW, AFI, SilverDocs) Lex (BBC, American Documentary Channel) and The Cleanest Pig (Sundance, Tribeca). He is excited to work with the Loading Docs film makers to create memorable and original work.

OUR SUPPORTERS

Loading Docs is a Notable Pictures initiative made with the support of the NZ On Air Ignite Digital Fund and The New Zealand Film Commission.

SPECIAL THANKS TO

Our media partner The New Zealand Herald

Toybox and Sale Street Studios for making sure our films look and sound their best.

Assemble - Our web platform

McLaughlin Law - Our legal advisors