Crafting Screen Stories for Short Films with Hamish Bennett

Spend a day with Hamish Bennett (Bellbird, Uproar) as he guides participants through the fundamentals of screenplay writing for short film.  

The focus of the day will be building stories around character and bringing specificity to your work. This workshop will be craft based, combining practical exercises with discussion and reflection. After covering writing fundamentals, participants will then explore bringing the written element from the page to the screen.  

Promising to be both interactive and engaging, this is a terrific opportunity to spend a day focusing on your craft as a writer.  

Saturday 12 October 2024 
9:00 am - 5:00 pm  
Screen CanterburyNZ Office 
BNZ Centre, Level 3, 101 Cashel Street 
Wheelchair access is available. 

WHO: Ages 16 +  

$25.00 (incl. GST & Fees) book via Humanitix  

This Script to Screen workshop is made possible thanks to generous support from Christchurch Creative Communities and Screen CanterburyNZ. 

ABOUT  

HAMISH BENNET

Hamish Bennett (Te Arawa, Patuharakeke, Kāi Tahu) is an accomplished director and award-winning screenwriter based in Aotearoa New Zealand. In 2023, he co-wrote and co-directed his second feature film, Uproar (Firefly Films), which celebrated its world premiere at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, earning widespread acclaim from both audiences and critics. 

In 2019, Hamish wrote and directed his debut feature film, Bellbird (Herringbone Productions), garnering recognition on the international festival circuit and securing several awards, including Best Screenplay at the Macao International Film Festival. 

In addition to his success in feature films, Hamish has lent his writing expertise to various television series, including Hui Hoppers (NZTV, 2023) and the teen drama Mystic (Libertine Pictures, NZTV, 2022). 

During the early stages of his career, Hamish directed multiple award-winning short films. In 2011, his short film The Dump earned him the Best Short Script award at the New Zealand Writers Guild Awards. Subsequently, in 2014, Ross & Beth claimed both the jury and audience prizes at the New Zealand International Film Festival. 

Beyond his creative work, Hamish has over twenty years of experience as a school teacher, and has recently returned to Aotearoa with his whānau after two years living in Rarotonga.