STS Northland Youth Filmmaking Workshop 2025

Script to Screen presents a free four-day filmmaking workshop in the September school holidays for 14 – 18 year olds.  

This is an outstanding opportunity for the next generation of filmmakers to develop skills and learn about the fundamentals of crafting a story idea, writing a script, and acting for camera.  

The aim of the workshop is to foster filmmaking talent in the Northland region and to provide an opportunity for young creatives to learn new skills and level up without having to travel outside of the region. No experience or prior knowledge of filmmaking is necessary. We encourage anyone who has an interest in telling stories for the screen, writing and acting to apply. 

The programme will be taught by Michael Bennett (storytelling and screenwriting) and local Whangārei theatre practitioner Laurel Devine (storytelling and acting). 

When and where: 
Monday 22nd  September – Thursday 25th  September 
9am – 3pm each day 

ONEONE SIX  
116A Bank Street, Whangārei 0110 

The venue is wheelchair accessible 

Programme Structure: 

• Day 1 – Developing a story idea and screenwriting principles 

• Day 2 – Writing a scene 

• Day 3 – Storytelling and acting 

• Day 4 – Filming the scenes, debrief and discussion. 

Cost: The workshop is free, please register via Humanitix as spaces are limited 

Morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea are provided. However, if you have special dietary requirements (allergies, gluten free, dairy free, keto, paleo, etc) please bring food with you. 

What to bring:

• Pen, paper/notebook or iPad or laptop 
  We do not advise participants to take notes on phones.

• Loose-fitting/comfortable clothing

• Warm jumper

• Water bottle

• Keep cup
  

ABOUT PROGRAMME MENTORS 

MICHAEL BENNET

Michael Bennett (Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Whakaue) is a screenwriter, filmmaker and author. Michael’s short films and feature films have screened and won awards internationally, including Cannes, Toronto, Berlin, Locarno, New York, London, ImagiNative and Dreamspeakers. He is the 2020 recipient of the Te Aupounamu Māori Screen Excellence Award, awarded by the NZ Film Commission for excellence in Māori filmmaking. Michael devoted many years of his recent career to the fight for justice for Teina Pora, a young Māori man wrongly imprisoned for 21 years. Michael made the documentary The Confessions of Prisoner T, which lead to the discovery of evidence pivotal to Teina’s exoneration. Michael directed and co-wrote the TV feature film In Dark Places about Teina’s case, which was finalist for a record 11 awards in the NZ Television Awards, winning Best Film and Best Director. Michael has been head writer or showrunner for many dozens of hours of prime-time television drama including The Gone (NZ / Ireland crime thriller), Vegas (crime thriller), Te Kohu (supernatural drama), and Mataku (the Māori Twilight Zone). Michael’s debut novel Better The Blood, a crime thriller, was published in 2022 in the UK, USA, Australia and NZ, with nine international translations. Better The Blood was a finalist for the fiction prize at the 2023 New Zealand literary awards (The Ockhams) and won Best First Novel at the Ngaio Marsh Awards. Michael is currently adapting his novel for television, and his second novel, Return To Blood, is in bookstores now.

LAUREL DEVENIE

Laurel Devenie is Whangārei based theatre practitioner who works as an actor, director, teacher, and producer. She is co-founder of ONEONESIX and The Whangārei Fringe Festival and works in a creative director role at ONEONESIX. She is a graduate of Toi Whakaari and The John Bolton Theatre School. She has been involved in both professional and community projects all over the country and has worked with South Pacific Pictures, ATC, Silo Theatre, Capital E, Unitec, Prayas, Downstage Theatre, Red Leap, Northland Youth Theatre and Script to Screen. Laurel is the Director of Whangārei based theatre collective, Company of Giants and has led many devised theatre projects including Odyssey, The Owl and the Pussycat and Rangitahua. She has facilitated arts-based programmes to work with different sectors of the community and is curious about spaces where arts practice can be used to invite new ways of engaging within communities and organisations. 

This workshop is made possible thanks to generous support from Foundation North, Whangarei District Creative Communities Scheme and White Studios.  

We are also running an adult workshop. Check it out using the link below.

https://events.humanitix.com/northland-adult-scriptwriting-workshop