Understanding the Archive

What happens to your film after delivery? Ngā Taonga has the answer.

Delivery isn't the end of your film's story. If the New Zealand Film Commission has funded your film, you're required to deposit it with Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision, Aotearoa's audiovisual archive. Most filmmakers tick that box and move on, but knowing how the archive works can make a real difference to your film's future.

Here's why:
Ngā Taonga preserves and catalogues your material, and when someone wants to screen it or access it, they send that request on to you as the rights holder. Nothing is released without your say. As the years go by, that becomes more and more valuable, whether it's a festival programmer, a researcher or a retrospective curator looking for your work.

So, who are they?
Ngā Taonga holds more than 800,000 audiovisual items dating back to 1894, and cares for the collections of the NZ Film Commission, Te Māngai Pāho, RNZ, TVNZ and much of NZ On Air's funded content, alongside material from Whakaata Māori, the Waitangi Tribunal and many other public and private collections. It's where our screen history lives, and where your work will sit alongside it.

As a filmmaker, it is essential that you know how to make sure your film materials are preserved and archived properly, so your work stays discoverable for generations to come.

Date: Wednesday 21st October
Time: Drinks from 6pm, event 6:30 - 8pm.
Location: Wētā Workshop Space, 129 Park Road, Miramar, Wellington.

Free for WIFT Members, $20 for non-members. Drinks & nibbles provided.

Our speakers:

Honiana Love (Te Ātiawa, Taranaki Iwi, Ngāruahine) Tumu Whakarae, Chief Executive of Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision.

Honiana has worked in archives and libraries for more than 25 years, including roles at Archives New Zealand, Te Reo o Taranaki and Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Honiana joined the Ngā Taonga leadership team in 2015 and has been Chief Executive since 2019. Her work has focused on strengthening relationships with iwi and communities, supporting appropriate access to taonga, and helping the Archive respond to the opportunities and challenges of digital preservation and access.

Louise McCrone, Pou Kohinga Taonga, General Manager Collection Management at Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision.

Louise has over 20 years-experience in archival practice and leadership ranging from specialist preservation work through leading teams responsible across conservation, repository management, collection development and digital preservation. Most recently she has played a role in the massive audiovisual Utaina digital preservation project and in the relocation of Archives New Zealand holdings to the new heritage campus.

Robin Laing, Moderator

Robin Laing is a film producer and founding Chair of WIFT.  She is currently working as a trustee and administrator for Aotearoa New Zealand Film Heritage Trust, established to ensure the back catalogue of New Zealand films is accessible for future audiences. 

Her industry work has included stints on the boards of Ngā Taonga, SPADA, NZFC, Copyright Council and the New Zealand International Film Festival where she is currently deputy Chair. As a film producer with a commitment to women’s stories and women filmmakers she has worked with directors Dame Gaylene Preston, Christine Jeffs, Niki Caro, Shirley Horrocks, Rebecca Tansley and Linda Niccol.