HE ARA – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Last Updated: 26 June 2014
1. Why was this fund set up?
Māori and Pasifika stories are at the heart of New Zealand’s identity and Māori and Pasifika films are among the most celebrated here and overseas. We want to actively support the development of more of these important New Zealand stories.
2. How will it work?
He Ara is a devolved development scheme aimed at assisting established New Zealand writers, producers and directors of Māori and/or Pasifika heritage to further create a diverse range of quality New Zealand films and help build scale through capitalising on international connections.
3. Why not have separate funds for Māori and Pasifika filmmakers?
He Ara acknowledges Māori as tangata whenua (the indigenous people of NZ) unique to Aōtearoa NZ, and recognises the pioneering Māori filmmakers that helped create a national and international indigenous filmscape.
He Ara attests to the shared historical, cultural relationship with Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa, the great South Pacific ocean that joins all the peoples of the Oceania region.
He Ara celebrates these connections and in this spirit, we welcome applications from teams including Māori filmmakers, Pasifika filmmakers or both.
4. Are there similarities in what He Ara and Te Paepae Ataata aim to achieve?
Yes, but He Ara remains entirely seperate to Te Paepae Ataata and draws on separate NZFC funds.
5. Why do I have to apply with a team and a slate?
An important aim of He Ara is to support teams of experienced Māori and Pasifika filmmakers to create diverse, distinctive and culturally different screen stories and to embrace the idea of working together.
We continue to welcome individual applications with single projects through our other existing feature film development funding pathways e.g. the Early Development Fund (EDF) or the Advanced Development Fund (ADF).
6. In my application, do I need outlines and/or writers attached to each project on my development slate, or can I determine the outlines and writers at a later stage?
You will need a synopsis (maximum of five pages) for each project on your development slate. We do not require longer story documents at this stage. Given the competition for He Ara funding, we would strongly advise that you apply with writers for most (preferably all) of your slate projects already attached.
7. Will the NZFC be open to defining ‘success’ for projects developed via He Ara in ways that engage with Māori or Pasifika frameworks/considerations?
Yes. We are open to engaging fully with relevant cultural considerations.
However, one key factor relating to any project we support is whether the finished film connects with the filmmakers’ intended audience and whether the budget is realistic for that number of intended viewers.
8. If I have secured Seed Grant funding from the New Zealand Writers Guild for a project, can I also apply with the same project to He Ara?
Yes, but you will need to have completed the Seed Grant-funded development work on the project and will need to include detailed development notes outlining the creative progress achieved. You will also need to be clear about how you will further develop the project with He Ara funding.
It is not possible to receive Seed Grant funding and He Ara funding for the same development work on the same project.
9. I already have Te Paepae Ataata funding for a project. Can I apply with the same project to He Ara?
Yes, but you will need to have completed the Te Paepae Ataata-funded development work on the project and will need to include detailed development notes outlining the creative progress achieved. You will also need to be clear about how you will further develop the project with He Ara funding.
It is not possible to receive Te Paepae Ataata funding and He Ara funding for the same development work on the same project.
10. Is He Ara restricted to the development of theatrical feature films or can I apply to develop a film that is intended to screen on VOD or other platforms instead?
He Ara is aimed at supporting filmmakers in the creation of distinctive feature film drama or documentary projects. Cinema release is one possible platform however we are open to considering creative approaches to distribution, relevant to the project (and its scale)being developed.
11. Could I apply to He Ara with a compendium feature, comprised of a series of short films?
We’re open to considering an application of this type, if the overall package was genuinely compelling and there was a thematic cohesion with the total running time being feature-length (74 mins or longer).
12. Is the He Ara fund a one-off or has it been confirmed for a number of years?
We will review the He Ara fund on an annual basis.
We welcome any further questions via email to