Kiwi KODAK On Campus Hits The South Seas

The first ever KODAK On Campus for New Zealand was held in Glenfield, Auckland, on Saturday, March 15, and hosted by the South Seas Film And Television School.

Kodak has always been a keen supporter of the school,” says Darryn Inder, a camera, lighting and audio tutor and former graduate. “It was great to be able to give a little something back and support them with this worthwhile pursuit.”

With over 100 registrations from no less than seven film schools, students flew into Auckland from three destinations to take part in the intensive one-day program. Working with the KODAK “Stop By. Shoot Film.” format, the program was split into separate morning and afternoon sessions that ran a choice of classes concurrently.

Special guest lecturer was Eastman Kodak Company’s Chris Hart from Rochester who shared his technical knowledge gained from two decades of testing film stocks. Local director of photography Kevin Riley and camera assistant Bryce Swainson accompanied Hart. The three worked together to help participants understand the basics of lighting and how to apply practical film tests creatively.

Kodak continues to invest in young filmmakers of tomorrow,” says Hart. “Programs such as this are a great opportunity for students to accelerate their learning. Digital technology gains an awful lot of attention because its considered to be ‘the next big thing’ but discerning filmmakers understand the superiority of the film image and are keen to discover how to work with film to produce amazing results. It is our privilege to help them and we are grateful to local members of the industry who so generously provide their time and services.”

Participants were enthusiastic about the day with many requesting the event be expanded over two days to create a greater opportunity for hands-on experience.

“Students loved getting their hands on film cameras and having the chance to work with professional practitioners,” enthused Adam Fresco, Film & TV Course Director, South Seas Film And Television School. “In fact the only criticism was that there could not be more of this exciting, educational and incredibly beneficial experiential learning. That’s a compliment in itself – students wanted more and those who missed out were jealous of those who got in!”

Supported by Digipost, Filmlab and Panavision, the program provided an opportunity for participants to discuss production issues with representatives from key industry companies and incorporated a technical discussion on today’s workflow challenges, presented by Steve Taysom from Kodak Australia.

“The school was buzzing with ‘film speak’ for weeks after!” commented Inder. “Everyone is looking forward to Kodak’s Grant Campbell coming in again and delivering his lectures; they will be better armed to ask deeper questions now.”

Local cinematographer Matt Henley also spoke to the audience about his filmmaking experience on Manslaughter, the short film that won him a trip to the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival as part of the Asia Pacific Region’s first prize in the 2007 Kodak Filmschool Competition.

Having generated such an enthusiastic response, perhaps the KODAK On Campus session will inspire future winners!