Latest news with #Gisborne-based
Otago Daily Times
13 hours ago
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Government-backed Frankton film studio fizzles out
The plug has been pulled on a government-backed motion capture and production studio in Frankton's Remarkables Park. Target3D New Zealand was planning to open the studio as a key tenant of the Queenstown Research & Innovation Centre after getting approval for a $2 million loan from a government regional development fund. Announced by then-economic development minister Stuart Nash in 2022, the Queenstown Digital Studio was intended to support virtual production through motion capture technology, game-engine servers, lighting, production equipment and staging. However, Gisborne-based Target3D NZ director Shannon Dowsing said he had to pull the pin two months ago after concluding the business model for the studio — and the rationale for taking up the loan — no longer made sense. It had relied on commercial screen industry production, research and development funding and education partnerships to come together, but each has faced major challenges, Mr Dowsing said. Although Queenstown is still busy with internationally-funded productions, spending by NZ on Air and Te Māngai Pāho has "significantly reduced" in the past three years. "It's highly competitive and existing players are very likely to be getting that funding." The company also has a specific R&D programme in mind for the resort town, but the government's scrapping of Crown entity Callaghan Innovation has made funding support "questionable". Another important component of the studio had been education, but it has not made enough progress with education providers to get that under way. Screentime NZ's setting up of a full-time production facility, Remarkable Studios, in the former H&Js department store in Remarkables Park last year meant Target3D could not justify investing in the equipment for a second studio. Mr Dowsing said he was not a believer in the concept of "if you build it, they will come". "We've been trying to solve all these challenges but, ultimately, we didn't feel it was a great time to be borrowing a couple of million dollars to invest in Queenstown in such an unstable market." However, he thought it would only be a matter of time before Target3D had a presence in the resort. "We've decided to go into the region organically and make decisions based on what actually can be done. I think we can achieve the same results, but without starting with a risky investment."
NZ Herald
04-06-2025
- Business
- NZ Herald
Gisborne-based fishing company fined $13,000 for prohibited fishing; boat and catch seized
A Gisborne-based fishing company and its skipper were fined $13,000 after fishing in a seasonally prohibited area. The Crown also seized the company's $250,000 fishing vessel and more than $16,000 worth of fish.
NZ Herald
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
Robyn Malcolm celebrates Bafta nomination for After the Party series
'It was 12.45pm. I was eating my eggs, trying not to overthink, when Peter said, 'I don't think you've got it or you'd have had a call by now,'' she recalls. 'And I was like, 'Oh, well, it was fun to imagine,' and I hadn't brought a frock over. Then he refreshed the Bafta page, scrolling and scrolling, when his face changed colour. He went silent, then he said, 'Oh, my God, you're on the list.' Then I went quiet, I got a bit teary, and I nearly passed out!' Within moments, Robyn's phone lit up with messages of support from around the world. 'Text after text, DMs, WhatsApps... Then an email came from Bafta saying congratulations, this is the hotel you can stay at, here's the invitation to the nominees' cocktail party, and it became very real very quickly,' continues Robyn, clearly still gobsmacked that the six-part series where she plays Penny, a teacher who accuses her ex-husband (played by Peter) of a sex crime, is up for such a prestigious award. Back in Aotearoa, Robyn's creative collaborator and scriptwriter, Gisborne-based Dianne Taylor, was similarly ecstatic. Explains Robyn, 'Di had set her alarm for 2am to check if we'd been shortlisted, and she called from her bed and we screamed at each other.' Now that Robyn has had time to digest the incredible news, her next drama became deciding what to wear for the big night. 'I have a WhatsApp group with my mum and my sisters called 'Rob's Bafta Dress' and it is live 24/7,' she says. 'I also mentioned it on Insta and all these fab women started sending me ideas. And I'm thrilled that Liz Findlay from Zambesi is making me a frock especially for the occasion.' Always adamant that she wanted to showcase a local designer on the world stage, Robyn couldn't be happier that Zambesi has come to the party. As for Robyn's other non-negotiable, she wants her ensemble to be long enough to conceal her trainers. 'I wore heels to the Oliviers the other day [London theatre's Laurence Olivier Awards] and I'm never doing that again because you can't be on the dance floor for hours in heels,' she says. 'I spoke to one woman at the Oliviers – she was wearing a massive pink taffeta ball gown and she looked amazing. Her friend in a green gown was wearing trainers, and I asked the taffeta woman if she was wearing trainers too. She said no and revealed her gorgeous heels, then she put her hands in the pockets of her big taffeta gown and pulled out a pair of slippers!' Robyn probably wouldn't give two hoots if she were seen wearing sensible shoes because she has made it her mission to normalise everything from mental health to menopause. To that end, Robyn has also said goodbye to shapewear. 'I don't wear tummy-flattening undies any more. They're so uncomfortable and sweaty, but my body is my body. And I love seeing glimpses of a woman's shape beneath her clothing, with all her moving parts, not some trussed up, imprisoned abdomen that looks like it's been redesigned by AI,' the star declares, then cackles and recalls the first time she attended a glittering Baftas ceremony. 'It was 2019 and Peter was in a comedy called Mum that was up for a bunch of awards,' she shares. 'I was shooting a film in Serbia at the time, and I'd bought this phenomenal jumpsuit in Belgrade. But I'd also eaten a fair bit during the shoot, so by awards night, I had to lie on the floor and be zipped into my outfit, wearing incredibly tight undies underneath. 'Halfway through the night, I'm so uncomfortable, and the three amazing actresses from Mum took me to the ladies, removed my pants, then zipped me back up – and I swore I'd never wear shapewear after that!' As Robyn reflects on the incredible recognition the Bafta nomination represents, she's quick to express gratitude to all the people she has collaborated with, and not just on After the Party, but across her four-decade career. 'It's been a ladder and I've climbed it hand over hand, rung by rung, and I've become pretty resilient in the process. I've lost my secure rope a few times. I've slid and barely held on, but I've kept going,' she declares, then adds that she and Dianne didn't set out to win a Bafta when they wrote After the Party. 'We shared a lot of fury about how middle-aged women are portrayed on screen, and we wanted to explore a story with a fallible 50-something, and challenge her profoundly. We then surrounded ourselves with genius people, and the rest just happened.' Asked if she has drafted an acceptance speech, Robyn is philosophical. 'Nope. We're up against incredible shows, including Shōgun, Say Nothing and Colin from Accounts, and the nomination itself is more than enough,' she tells, then notes that the Baftas do sometimes celebrate the underdog. As to who'll take the trophy home if they do win, Robyn has definitely given that some thought. 'I've been in this business a long time and I've been on a hundred shortlists, and the thrill of the possibility is part of the fun,' she muses. 'Because if there's another thing I've learned in this racket, it's that expectation is the mother of all disappointment. But on the off-chance we win, perhaps we can 3D-print it, then share it between Sydney, Auckland and Gisborne.' Robyn is also proud to inspire the next generation of actors, including the incredible younger cast members from After the Party. 'Tara [Canton, who stars as Grace], Ian [Blackburn, as Ollie] and Elz [Carrad, as Tom] knocked us sideways with their bravery and talent, and let's not forget four-year-old Ziggy [O'Reilly, aka Walt] who taught us all how to act again,' Robyn says fondly. 'I also tell younger actors, while acting is the best job in the world, if it doesn't work out, trying will have made you a better person because you're in a constant conversation with yourself and your humanity,' she says, which is why, if people tell Robyn they want to be actors, she only has words of encouragement. This is also possibly why Robyn's own sons have also fallen for the craft. 'One of them was doing an audition recently and I said to him that acting's pretty simple really − you just have to like feeling stuff,' she says. 'A lot of people will do everything they can not to feel. They're hard-wired to run a mile from pain or confusion, embarrassment or anxiety, but for actors, feeling things is our bread and butter.' Looking to the future, Robyn is happy to be surprised with what comes next, but she has a few ideas up her sleeve. 'I want to hang out with everyone I love in Aotearoa, Australia and the UK, without contributing to climate change,' she declares. 'I also want to work with amazing people until I drop, on stage and on screen. To do things I've never done before and remain terrified and ambitious. I'd also like to make more TV with Di, get more dogs and pay off my mortgage, if that's not too much to ask!' One thing is certain – we'll all be glued to our screens on May 12 as we watch the BAFTAs unfold. Robyn will be wearing her Zambesi frock − with comfortable undies and trainers beneath − and all her fans, family and friends will have their fingers tightly crossed for a win.
ABC News
02-05-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Old Castlemaine Gaol once used as art space by David Bromley set to become independent school
A former prison and art studio in Central Victoria will be transformed into a independent secondary school amid growing demand for alternative education in the region. The Old Castlemaine Gaol was sold to Gisborne-based Global Village Learning yesterday. The heritage-listed building was closed to the public for years after being trialled as a creative centre by artist David Bromley. "I think most traditional schools are like jails, so we're just joining the party," Global Village Learning director Peter Hutton joked. Children at Global Village Learning in New Gisborne, in the Macedon Ranges. ( Supplied: Global Village Learning ) He described Global Learning Village as an independent school that tailored its approach to children individually. Children do not wear uniforms and are not categorised into year levels. Mr Hutton told the ABC he was not deterred by the history of the building, which operated as a jail until 1990. "We want to embrace the best of the past — we don't want to tear it down," he said. "I do love what the Bromleys have done with it, in terms of reclaiming something that had such a dark past and turning it into something that's so joyous and hope-filled." Castlemaine has a thriving arts and music scene. ( ABC Central Victoria: Josie Taylor ) 'Humane' approach Mr Hutton said there was a desperate need for different education models throughout the country. "We only need to look at the number of kids who are currently homeschooled," he said. " They've fallen outside the system post-COVID. " "We want to educate young people in a more humane way that doesn't involve sitting down for the majority of the day." Peter Hutton says scores of children are likely to attend the school in the next year and a half. ( Supplied: Peter Hutton ) Fees for the Global Learning Village school in operation now are about $7,800 per year. The jail has been for sale since last year, when it was listed with a $10-million asking price. That figure was reduced to between $2.6 and $2.8m, including sculptures and art work. The final price paid has not been disclosed. Mr Hutton estimated about 70 young people could attend the school over the next 18 months. "As an interim step, until we get our official registration for that campus, we will be operating a bus service … and rail service from the New Gisborne campus," he said.
ABC News
02-05-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Old Castlemaine Gaol once used as art space by David Bromley set to become Montessori school
A former prison and art studio in Central Victoria will be transformed into a Montessori secondary school amid growing demand for alternative education in the region. The Old Castlemaine Gaol was sold to Gisborne-based Global Village Learning yesterday. The heritage-listed building was closed to the public for years after being trialled as a creative centre by artist David Bromley. "I think most traditional schools are like jails, so we're just joining the party," Global Village Learning director Peter Hutton joked. Children at Global Village Learning in New Gisborne, in the Macedon Ranges. ( Supplied: Global Village Learning ) He described Global Learning Village as an independent school that tailored its approach to children individually. Children do not wear uniforms and are not categorised into year levels. Mr Hutton told the ABC he was not deterred by the history of the building, which operated as a jail until 1990. "We want to embrace the best of the past — we don't want to tear it down," he said. "I do love what the Bromleys have done with it, in terms of reclaiming something that had such a dark past and turning it into something that's so joyous and hope-filled." Castlemaine has a thriving arts and music scene. ( ABC Central Victoria: Josie Taylor ) 'Humane' approach Mr Hutton said there was a desperate need for different education models throughout the country. "We only need to look at the number of kids who are currently homeschooled," he said. " They've fallen outside the system post-COVID. " "We want to educate young people in a more humane way that doesn't involve sitting down for the majority of the day." Peter Hutton says scores of children are likely to attend the school in the next year and a half. ( Supplied: Peter Hutton ) Fees for the Global Learning Village school in operation now are about $7,800 per year. The jail has been for sale since last year, when it was listed with a $10-million asking price. That figure was reduced to between $2.6 and $2.8m, including sculptures and art work. The final price paid has not been disclosed. Mr Hutton estimated about 70 young people could attend the school over the next 18 months. "As an interim step, until we get our official registration for that campus, we will be operating a bus service … and rail service from the New Gisborne campus," he said.
