An upcoming screenwriters’ workshop in Queenstown Lakes has been hailed as a great opportunity for filmmakers, a win for the district's economic diversification goals, and a valuable cultural opportunity.

Film Queenstown Lakes (council’s in-house film office) and production company Great Southern Television have partnered to bring a selection of screenwriters from across New Zealand to Queenstown Lakes to create television project ideas either inspired by the district or set within it.

Selected screenwriters will take part in a number of workshops over three to four weeks, and also meet with industry decision-makers and visit film locations in the district. 

After the workshops participants will be tasked with creating ‘treatments’ and ‘series bibles’ for television series.

"The screenwriters workshop is a proactive approach...to create more television-related work in our district, and to showcase more of our district on television," Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) economic development manager Peter Harris said.

Its formation stems from conversations with the district's local film industry about ways to grow the Queenstown Lakes' film production pipeline and capabilities.

More filming here would promote the district to the world and also help the district's drive for economic diversification, Peter said.

Queenstown Lakes is well known for being a key location for the Lord of The Rings films, which were dubbed “the best unpaid advertisement that New Zealand has ever had" by a former Tourism New Zealand manager.

As well as potentially providing work for the film industry and exposure for the district, the screenwriters’ workshop was also a great opportunity for established and up-and-coming screenwriters, Great Southern Television chief executive officer Philip Smith said

It was also important to attract more long-form projects like television series to the district and this was something the local film industry strongly supported, QLDC film office coordinator, Kahli Scott said.

"This Screenwriters Workshop will encourage the development of television series, and they’re the type of productions we want to see more of,” Kahli said.

“There’s also a real cultural and community value to developing projects for the Queenstown Lakes in particular, and it’s special to see our places and people on screen.”

A nationwide call out for writers would be forthcoming, Kahli said, with a selection committee comprised of Great South Television staff and a representative from QLDC due to choose the screenwriters to take part in the workshop.

PHOTO: Supplied