Digital projects expand range of local content

Media Release

5 October 2015

Digital projects expand range of local content to engage diverse audiences

Four innovative new digital projects have been selected from a very competitive field of applicants, along with three flourishing previously funded online projects for varied audiences.

Two of the projects supported from the Digital Media Innovation fund are for children. My Guardian (Toku Taniwha) is an interactive ebook app for 6 to 12 year olds. Using puzzle and game elements and te reo it tells the interactive story of a boy and his taniwha.

Moe And The Unexpected Bully, for a younger audience, sees the lovable furry kids TV character Moe help children deal with the subject of bullying, through an interactive e-book app.

For a youth audience, The Outlook For Someday is New Zealand’s sustainability film project for young people, supporting creative innovation by about 1000 young people each year. The funding will ensure the shortlisted and winning films are online and enable live streaming of The Someday Awards ceremony.

Lifestylers is a series of eight short documentaries about some of the characters living in The Supported Lifestyle Hauraki Trust. Audiences first met one of the residents through the acclaimed short documentary Wayne, as part of the 2015 Loading Docs.

NZ On Air is also pleased to renew support for three ongoing online projects that reach large and varied audiences. The Fresh Voices strand of content on The Wirelesscontinues to deliver stimulating content to a young adult audience, and The Coconet is continuously expanding its Pasifika content that connects young Pacific people with their roots. NZ On Air will also support a further year of the Loading Docs documentary shorts project, this year with the theme of ‘Change’.

“Digital content makers are finding new creative ways to engage audiences. We encourage and support this. The funded projects are the best of an exceptional pool of applications,” said NZ On Air Chief Executive Jane Wrightson. “These type of projects allow diverse content to reach audiences that are not well-served by mainstream, or in new engaging ways.”

Funding details

Digital Media – Innovation

Moe And The Unexpected Bully, interactive e-book, Popup Workshop , $50,000
Lifestylers, short documentaries, Bella Pacific Media , $49,875
My Guardian, interactive e-book, Pixelati , $47,250
Outlook for Someday, live streaming, Connected Media, $20,000

Digital Media – General

Fresh Voices: The Wireless, Radio New Zealand, $200,000
The Coconet 2016, Tikilounge Productions, $200,000
Loading Docs: Change, Notable Pictures, $189,169

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