Inside Market Ready

Our Reframe Collective’s MARKET READY Lab was supported by Screen Wellington / WellingtonNZ

Over two weekends in April 2026, Reframe Collective delivered Market Ready, our in-person boot camp designed to help filmmakers sharpen audience clarity, strengthen packaging, and build more confident pathways to market at Massey University Wellington. Over the course of two weekends (4/11-12 and 4/18-19), with one-on-one mentorships in-between, we brought together an exceptional cohort of filmmakers for our interactive course. With focus on project development, audience clarity, packaging, leadership, marketing strategies and distribution pathways, we engaged in discussion and strategic planning.

We were backed by the generous support of Screen Wellington / WellingtonNZ, and are also grateful to Massey University for hosting the lab.

What Market Ready delivered

Market Ready is built for filmmakers who want to strengthen their creative center and the market-facing side of their work.

In short: Getting clearer on what the project is, who it is for, how to pitch it, and where it may travel next by:

* Clarifying the creative center

* Audience clarity and project positioning

* Pitch and packaging structure

* Sponsorship and partnership thinking

* Buyer and distribution pathways

* Practical next steps tailored to each project

A room full of strong projects and sharp thinking

There was focus, humour, openness, generosity, and a real willingness to go deep. Participants came ready to challenge assumptions, sharpen their pitch tools, and strengthen the foundations of their projects without losing the creative vision at the center.

This combination — creative integrity and market clarity — sits at the heart of what Market Ready is designed to do.

The participants

Together, they represented a rich mix of narrative, documentary, genre, comedy, impact storytelling, artist-led practice, and independent feature development.

Wayne Traudt

Wayne Traudt is a New Zealand-based artist and filmmaker whose work bridges traditional drawing and painting, experimental animation, and large-scale visual effects. After 18 years at WetaFX, he has returned his focus to a personal practice exploring figurative movement, gesture, and the intersection of artistic intuition and digital technology. His independent films have screened internationally and earned recognition at Cannes, Cinanima, and Yorkton.

Chaz Harris

Chaz Harris is a writer/director with a passion for genre storytelling. His recent short You’re Out screened at FrightFest, and his supernatural thriller feature Previous Occupants placed in the top 26 horror scripts in the 2023 Slamdance Screenplay Competition. His work often explores grief and queer-centred mainstream narratives.

Jackson Herman

Jackson Herman has spent the last seven years working on the on-set crew side of the screen industry while continuing to develop his own creative projects. He recently completed his first independent feature film — a mockumentary about a lawn bowls team.

Belle Gwilliam

Belle Gwilliam is an award-winning filmmaker with more than 13 years of experience creating films, documentaries, and campaigns that inspire meaningful action for nature and community.

Shu Run Yap

Originally from Malaysia, Shu Run Yap is an award-winning filmmaker and producer who specialises in impact storytelling.

Abby Kingi

Abby Kingi is a Creative Director, Producer, and storyteller with more than 15 years of experience crafting films that inform, inspire, and move audiences. A documentary enthusiast, she is currently developing her first comedy series based on a true story from her own life.

Oberon Romond

Oberon Romond is a Wellington-based filmmaker and screenwriter with a Bachelor of Arts in Film Production from Massey University. He is best known for his short film Nokia Low, which has built a strong online audience through its grounded storytelling and distinctive visual style. He focuses on character-driven stories that explore contemporary themes through an emotionally resonant lens.

Tom Pottinger

Tom Pottinger is a young independent filmmaker born and raised in Wellington. Tom is interested in telling fast-paced, distinctly kiwi stories with a grungy comedic edge. As writer/director, he has just recently finished his 30 minute short film, ‘The Graveyard Shift’, based on his own life experiences and his love of DIY genre filmmaking.

David Duke

David Duke is a Creature FX artist living in Wellington NZ - specializing in both digital and practical effects. His career includes creating animatronics puppets and cg rigging for many feature films but his passion is stop-motion animation.

Also part of this latest installment

Ike Hamon and Garrick Rawlinson, who contributed their current projects, their insights and experience.

What participants said

“Participating in the Reframe: Market Ready Lab was an incredibly helpful process for me and my narrative feature. Kirstin and Iris make a great team, providing plenty of great insights from their own experiences. I’d recommend the Lab to anyone who has a project where they want to define their parameters, gain clarity about their audience, and how to structure a pitch when taking it to buyers and other potential partners.” ~ Chaz Harris (Writer/Director)

“Market Ready is a Masterclass in getting your project ready to be pitched to different audiences. It was two weekends of intense learning about the do’s and don’ts, what works and what doesn’t, and everything you need to know about being a filmmaker in a modern world of streamers and content on demand. I honestly highly recommend it.” ~ Shu Run Yap (Producer/Writer)

“Market Ready was a phenomenal experience for honing my project. Iris and Kirstin both bring 20+ years of boots-on-the-ground first-hand experience working on big international productions and, after just four days, I have a pitch for my project which I would feel comfortable delivering to investors. Their knowledge and feedback are on-point and the environment they create is meant to push you beyond your comfort zone but also remain completely safe. I can’t recommend it enough.”

~ David Duke (Director/Producer/Writer)

"I’m honoured to have taken part in this Market Ready course, and I can’t wait to utilise the tools provided to further my filmmaking career!" ~ Tom Pottinger (Writer/Director)

"The difference between our work at the beginning versus the end was black and white. Thanks tonnes for having us! 10/10 would do again!" ~ Belle Gwilliam (Writer, Director)

"Market Ready was an excellent space to comfortably explore the vulnerable subject of project pitching. Iris and Kirstin masterfully guided all the participants through a carefully thought-out presentation, which was rich with valuable information and insights from both the creative and client sides of the film industry. I would highly recommend the workshop to absolutely everyone in a creative leadership role - at any stage in their career."  ~ Oberon Romond (Writer, Director)

Supported by Screen Wellington

Screen Wellington / WellingtonNZ’s support helped make this boot camp possible. We are grateful for that backing, and for sharing the belief that strengthening local talent is essential to building a healthier entertainment sector.

We also extend our thanks to Massey University for hosting the programme and providing a welcoming home for the lab.

Want to learn more about Market Ready? Have a look here.