Dana Leaming is the latest recipient of the New Zealand Film Commission’s (NZFC) International Placement initiative, supporting her to work for six months at Sydney’s Picking Scabs as a creative producer.
A joint venture between See-Saw Films and showrunner Samantha Strauss, Picking Scabsis behind Netflix’s Apple Cider Vinegar.
Leaming (Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa) is a wāhine Māori filmmaker, whose debut series Not Even premiered on Sky New Zealand in early 2023, earning her the NZ Television Award for Best Comedy Script. She returned as showrunner and codirector for Season 2 in 2024.
She has written across New Zealand television, including Madam, Warren’s Vortex and Ahikāroa Season 7, and her short film Daisy Does Lunch premiered at the 2024 Māoriland Film Festival and screened at Finland’s Skábmagovat Film Festival. She is currently developing the series A Cat Called Fred and her first feature film.
“Kua tau taku aho ki te au whaihanga e rere nei (My hook has been cast into the creative currents that flow here). I am incredibly humbled to be working with Picking Scabs and See-Saw Films across the ditch in Sydney,” said Deaming.
“I have always been a big fan of Australian film so to get an opportunity to learn from some of the best is such an exciting prospect. As an emerging filmmaker in a fast-changing cinematic landscape it can be hard to know the most effective way to build your work. This international placement puts me at the heart of learning from largerscale industry, brilliant minds and establishing strong connections. I can’t wait to take it all in.”
Picking Scabs/See-Saw Films executive producer Shay Spencer said it was delighted to welcome Leaming.
“Great writing is at the heart of everything we do, and Dana is a compelling writer with a distinctive voice who we’re excited to support as she works across our international development slate,” she said.
“We’re grateful to the New Zealand Film Commission for backing initiatives like this that support the next generation of Kiwi storytellers to hone their craft and set them up to create work that stands alongside the best in the world.”
The NZFC is also opening a new International Placement with Sydney-based production company Lantern Pictures, founded in 2024 by writer and showrunner Sarah Lambert, director Jane Manning and former-Foxtel media executive Andrew Lambert.
The six-month opportunity is designed for an experienced writer with a strong interest in television development. The successful applicant will gain hands‑on experience working across Lantern’s diverse slate, with a particular focus on developing television drama from concept through to execution, within an award‑winning team.
“Our International Placements initiative gives New Zealand creatives the chance to step into different industry contexts, build meaningful relationships, and bring fresh perspectives back to our local screen industry,” said NZFC head of funding Ainsley Gardiner.
“This placement offers the opportunity to work with established Australian industry figures and experience a showrunner‑driven production model (more commonly seen in the United States), giving the selected applicant unique insight into a different way of working.”
Applications for NZFC’s Lantern Pictures International Placement are open now, closing on May 11. Click here for the role description and to apply.