Full Name
Steve Barr
Company
TVNZ
Title
Commissioner, Drama and Scripted Comedy
Country (Address)
New Zealand
Biography
As Commissioner of Drama and Scripted Comedy for Television New Zealand, Steve supports scripted content for TVNZ 1, TVNZ 2, and TVNZ+. He works closely with producers and creatives in development, funding, production, and editorial, and serves as a bridge between the various departments at TVNZ and the creative sector.
Steve moved to New Zealand in 2010 after working for 16 years in the Hollywood industry. He has been a studio suit for Universal Studios, a feature screenwriter for Walt Disney Pictures, and the vice president of development for indie production company SMASHfilms. Steve has been hired to write a dozen screenplays in the New Zealand, American, and Chinese industries, two of which have been produced - Timeslow and Born To Dance. He has produced 20 short films and two features - Chronesthesia and Getting Toasted. His commissions at TVNZ include Under The Vines, The Panthers, The Pact, Creamerie, Princess of Chaos, Kid Sister, and Good Grief.
What we're looking for from Ready, Steady, Pitch!
We are keen to hear about any potential co-productions that would be entertaining for broad audiences while also illuminating some aspect of a culture that exists in New Zealand (and presumably would also be entertaining for Australians). Some examples would be…
My Life Is Murder (originally an Aussie show, then ported over here),
Mystic (with BBC – a teen girl from London moves to small-town New Zealand)
Under The Vines (with Acorn – an Australian socialite and a London lawyer co-inherit a New Zealand vineyard)
