New Zealand’s arts and entertainment community gathered at the Q Theatre last night to honor actor Ken Blackburn, recipient of 2017 Equity Lifetime Achievement Award Presented by Ryman Healthcare.

The awards ceremony featured a star studded line-up of tributes, speeches and performances from the likes of Roger Hall, Tony Barry, Emma Sloman, Danny Mulheron, Michael Hurst, Elizabeth McRae, Ian Mune, Rebekah Head, Jennifer Ward-Lealand and Zak Enayat.

Equity president Jennifer Ward-Lealand said the evening was a wonderful event befitting Ken’s illustrious career.  “Ken Blackburn has inspired so many artists and audiences with his performances on screen and stage. He is also an incredibly talented director and writer.  It was a real treat to look back on all he has achieved - and still is - since he began his acting career in 1963. A huge thank you to the many musicians, performers, family, friends and Ryman Healthcare for making last night possible”.

In an impressively wide-ranging career spanning more than 40 years Ken has worked in film, television, radio and theatre. Many of his peers took the opportunity to remark not only on Ken’s skill and dedication to his craft, but also his kind nature and good humor.

Ken was nominated by New Zealand performers and selected by the board of Equity New Zealand.

The Equity Lifetime Achievement Award was established by the Equity Foundation in 2015 with the generous support of Ryman Healthcare. Past recipients include Elizabeth McRae and Dame Kate Harcourt. For further information about the Equity Foundation visit http://www.equityfoundation.org.au/

(Image: Amanda Billing)

Equity New Zealand welcomes the Government’s announcement that they will repeal an ill-considered and unnecessary law introduced in 2010 in a bid to strip actors and other film workers of basic employment rights. This move is a clear vote of confidence in New Zealand's world-class screen industry.

The Employment Relations (Film Production Work) Amendment Act 2010 was rushed through Parliament, classifying all film workers as "independent contractors", unable to bargain collectively and receive other benefits associated with being an employee.

At the time Labour and Green Party MPs voted against the bill, accusing the government of relenting to a foreign company and abusing parliamentary process.

“This is a law that is deeply unfair for workers, so it is wonderful to see our new Government make its repeal a priority” said Equity New Zealand president Jennifer Ward-Lealand.

Ward-Lealand said the Government’s announcement demonstrates a genuine commitment to creating and supporting employment conditions that are fair and equitable.

“The repeal of this law is a step in the right direction but much more needs to be done to enable collective bargaining in our industry, as is the case in every other major film industry in the western world.”

Ward-Lealand said the alleged purpose of this law was to create certainty, but it did just the opposite.

“One of the best ways to create certainty around employment conditions – for both employees and employers – is to have collective agreements that very clearly outline wages and conditions.” said Ward-Lealand.

“We look forward to working with Prime Minister Ardern and her team to create a thriving arts and entertainment industry that still manages to treat its workers with dignity and respect.

Home

Equity New Zealand is thrilled to announce that Ken Blackburn ONZM is the recipient of the 2017 Equity Lifetime Achievement Award presented by Ryman Healthcare.

In an impressively wide-ranging career spanning more than 40 years Ken has worked in film, television, radio and theatre. 

Ken has appeared in many of New Zealand’s most iconic TV shows including Xena: Warrior Princess, Farscape, Close To Home, Gliding On and Shortland Street.  His film credits include pioneering feature Skin Deep, The Frighteners, King Kong and Rest for the Wicked. Ken’s stage credits are also extensive. In 1999 his performance as Vladimir in Waiting for Godot earned him the Best Actor award at the Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards. In 2005 he was awarded the Queen's Birthday Honours List for Services to the Performing Arts. Ken most recently performed in Circa Theatre’s 2017 production of Three Days in the Country. As well as his successful career as an actor in New Zealand, the UK and Australia, Ken has also directed stage, film, television and radio productions. His autobiographical book Blitz Kids was published by the BBC in 1995.

Equity President Jennifer Ward-Lealand says: “I cannot think of a more worthy recipient for this award than Ken Blackburn. Since the 1970s Ken has been gracing our screens and stages, delivering countless moving and memorable performances.  Ken’s name has come up time and time again during the nomination and section process for the Lifetime Achievement Award because he is such a beloved and respected member of our performer community.”

Ken was nominated by New Zealand performers and selected by the board of Equity New Zealand.

Since its inception, the Equity New Zealand Lifetime Achievement Award has been made possible with the generous support of Ryman Healthcare. Previous recipients include Elizabeth McRae and Dame Kate Harcourt.

Ryman Healthcare chief executive Gordon MacLeod said it was great to see Ken rewarded for his many years of hard work and dedication to acting. “We’re delighted to see Ken achieve this recognition. His many characters – hapless, bumbling and sometimes downright sinister - have delighted generations of New Zealanders and he has made a huge contribution to TV, film and theatre in New Zealand. Congratulations Ken!’’

Ken will be honoured at an awards ceremony in Auckland in November. 

Is there someone you feel is a talented performer but also a great mentor and a supporter of the next generation?

Part of what makes this award so special it is that it is nominated by performers. Please take a few minutes to submit your nomination here.

Nominations close on Sunday, September 17, 2017. The final decision will be made by the Equity New Zealand Board.

The Equity Foundation’s hugely popular Casting Hothouse will return to Australia and New Zealand in September and October 2017.

We are thrilled to welcome aboard our new sponsors, Screen Queensland, which will see the Hothouse visit Brisbane for the first time, as well as our friends at the New Zealand Film Commission, who have generously helped us bring the Hothouse to Auckland since 2012.

This is a unique opportunity to work on your audition, accent and acting techniques in a series of intensive workshops with leading casting directors.

The Casting Hothouse is designed to give Equity members every opportunity to succeed in the local and international market.

The 2017 Casting Hothouse will feature: 
US feature film casting director Kerry Barden (Still Alice, Dallas Buyers Club, The Help, Girl on the Train, Pitch Perfect 3)
US TV casting executive Matt Skrobalak (The Good Wife, NCIS, Jane the Virgin)
AND:
Local casting directors to be announced.

Please read the application instructions carefully – your bio and headshot must be submitted as ONE PDF document.

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND 
September 26 – 28, 2017
Applications close August 1, 2017
APPLY HERE 

A unique opportunity for 12 Equity members to unlock Shakespearean text through rigorous textual and dramatic analysis, while drawing on improvisation and play to liberate the actor’s body and imagination, with Central School of Speech and Drama tutor and theatre director Ben Naylor. His work concentrates on the psycho-dramatic structures the playwright embeds in his form and language, and on the intimate and truthful relationship between actor and audience.

Preparation:
All successful applicants need to prepare a scene with a partner from a Shakespearean play written after 1595, that is approximately five minutes long. The scene needs to be ready to work on the floor and off-book at the workshop. Equity will liaise with the successful applicants to pair them up prior to the masterclass.

*This masterclass is geared to the experienced actor who has either completed an acting degree or has worked professionally for at least three years.

Bio of host:
Faculty member University of London, Central School of Speech and Drama. Studied at Durham University, Magdalen College Oxford, and Drama Centre London. Ben has taught acting at Shakespeare's Globe, the Shakespeare Centre, the Method Studio, LAMDA, ASAD, Cambridge University, Queen Mary and Westfield, Kingston University, Birkbeck College, at Berlin’s Forum fur Filmschauspiel, and in the US, New Zealand, Israel and Greece; he also currently teaches for Florida State University’s Theatre Academy London. He has led workshops and readings at Shakespeare's Globe, the Old Vic, Young Vic, King’s Head, Gatehouse, and the Salon des Arts; and was a founder member of the Young Vic Genesisprogramme and the Caird Company.

Our thanks to Ben Naylor and Pop Up Globe for their support of Equity New Zealand.

Register here.