Twenty-one-year-old Hana Kurukaanga was inspired to become a film editor after watching a YouTube music video and the story behind how it was made.

“I enjoyed the passion of the whole thing, and the description of how it was filmed and edited, talking about metaphors and storylines,” she says.

“It inspired me to want to tell stories through the art of editing and a hidden motif.”

Hana had become disillusioned with school after completing her Year 12 studies, and was casting around for what to do next.

“I’ve always been creative and involved in various aspects of the arts, like music and dance,” she says.

“But I was conscious that I didn’t have the entry to go on to higher-level study straight after leaving school, so needed to find a transition that would help get me to where I wanted to go.” 

Hana looked at a range of film and production courses, but didn’t find them to be very hands-on.

She discovered the Screen Bites workshop at Unitec, a school holiday programme which gives budding film-makers the chance to learn to work on a professional set, shoot with high-end cameras and edit in a post-production suite.

Part of Unitec’s Screen Arts programme, the practical workshops are designed to introduce students to a creative pathway while offering opportunities for foundation study through Unitec’s Bridgepoint Education programme.

After completing the two-day workshop, Hana was hooked.

She moved on to do the New Zealand Certificate in Study and Employment Pathways (Level 4) - Performing and Screen, a 16-week programme (or full-year if doing part-time) specialising in screen arts, acting, and technical production.

With a mix of classroom sessions, practical workshops and student seminars; the course teaches students the basic principles of production, acting, theatre technologies and design, moving image study, as well as collaborative project-based learning.

“It was a great way to start learning the expectations of tertiary study, and to get my hands on a camera and start creating films and developing my skills,” she says.

“It’s particularly good for those students who feel like they know their career pathway and are ready to begin that journey.”

The certificate helped solidify Hana’s passion for filmmaking and editing and led her to Unitec’s Bachelor of Performing and Screen Arts (Screen Arts).

She is currently in her final year of the three-year programme, which she has really enjoyed.

“It’s taught me many valuable skills and helped me build my knowledge, especially with editing which is my specialisation,” she says. “It’s exposed me to a large number of film projects with different prompts like music videos, documentaries, adverts, short scenes and films.

“You get to do a lot of teamwork, working with your classmates to learn every aspect of film, from how a film is made, right through to actually making it.” 

Hana says the teaching staff have been great mentors and has found the support of editing lecturer Emma O’Connor particularly helpful.

“Emma came to Unitec halfway through my first year, and I’ve learnt many valuable lessons from her,” says Hana. “She’s easy to talk to and happy to answer any questions, providing insightful answers and feedback.”

Emma, who has recently completed a Master of Arts in Screen and Media Studies, researching gender representation on reality television, adds, “Hana is a fantastic student, enthusiastic and eager to learn.

“It’s been a pleasure to mentor her learning over the last two years, and I look forward to seeing her continued success in the screen industry.”

Hana hopes to get a role in a post-production house doing editing work once she completes her degree, but is open to any opportunities that might come her way. She’s just fizzing to get into the industry and put her new skills to work!

More information:
Unitec’s Foundation and Bridging Education courses in Performing and Screen Arts
Unitec’s Foundation and Bridging courses
Unitec Screen Arts pathway and how to take your first step into a creative career.