Latest news with #TeWhareWānangaoWaitaha
Scoop
2 hours ago
- General
- Scoop
New Book Tells The Story Of The Manapōuri Hydro Project
The Middle of Nowhere captures the project's danger, isolation and camaraderie through the voices of those who lived it. The book's author, oral historian Rosemary Baird, became interested in the Manapōuri project while researching her PhD thesis at Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury. 'That piece of research was about trans-Tasman migration. One of my first interviewees, Frank, had worked at Manapōuri. He talked about the dangers and hardship of life there and he was a born storyteller. I was hooked,' says Dr Baird. Existing histories of the hydro scheme focused on technical aspects of large-scale electricity generation, or on the more widely known 'Save Manapōuri' conservation campaign that ran from 1969 to 1972. Dr Baird believed an oral history would add a diversity of voices and experiences to this important chapter in Aotearoa New Zealand's history. She recorded 18 life histories with members of the Manapōuri hydro community, a multicultural group that included Italian, English, American and Croatian workers, as well as Māori and Pākehā. Readers will recognise the name of another born raconteur, Tim Shadbolt, former Mayor of Waitemata City and Invercargill, who worked at Manapōuri as a young man. Collectively, these stories paint a vivid picture of work in the harsh Fiordland environment: frosts thick enough to immobilise heavy machinery; ever present water and damp, above and below ground; and perilous working conditions that claimed 18 lives and injured many more. Recollections also shed light on the personal, political and social dimensions of life at Manapōuri. They touch on class hierarchies, attitudes surrounding ethnicity, sexuality and gender, women's lives in the isolated community, and responses to the conservation campaign. Evocative photographs, including many from the interviewees' personal collections, enrich this portrait of an era. Dr Baird believes the range of experiences explored in the book will connect with a wide audience, especially as many New Zealanders have personal links to the project. 'When I was researching it, I'd hear: 'My dad was a Ministry of Labour inspector at Manapōuri,' or 'I worked for the company that supplied the pipes.' Thousands of people were employed there and for their descendants these stories will contain a lot of insights.' Dr Rosemary Baird will be sharing Stories from the Manapouri Hydro Project in conversation with Liz Grant on Friday 29 August as part of the WORD Christchurch Festival 2025, proudly supported by Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury. The Middle of Nowhere: Stories of Working on the Manapōuri Hydro Project by Rosemary Baird is published by Canterbury University Press, RRP $55, flexibound, 240 x 170mm, 272pp, ISBN 978-1-98-850346-2. It is available in bookstores and through Canterbury University Press. About the author: Rosemary Baird is a Senior Outreach Advisor at Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga. She has a doctorate in oral history from Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury and loves social history, heritage places and personal stories.
Scoop
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scoop
UC Students Step Into The World Of Stop-Motion Animation
Li Holling and Bayedan Hales, Bachelor of Digital Screen with Honours students at Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury (UC), are gaining hands-on experience with Christchurch animation studio Stretchy, creators of the global stop-motion animation kids' show Kiri and Lou. 'Stop-motion is such a difficult industry to get into,' says Holling. 'The Kiri and Lou internship is an incredible opportunity. I'm only halfway through my second year, and already I'm getting to work in a high-quality studio." By working alongside professional animators and contributing to a major local production, Hales and Holling are applying their studies in a real-world context. Their internships are part of UC's Digital Screen Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) programme which connects students with professional experiences relevant to their degrees. 'The chance to work in a production environment is very different from being in class. You're surrounded by people who are really focused on a shared goal. You pick up so much just by being part of it,' Hales says. Producer Fiona Copland says it's been great having Li and Bayedan in the studio. They've done good work, and our team has enjoyed passing on knowledge to young people who are passionate about craft.' The experience has helped Hales see a creative career as a real option. 'It's been eye-opening to realise this is something I can actually pursue thanks to university support,' Hales says. 'The tools and teaching at UC are already really strong, but being in a working studio takes it to the next level.' As part of the application process, Holling and Hales submitted CVs, completed a knowledge and skills test, and had an interview with the studio team. Holling says sometimes just giving it a go can open doors you never expected. 'Even though I didn't meet all the job criteria when I applied, I threw my hat in the ring. I studied hard to upskill in areas I was less confident in. Even the interview taught me a lot. Whether you get the role or not, you're gaining experience, and that builds confidence for the next opportunity.' Both students are passionate about promoting the value of stop-motion animation in Aotearoa. 'Kids' TV is a huge industry here. Everyone's chasing the next blockbuster, but there are so many amazing, more accessible local projects out there. The team is at the top of their game — it's incredible that we are bringing in that sort of creative talent,' says Hales. Holling describes stop-motion as having a tactile charm that's hard to replicate in other formats. 'There needs to be more recognition of how important projects like Kiri and Lou are,' Holling says. 'It's not just beautiful storytelling for kids, its world-class stop-motion animation coming out of New Zealand. It's physical, it's hands-on, and it should be kept alive.' The internship was made possible through UC's Kōawa Studios, which develops partnerships with screen and creative technology sectors to provide students with regular access and exposure to industry experts and real-world project opportunities as they build portfolios, connect with industry mentors, and find pathways into Aotearoa New Zealand's screen sector. 'Having something like this based in Christchurch is absolutely amazing,' Hales says. 'It's amazing to be a part of it.'
Scoop
24-07-2025
- Science
- Scoop
UC Scientist To Serve On United Nations Panel
A University of Canterbury academic has been appointed to a United Nations expert panel examining the physical effects and social impact of nuclear war. Laura Revell, Associate Professor in Atmospheric Chemistry at Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury (UC), is the only New Zealand representative on the independent Scientific Panel on the Effects of Nuclear War. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced the 21-member expert panel this week, saying it would examine the physical effects and societal consequences of a nuclear war on a local, regional and planetary scale in the days, weeks and decades following a nuclear war. The panel is tasked with publishing a comprehensive report, making key conclusions, and identifying areas requiring future research. Associate Professor Revell was nominated by the Royal Society Te Apārangi and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade for the panel because of her expertise in atmospheric chemistry, climate modelling, and recent research into the environmental consequences of a rapidly intensifying rocket launch industry. She is also a member of the UNEP Environmental Effects Assessment Panel, which assesses the effects of ozone depletion and UV radiation on life on Earth. 'Obviously we live in uncertain geopolitical times and it's unnerving that research into the consequences of nuclear war is relevant again, four decades since the United Nations last studied its effects,' she says. 'I'm honoured to serve on this panel which I believe will contribute to a greater understanding of the far-reaching consequences of this kind of event.' A report prepared by the scientific panel will be considered by the United Nations General Assembly in 2027.
Scoop
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
International Animator Draws In UC Students
Press Release – University of Canterbury Michaela Ternasky-Holland, who specialises in creating installations and animated films using emerging technology such as artificial intelligence and extended reality (XR), is in Aotearoa New Zealand for the Doc Edge Festival, where her international … A New York-based Emmy Award-winning director has shared her industry insights with UC students during a rare Christchurch visit. Michaela Ternasky-Holland, who specialises in creating installations and animated films using emerging technology such as artificial intelligence (AI) and extended reality (XR), is in Aotearoa New Zealand for the Doc Edge Festival, where her international installation Kapwa won an Immersive Impact Award. On her first visit to Christchurch, Ternasky-Holland met with a group of Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury (UC) Digital Screen students yesterday ahead of speaking at a Kōawa Studios-hosted Beyond the Screen: The Future of Immersive Storytelling industry event last night. She told the students that when she started out, she didn't know how to code and didn't have an engineering background. 'I really have a storytelling background and a people skills background.' She encouraged them to be flexible and open to new opportunities. 'I think a lot of my career has not necessarily just come from me being in the right place at the right time, but also me treating people with kindness and respect, no matter who they are, and not even realising that would open up doors of opportunity for me in the future.' Ternasky-Holland began creating her own VR documentaries in 2016 and since then she has created, directed, produced, and edited a number of social-impact focused XR projects, installations and animated films, including a new episodic animation series, Echoes of Legend, available on YouTube, and her Emmy-award winning VR documentary Capturing Everest. She says globally the art of animation is changing rapidly and AI offers tools that can help speed up the animation process by supporting artists and storytellers, rather than replacing them. 'If we can utilise some of these generative platforms to do things like frame-by-frame animation or in-betweening the animation, or even helping us get started by filling in background and environment and some lighting – all the things that really take that extra time and energy and budget – then we can have more storytellers and more character designers, background artists, just be able to focus on making good work, versus being stressed about finishing it. That's where AI really sits at its best.' Ternasky-Holland says generative AI cannot replace the skill of human storytellers. 'We can make really cool art, but if they don't have the amazing characters, storylines and plot points that we are inviting the audience to experience alongside the art, then we're just making beautiful photos and beautiful imagery, we're not actually making stories. So I think that's still very resonant.' UC Kōawa Studios Director Sam Witters says it was fantastic to have someone of Ternasky-Holland's calibre and international experience at the Beyond the Screen event, which was part of Kōawa's sponsorship of the Doc Edge Documentary Film Festival. 'Michaela is an amazingly innovative, creative filmmaker who is using cutting-edge technology in her work. Our Bachelor of Digital Screen students learned so much from meeting her and the panel event was really inspiring.'
Scoop
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
International Animator Draws In UC Students
A New York-based Emmy Award-winning director has shared her industry insights with UC students during a rare Christchurch visit. Michaela Ternasky-Holland, who specialises in creating installations and animated films using emerging technology such as artificial intelligence (AI) and extended reality (XR), is in Aotearoa New Zealand for the Doc Edge Festival, where her international installation Kapwa won an Immersive Impact Award. On her first visit to Christchurch, Ternasky-Holland met with a group of Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury (UC) Digital Screen students yesterday ahead of speaking at a Kōawa Studios-hosted Beyond the Screen: The Future of Immersive Storytelling industry event last night. She told the students that when she started out, she didn't know how to code and didn't have an engineering background. 'I really have a storytelling background and a people skills background.' She encouraged them to be flexible and open to new opportunities. 'I think a lot of my career has not necessarily just come from me being in the right place at the right time, but also me treating people with kindness and respect, no matter who they are, and not even realising that would open up doors of opportunity for me in the future.' Ternasky-Holland began creating her own VR documentaries in 2016 and since then she has created, directed, produced, and edited a number of social-impact focused XR projects, installations and animated films, including a new episodic animation series, Echoes of Legend, available on YouTube, and her Emmy-award winning VR documentary Capturing Everest. She says globally the art of animation is changing rapidly and AI offers tools that can help speed up the animation process by supporting artists and storytellers, rather than replacing them. 'If we can utilise some of these generative platforms to do things like frame-by-frame animation or in-betweening the animation, or even helping us get started by filling in background and environment and some lighting - all the things that really take that extra time and energy and budget - then we can have more storytellers and more character designers, background artists, just be able to focus on making good work, versus being stressed about finishing it. That's where AI really sits at its best.' Ternasky-Holland says generative AI cannot replace the skill of human storytellers. 'We can make really cool art, but if they don't have the amazing characters, storylines and plot points that we are inviting the audience to experience alongside the art, then we're just making beautiful photos and beautiful imagery, we're not actually making stories. So I think that's still very resonant.' UC Kōawa Studios Director Sam Witters says it was fantastic to have someone of Ternasky-Holland's calibre and international experience at the Beyond the Screen event, which was part of Kōawa's sponsorship of the Doc Edge Documentary Film Festival. 'Michaela is an amazingly innovative, creative filmmaker who is using cutting-edge technology in her work. Our Bachelor of Digital Screen students learned so much from meeting her and the panel event was really inspiring.'
