This 95 minute feature is called PUNCH and the screenplay and director's outline was what spurred the offer of a special residency at the Maurits Binger Film Institute.
“This is a prestigious award. They only select a tiny number of films from around the world for this annually. I am really honoured by their recognition. They have designed a special edition just for PUNCH because they recognised its distinctive nature and my history of designing, directing and writing highly unusual short narrative films,” says Ings.
During his time in Holland Ings says he will be able to refine small details of the work before moving it towards production.
“The time there will give me the chance to work with actors and a range of world class directors and establish a deeper substrate from which to bring the feature into being. We will also look at international funding for the project.”
He believes the residency is unique because it allows a writer or director to work from the inside of their film out.
“Instead of the normal practice of critiques being applied to the structure of the script, I will get the chance to make mock-ups of difficult scenes (with actors and editors) and having made these I, along with a selection of world leading directors sit down and reflect on not only the narrative, but also the visual substance and potentials of the scene.”
And, just to top off the achievement, while in Europe Ings’ will now be able to see his most recent short film, Munted, in a number of European festivals.
The film was refused selection for the New Zealand Film Festival last year but premiered in Montreal.
Following that it won Best Short Film in the Lucerne International Film Festival and was selected in competition in a range of other major festivals including the 29th Brussels International Film Festival, the 53rd Bilbao International Film Festival and the 27th Berlin Interfilm Short Film Festival.
Munted also was a finalist in the 2011 New Zealand Design Awards picking up an award for its innovative approach to visual narrative.