News

War News begins filming

20/11/2013

Filming has begun on War News, an innovative World War I documentary series to mark the centenary of the War in 2014.

Although War News is set 100 years ago, it will use the same tools as contemporary news programmes, with reports from the front line via live satellite and utilising social media such as Facebook and Skype.

Viewers in 2014 will turn on their TVs to see a World War I Kiwi war correspondent reporting live to camera followed by a studio-based news anchor signing off the news on five key dates during the War;

20th December 1915 – The withdrawal from Gallipoli

11th October 1916 – A court martial just after the Battle of Flers Courcelette during the Somme Offensive

12th October 1917 – The attack at Passchendaele

10th December 1918 – The Surafend Affair and The Sinai Palestine Campaigns

4th November 1918 – The battle for the town of Le Quesnoy and the end of the war in Europe.

Essentially the audience will be observing century old events through present day media.

The series will be made up of five one-hour special news bulletins to cover each event with a particular focus on New Zealanders and their involvement.

War News is supported by New Zealand On Air and will be shown on Prime TV as part of the centennial commemorations in 2014.