Create 2025: Five Questions with Hawke’s Bay speaker Emma Slade

The inaugural Create Symposium will bring leading creators and innovators from across Aotearoa to Hawke’s Bay at Matariki. One of the speakers on “The Power of Storytelling” is Emma Slade, who runs production company Firefly Films, the company that brought the film Mister Organ to life.

Why is storytelling so important?

Storytelling is fundamental to what makes us human. It’s how we make sense of the world, pass down knowledge and connect across time, culture and experience.

Stories give meaning to facts, emotion to memory, and voice to those who might otherwise go unheard. They allow us to imagine, to empathise and to see through someone else’s eyes. Whether around a fire, on a screen or through a book, storytelling is how we remember who we are – and dream about who we might become. Stories have the ability to change the world.

What can we learn from storytelling and how do we implement it in our own business?

Stories teach us about ourselves, about others and about the world we live in. Through storytelling, we learn empathy by stepping into lives unlike our own, we uncover truths hidden beneath the surface of history and culture and we see the consequences of choices, both good and bad. Stories don’t just entertain – they illuminate. They show us patterns, reveal values and offer lessons that facts alone can’t convey. By listening to stories and sharing our own, we become more reflective, more connected and more capable of growth. Storytelling is one of the most powerful ways we learn – not just what happened, but what it meant.

Emma Slade runs production company Firefly Films.

Successful businesses implement storytelling by weaving narrative into every aspect of their brand, from the projects they choose to develop to the way they market and pitch those projects. Storytelling becomes a strategic tool: it shapes the vision of the company, defines its identity and creates emotional resonance with audiences, investors and collaborators. Business owners use the “power of story” to inspire trust, communicate values and stand out. Storytelling isn’t just about what you say – it’s about how you make people feel and why they remember you.

Create 2025: The Power of Storytelling is planned and hosted by Nga Toi Creative Hawke’s Bay in partnership with Ngati Kahungunu and with support from Creative New Zealand. It will be held at the Napier War Memorial Centre on Tuesday, June 17.

In the screen industry, what film campaign told an enduring story successfully?

The recently released feature film Tinā is an excellent example of how effective story can be. This movie struck a powerful chord in Aotearoa because it delivered something deeply authentic and resonant – a story of healing, cultural pride and humanity that felt both specific and universal.

With relatable themes of resilience and unity, the narrative taps into universal lessons – loss, forgiveness, community, the transformative power of music – that crossed cultural and generational boundaries. Tinā had emotional and theatrical impact, with audiences responding en masse – churches rallied support, cinemas experienced tear-filled silence during credits, and many saw it multiple times.

It had a record-breaking release strategy, opening in 128 locations across New Zealand and the Pacific – the widest rollout ever for a Kiwi film, grossing over $5 million, selling more than 320,000 tickets, ranking it among the top six highest‑grossing New Zealand films.

Which film company do you admire and why?

I admire the American distribution company A24 and the independent production company Blumhouse, because both companies have built powerful brands by embracing creative risk, championing distinctive voices, and proving that you don’t need massive budgets to create global impact.

A24 backs original, auteur-driven films like Everything Everywhere All At Once and Moonlight, and has cultivated a loyal audience that trusts the A24 brand itself.

As a New Zealand producer, who doesn’t enjoy the repetitiveness of some of the big Studio pictures, I love it how A24 makes bold decisions by selecting unique, offbeat, emotionally resonant stories.

Blumhouse is also a global brand that is recognised for a certain type of content. It is trusted by consumers and always promises a great ride.

They have proven their low-budget, high-return model. It’s a masterclass in efficiency and genre strategy – producing elevated horror films like Get Out and The Invisible Man on low budgets, which allows them to maximise the upside when the film performs well. The key being, finding the best horror stories the world has to offer.

Both of these companies prove that vision, brand and storytelling can outweigh budget and scale, making them powerful models for independent producers in New Zealand who want to punch above their weight.

What is your favourite film? And what is it about the story that captures you?

I have many favourite films, but one I really enjoyed recently was Conclave. I am drawn to films that are strong thematically and in Conclave, as the cardinals gather to elect a new pope, the story peels back layers of ambition, loyalty, hypocrisy and conscience.

The central twist – revealing that the most suitable candidate is an intersex cardinal – pushes the Church, and the audience, to confront deeply held assumptions about gender, identity and divine purpose.

It is a meditation on truth, humility and the struggle between preserving doctrine and embracing humanity. It suggests that faith is not static – it is tested, reinterpreted and ultimately shaped by those courageous enough to see beyond fear. The film masterfully combines bold storytelling, with taut, character‑driven tension, played by a great cast.

The depiction of conclave mechanics – secrecy, factional maneuvering and rituals, creates a foundation of real-world tension – an A-list thriller.

With its layered conflict and intense emotional stakes, elevated by a daring thematic twist that I didn’t see coming and an impeccable ensemble cast, puts it in my top 10.

Create 2025: The Power of Storytelling is planned and hosted by Ngā Toi Creative Hawke’s Bay in partnership with Ngāti Kahungunu and with support from Creative New Zealand. It will be held at the Napier War Memorial Centre on Tuesday, June 17. Guests include David Downs, film producer Emma Slade, and brand expert Kim Thorp, plus representatives from iwi, tourism, logistics, the arts, media production and more. More information and tickets at https://www.ngatoihawkesbay.co.nz/