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 Loose Enz - If the Cat Laps
 Te Rua
 A Cat Among the Pigeons
 Bread & Roses
 Out of the Shadows

Synopsis

This documentary is a view into the crucible that forged Te Papa Tongarewa, the Museum of New Zealand, which opened in 1998. Fascinating fly-on-the-wall moments are captured as a new kind of national museum is conceived. This excerpt features a board meeting where Saatchi & Saatchi present branding options. As political, ideological, creative and commercial considerations collide, the frustrations of decision making by committee are palpable: the body language, tears, cautions, grumbles, and finally, smiles, as they settle on the contentious thumbprint logo.

Background

A perspective by Mary-Jane Duffy 22.08.2008

Getting to Our Place is a fascinating look into the birth of Te Papa that vividly captures the pressures and culture clashes attendent in designing a national museum in 90s New Zealand. Postmodern theory meets commercial pragmatism, and ...

Read more ›

Credits (16)

 Anna Cottrell

Anna Cottrell
Director

 Gaylene Preston

Gaylene Preston
Director, Producer

 Kit Rollings

Kit Rollings
Sound

See all credits ›

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Related Titles (6)

 Tales from Te Papa

Tales from Te Papa

Television, 2009

A series going behind-the-scenes of the museum's collections

 Bread & Roses

Bread & Roses

Film, 1993 (Excerpts)

Another title from Gaylene Preston

 Out of the Shadows

Out of the Shadows

Television, 2003 (Full Length)

Also directed by Anna Cottrell

 A Cat Among the Pigeons

A Cat Among the Pigeons

Television, 1992 (Full Length)

More arguing over art

 Te Rua

Te Rua

Film, 1991 (Excerpts)

Drama involving museums

 Loose Enz - If the Cat Laps

Loose Enz - If the Cat Laps

Television, 1982 (Full Length)

Another group of mad men discuss branding

Quotes

[It has] many of the hallmarks of a thriller.  

– Peter Calder, NZ Herald review of the doco

I find it hard to see a bird there - I see a downhill skier with a big head. 

– Sir David Gascoigne comments on a branding option

We needed to have an identity that could go out there and work for us in the commercial environment. 

– Te Papa CEO Cheryll Sotheran

For anyone who has worked in a woolshed: they had too much water on the brush and they slopped it around. 

– Sir Ron Trotter comments on a branding option

Awards

2000 TV Guide Television Awards
Best Editing (Paul Sutorius)