Speaker

Sharon Menzies

Managing Director, Hinterland

Sharon Menzies is a well-recognised and highly regarded figure in the film industry. With over 25 years’ experience in financing cashflow solutions in film and television for Australasian producers, she has also been involved at the highest level in many key industry bodies across New Zealand and Australia, and in 2021 completed the Institute of Directors in New Zealand course in governance.

Sharon’s newest venture, Hinterland, focuses on providing tailored and producer-friendly financing solutions for independent and creative producers in New Zealand. Her deep understanding of how rebates work plays an integral part in how she assists producers to successfully finance their projects.

In March 2023, Sharon stepped away as Managing Director of Fulcrum Media Finance having been there since inception, establishing it with See-Saw Films in 2008. During that time, Fulcrum became the market-leading cashflow financier for film and television in Australia and New Zealand, having provided cashflow to over 450 projects since inception.

At Fulcrum, Sharon was responsible for managing loan portfolios including drawdowns and repayments, devising and executing the company’s strategic mission and direction in consultation with internal and external stakeholders, assessing financial risk on new projects, reporting to funders, ensuring compliance with facility agreements and its funders, overseeing compliance with legislative and regulatory obligations.

Key achievements during Sharon’s tenure at Fulcrum:

• From inception to the time of her departure, Fulcrum provided over AUD750 million in lending on over 450 projects with loans ranging from AUD$90,000 to over AUD$15 million.
• Established lines of credit with an Australian superannuation fund, Bank of Montreal, and Credit Suisse, which together total AUD$250 million.
• Negotiated and executed cashflow loans to over 450 projects without a single default.

Currently, Sharon is Chair of Film Bay of Plenty, the regional film office representing the Bay of Plenty. Film Bay of Plenty provides assistance with location scouting and facilitation, film permitting, crew and service provision, advocacy and liaison with local government and communities.

Sharon has recently been appointed to the New Zealand Film Festival Trust. The New Zealand Film Festival Trust is a national organisation, a charitable trust set up in 1996 by the New Zealand Federation of Film Societies Inc. to oversee the annual Auckland and Wellington Film Festivals along with the associated festivals around New Zealand.

 

Sharon is the immediate past Co-President of New Zealand Screen Production and Development Association. During Sharon’s five year term, her key achievements included proactive discussions with New Zealand Film Commission around the New Zealand Screen Production Grant criteria, film policy and development funding. Sharon is also a past President of Women in Film and TV New Zealand.

 

In 2020, Sharon was awarded the WIFTNZ Imagezone Entrepreneurship Award and in 2016 Fulcrum was awarded the Services and Facilities Business of the Year by Screen Producers Australia.