New Zealand Police - Time to get filming!

The New Zealand Police are calling on our screen sector to get creative at home.

With 1.3 million followers on their social media channels this is a great opportunity for all of our members and wider community to get filming.

With an added bonus of $1500 for each video that is aired on their social media sites, a great time to get the creative juices following at home.

See the full brief here

In order for the Screen Sector COVID-19 Action Group to advocate on your behalf, we want to better understand your current situation and what is important to you.

Please complete the following survey and once you're done, share it with your local screen industry colleagues and friends.

Click here to complete

The Prime Minister announced that New Zealand is raising the alert to level 4 at midnight tomorrow. Once level 4 is in place, all New Zealanders not in essential services will be asked to stay at home. Current talk is of a month of level 4.

During this time the Screen Industry Guild want to be able to provide advocacy for it’s members through this crisis.

We are talking to central government on behalf of our members to advocate for assistance that can benefit our members to get through this crisis.

• The government is offering various wage subsidies and financial assistance. The guild will get further advice for our members of the best options and methods to access assistance. See the link below for the latest information on wage subsidies and the application process.
• If you have concerns and questions, please get in touch. We may not have all the answers, but we can ask the questions more directly to the government to try to work through any problems.
• We may send out some surveys periodically to capture the challenges the screen sector is facing to better assist ongoing dialogue with the government.
• Both council and central government screen organisations are in regular dialogue with the major industry organisations, and everyone is looking at everything that can be done to assist us all.
• The Screen Sector COVID-19 Action Group has been created to address the immediate effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on our industry. This pan-sector team comprises many key screen industry guilds and organisations, as well as major stakeholders. This website will keep you informed on updates in the Screen Sector as we move through this time www.screenindustrynz.co.nz

Below are three links you may find useful. Safe To Talk, wage subsidy links, and coping with financial stress:

1) Safe To Talk is New Zealand’s national mental health helpline number. 

It is free to text or call this number 1737 anytime to talk with a trained counsellor.

https://1737.org.nz/about/index.html

2) For wage subsidy information, application links and updates check this online page for the latest information: https://www.screenindustrynz.co.nz/wage-subsidy 

3) This pdf discusses financial stress and lists contact information for various support groups and agencies.

https://www.mentalhealth.org.nz/assets/ResourceFinder/coping-with-financial-stress.pdf

We do urge you to contact us if you have any concerns or questions. We are here to support you at this time.

In response to the immediate impact of COVID-19 on the New Zealand screen industry, the sector has today announced the formation of the Screen Sector COVID-19 Action Group and a screen-specific online information hub.

While the indeterminate hiatus of a number of large international line productions has already resulted in job losses, many essential New Zealand productions continue to strive to keep cast and crew safe at work, whilst ensuring their productions remain operational. 

Now, more than ever, the screen industry needs to work cohesively for the benefit of the sector at large. While progress continues on the Screen Sector Strategy 2030, the Strategy Facilitation Group has acted quickly to establish the Screen Sector COVID-19 Action Group to address the immediate effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the industry. This pan-sector team comprises many key screen industry guilds and organisations, as well as major stakeholders.   

The www.screenindustrynz.co.nz website will act as a one-stop hub to assist screen producers and industry workers find screen-specific health and safety resources, wage and earning subsidy assistance and information, key updates on COVID-19 as well as relevant news and updates from screen guilds and industry organisations. 

Currently, the key focus for the wider industry is the health and safety of those working on domestic productions and it is vital that all productions in New Zealand adhere to Government advisories and safety measures. Currently, the key focus for the wider industry is the health and safety of those working on domestic productions and it is vital that all productions in New Zealand adhere to Government advisories and safety measures. ScreenSafe, the industry’s health and safety advocacy group, has added two documents on the website, Covid-19 Health & Safety Policy and Covid-19 Contact Declaration Form*.  These documents are intended to give production companies and heads of departments guidance and forms to manage COVID-19 on a working production.

The local screen industry eco-system right now is very fragile, and the Screen Sector COVID-19 Action Group recognises the importance of keeping domestic productions operational where possible, or ready to gear back up as quickly as possible should an increase in New Zealand’s COVID-19 Alert level necessitate work stoppages.

The other key priority for the Screen Sector COVID-19 Action Group during this initial phase of the COVID-19 crisis is working closely with key stakeholders, including funding bodies and financiers, to explore the various ways in which the domestic screen production industry can be supported in order to continue working safely during these uncertain times.

Beyond this acute response, the Screen Sector COVID-19 Action Group will also be looking at funding mechanisms and networks to facilitate training and development opportunities for affected businesses as well as individual crew members, performers, writers and directors.  

These unprecedented times call for calm and proactive decision-making in order to protect the local screen sector and to ensure that when recovery happens – and it will – the industry is ready to operate at maximum capacity again for our domestic productions and so that international line productions can return as soon as it is viable.

www.screenindustrynz.co.nz

*Documents created with thanks by Health & Safety Officer Robert ‘Gibbo’ Gibson and Producer Rebekah ‘Bex’ Kelly.

About the Screen Sector COVID-19 Action Group

Established in mid-March 2020 by the Screen Sector Strategy 2030 Facilitation Group, the Screen Sector COVID-19 Action Group is a pan-sector team, made up of representatives from many key industry guilds and organisations, as well as major stakeholders.

While the work of finalising the Screen Sector Strategy 2030 continues, the Screen Sector Facilitation Group felt it was essential to urgently establish a working group to address the immediate effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Screen Sector and to ensure that when recovery happens – and it will – we are all ready to gear back up and get the screen industry in Aotearoa humming again. 

A key finding of the Screen Sector Strategy 2030 is the desire for a pan-sector unified voice and while that pan sector body is some time away still, it is evident that now, more than ever, our industry needs to work cohesively and it is with that in mind that this working group has been formed.

The group’s members and stakeholders are as follows:

SCREEN SECTOR COVID-19 ACTION GROUP - MEMBERS

Alice Shearman        New Zealand Writers Guild

Brian Finn                 Weta Group

Felicity Letcher          Main Reactor

Grant Baker              Auckland Screen Alliance/Film Auckland /Images & Sound

Hineani Melbourne    Ngā Aho Whakaari

Kelly Lucas               Screen Industry Guild of Aotearoa New Zealand

Matthew Metcalfe      General Film Corporation

Patricia Watson         WIFT NZ (Women in Film and Television)

Peter Clews              NZ Advertising Producers Group

Richard Fletcher        SPADA / Libertine Pictures

Sally Campbell          South Pacific Pictures

Sandy Gildea            SPADA (Screen Production & Development Association)

Sioux Macdonald      Screen Industry Guild of NZ /Filmcrews

Tui Ruwhiu               Directors & Editors Guild of NZ

SCREEN SECTOR COVID-19 ACTION GROUP - STAKEHOLDERS

Domestic and international screen producers & productions

Government ministries: 

• Ministry of Culture & Heritage
• Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment
• Ministry of Social Development
• Ministry of Education

Screen funding bodies: 

• NZ On Air
• New Zealand Film Commission
• Te Māngai Paho  

Regional economic development agencies: 

• Auckland Tourism, Events & Economic Development
• Screen Wellington

Regional Film Offices of New Zealand

The government has released its initial wage subsidy package for businesses affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

How do SIGANZ members access this and what do they need to provide?

The information says the subsidy is accessible if you are an employer, contractor, sole trader or self-employed.

Here are details of the application process.

Your situation is either:

• your staff are in self-isolation (or caring for others), or
• your business's revenue has dropped due to COVID-19

- You can apply online and you will need:

your IRD number
your business name (or just use your name in this field)
business address
the names of your employees
your employee IRD numbers
contact details for your business and your employees

- They will then check if you qualify.

- They may contact you if they need further information regarding your application. 

- They’ll do this by phone.

- If it's:

Approved:

• you receive the payment between 2-7 days

Declined: 

• they’ll notify you

Self-employed (contractor) application form:

https://services.workandincome.govt.nz/ess/trader_applications/new

We feel most of our members will be operating either:

1. A Registered Company (with one employee)

or

2. A Sole Trader (Contractor)

Contracting to various Production Companies operating in NZ.

How do I access the Subsidy

To qualify you need to:

1.  Be registered and operating in NZ

• Registered Company

• • Have a NZBN (New Zealand Business Number) you can find what your is by searching your company here: https://www.nzbn.govt.nz/
• Sole Trader (Contractor)

2. Be legally working in NZ

• You need to be a Citizen, Permanent Resident or have a valid work visa.

3. You must have a current or expected 30% decline in revenue over a period of a month compared to the same month last year. 

If you require proof of upcoming contract work we can look at helping with the below suggestions.

• Have a letter (or email) from an upcoming production or productions you were expecting to be working on as the bulk of your upcoming revenue which states the production has halted due to Covid-19.
• The Guild is attempting to get letters which we can distribute to members on request from various productions and industry organisations.

4. Must have taken active steps to mitigate the impact of Covid-19. 

• If you require proof of these steps the guild can provide a letter saying the member has actively approached the guild for advice on mitigating the Covid-19 impacts to fulfil this requirement.

5. Must make best efforts to retain employees

• This should be straightforward for both sole traders and companies in this situation.

What do I get?

The subsidy will be paid at a flat rate of $585.80 (over 20hrs per week) or $350.00 (under 20hrs per week).

The subsidy is paid in a lump sum and covers 12 weeks.

The MSD information can be accessed here:

https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/products/a-z-benefits/covid-19-support.html

Self-employed (Contractor) application form:

https://services.workandincome.govt.nz/ess/trader_applications/new

Employer Application form:

https://services.workandincome.govt.nz/ess/employer_applications/new

TAX:

Wage Subsidy and Leave subsidy

Taxable income for contractor?	Wage - No	Leave - No
Subsidy attract GST for contractor?	No	No
When employer pays employee, is the employee subject to tax?	Yes	Yes (i.e. Employer deducts paye/KS etc when they pay staff as normal but it will be tricky to seperate things in the normal payroll.
Is the subsidy deductible to employer when paid to employee?	No	No

The impact of Covid-19 has radically changed the New Zealand Screen Industry and the ability for us to work.  The situation changes daily so in response to this ScreenSafe has created a page on https://screensafe.co.nz/covid-19-coronavirus/ with a list of links to websites that provide up to date information and advisory notices on the disease.  Use them to keep yourself informed of the current situation so you can make informed choices about how you keep yourself safe and healthy.

ScreenSafe has added two documents on the website, Covid-19 H&S Policy and Covid-19 Contact Declaration Form created with thanks by Health & Safety Officers Robert ‘Gibbo’ Gibson and Rebekah ‘Bex’ Kelly.  These documents are intended to give Production Companies and HOD’s guidance and forms to manage Covid-19 on a working production.  

COVID-19 - Health & Safety Policy for Productions - download

COVID-19 Declaration Document for Productions - download

Full details of the Government's $12.1bn rescue package announced this afternoon are available here.  The good news is that the rescue package covers self-employed and contractors which provides relief for the screen sector in the short term.

Included in the package is $8.7bn for business and jobs; and $5.1bn in wage subsidies which includes self employed and contractors. This is available for up to 3 months and will be re-assessed after that period.  Here is the link if you would like to make an application.

Also:
* $126m allocated to leave/isolation reports: once again contractors/self-employed are covered under this payment.  Workers are covered for the 14-day stand down period, or the entire period if the worker has contracted COVID-19.

* $2.8bn in business tax changes to free up cash flow; this includes a provisional tax threshold lift (to $5,000), the reinstatement

The Screen Guild is working towards coming back with recommendations for our members how best to fulfil the criteria, and successfully complete the forms.