The Regional Film Offices of New Zealand

I’ve only recently learnt of the word “coopetition.” One of those fancy portmanteaus like “brunch” or “mockumentary”, it blends cooperation and competition together – two words that should be opposites.

It was fitting that I’d learn about “coopetition” only a few days after wrapping up our annual Regional Film Offices of New Zealand (RFONZ) hui. It was my fifth time attending this yearly event. Over the years, I’ve seen us gather in a creative co-working space in Dunedin, in a virtual meeting room during COVID, at Te Papa in Wellington, by the shores of Queen Charlotte Sound in Picton, and this year in vibrant Ōtautahi Christchurch.

You might assume that the twelve Regional Film Offices (RFOs) around the country would be rivals. After all, we’re ultimately all working to grow the screen industries in our own regions. So the successes and ambitions of other regions could be seen as competition.

But we choose to not see it that way. We recognise the huge value in working together. Collective problem-solving. Taking an “NZ Inc” approach. Working to make the whole pie bigger and better, so that we can each have a decent slice. Coopetition, dare I say it, in full force.

RFONZ is the collective that brings the RFOs together. Our member offices are currently Screen Auckland, Film Bay of Plenty, Waikato Screen, Venture Taranaki, Film Whanganui, Screen Wellington, Screen Marlborough, ScreenCanterburyNZ, Film Queenstown Lakes, Film Dunedin, Eastern Screen Alliance and Screen Tairāwhiti.

As a quick crash course in film office work, essentially we work behind- the-scenes to connect the industry, government and local communities. Most of us sit within the councils or economic development agencies in our regions or are funded by them.

Our core services are largely offered free of charge. So we’re not set up to do what a paid local crew member or production company would be better placed to do. We work in the spaces in-between. We facilitate film permits, service early production enquiries, maintain information toolkits for productions (such as crew directories), support industry development projects, lend a film perspective to policies and plans, advocate to decision-makers about the value of film, keep the non-film community on-side with filming, and more. Many offices also work actively to attract production and business to their regions.

As RFONZ, we get together online once every month, as well as in-person at our annual hui and industry events like Big Screen Symposium. Our meetings are generally full of information- sharing and problem-solving. If an RFO is tackling a big-picture issue with permitting that might impact other regions, the group can offer advice and troubleshoot together. Or if an RFO is working on a cool industry development project, they can brainstorm with (and boast to!) the group.

We also offer a single point of collaboration for industry partners like the New Zealand Film Commission, so that they’re not having to individually liaise with twelve different entities. We have regular online meetings with the NZFC to share updates and collaborate on projects together.

RFONZ also plays an advocacy role. If there’s an issue that impacts all of us, we share our collective voice. We’ve joined forces to submit on consultations such as the recent ‘Government investment in the screen sector’ review and the Toi Pāho screen-sector capability and development plan.

What I enjoy the most about our annual hui is connecting with other RFOs in the locations and communities they’re so passionate about. Some of our best conversations and connections have been made on a city walk, wearing a hard-hat on a construction site, on top of a mountain, over a taco, or even on the rain-soaked hike I found myself on in Picton after the hui last year. There is of course a level of bureaucracy to what we do, but at the end of the day, we’re all locals who are proud to advocate for our places, people and stories.

Of course, we’re not holding hands dancing circles in flower fields all the time. We’re aware that sometimes we’ll have different priorities and opinions. There are times when one region is teeming with production and others are slow. Some offices have been around for decades, while others are just getting started. We know that we’re employed by different organisations and that our alliance is mostly governed by an MOU and goodwill, which can sometimes be restrictive.

But this is an industry built on collaboration, and that’s what anchors us.

We’re always looking for ways we can extend our collaboration—or “coopetition” if you’ll allow me to throw that word in one last time— further into the industry represented by the Screen Guild. I think we’ll find that we’re all working towards a lot of the same goals. So if you’re keen to talk more about RFONZ, or get in touch with an individual RFO, we’re always up for a chat.

Website: filmoffices.nz
Contact: kahli.scott@qldc.govt.nz or info@filmoffices.nz.

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