Auckland's Film Industry Growth
It’s nice to be able to write a regional wrap that is the polar opposite of the one written exactly a year ago. Flick back 12 months and we were in a pretty dire situation, one of which many will take years to recover from. However, we are recovering, and I’m happy to report that Filmcrews has just about run out of crew for the huge amount of productions that have been shooting around NZ since the beginning of spring, and we see this trend continuing until at least this time next year.
It has certainly created such a buzz in the Auckland filming community, one of enthusiasm for our future productions and possibilities, all of which are helped by the increase in incentives, a stable government, and a dropping dollar. But it has also highlighted the need for further infrastructure within the Auckland region, particularly in regards to new studio facilities. Behind the scenes, local and central government, with the assistance and input from a group of passionate people through Film Auckland/ATEED, are currently looking at possible locations for the building of a total backlot international standard studio facility, comprising of several sound stages. There is, of course, a way to go, and these things don’t happen overnight, but how wonderful to be in a position of saying that even with the studios we already have fully utilised, we need more.
I look forward to updating all the members of the Techos’ Guild with the developments in this area. It won’t just help the Auckland region, but it will make NZ even more attractive than it already is if we have facilities in Auckland that are world-class, can cater for local long-running dramas, television productions, photographic shoots, foley stages, and feature films simultaneously.
Television commercials have picked up and will continue to do so over the summer, so Auckland is going to need some new fresh crew coming up the ranks. Please keep this in mind if you are an HOD. Also, don’t forget to ask your next production manager if you can bring along an extra mouth for lunch.
Keep safe out there.
Sioux Macdonald, Guild vice president and executive committee member
