Avalon What's the Story?

In the years since Avalon was sold by TVNZ there’s been plenty of ups and downs. Paul Mainwaring writes that there’s reason to be confident for the future of the purpose-built facility.

Avalon Film and Television Studios has been under independent ownership for two years. As owners we recognised early that as an industry resource it was important that we could cater for both television productions and film-industry needs, and therefore changed the name of the studios to represent that mix.

Like many in the Wellington film and television industry we have felt the effects of migration of production companies to Auckland. However, we continue to host a quite diverse range of activities including studio television, film shoots, commercials, media training and events.

We have hosted a number of short films including Feeder, The Great Maiden’s Blush and Judgment Tavern, and are delighted to have been able to assist these lower-budget projects. We are pleased that we can operate in such a way that we are able to support up-and-coming filmmakers with their short films; to help them progress their careers while at the same time providing work for craft people within the industry.

Avalon aims to operate very much on a cooperative basis rather than in a competitive way with the other Wellington-based facilities suppliers. The industry needs to pull together for our collective growth and success at a time when there isn’t as much production activity as we would all like.

The revised screen production grant introduced by the Government in April 2014 has certainly intensified the number of inquiries but in the film industry the gestation period before principal photography kicks in is a long one. We are optimistic that the New Zealand Screen Production Grant (NZSPG) will enable a healthy number of medium-sized-budget movies to get under way in the next few years.

At Avalon we have a small core group of management staff, and for operational work we utilise freelance contractors. One of the great things over the past two years has been the relationships we have developed with freelancers. We very much appreciate the loyalty shown by the whole freelance contractor group for our operation and we wish to support them as they support us.

While continuing to service television projects and medium-sized film shoots we are beginning to develop our own slate of movie projects, with a view to seeking international partners who are able to utilise the NZSPG.

The main project we have in development is titled Dream Walker and is being developed with US partners. While we had hoped to be under way with principal photography by now we have encountered what everybody in the industry knows – these things cannot be rushed in movie land. Dream Walker is a $15M film project with a substantial part of it slated to be shot in Wellington.

Developing long-term relationships with Wellington-based production companies is very much at the forefront of our efforts. Our strong relationship with Te Amokura Productions has seen two TV series for Maori TV recorded at Avalon over the past two months. Funded by Te Mangai Paho, Patapatai (a Te Reo college quiz show) and Fitness in the Whare (a Te Reo fitness show with high-profile guests) are about to air on Maori TV.

Similarly a strong relationship with Cue Productions will see Avalon hosting a series of University Challenge in Studio 8 during late August. This series is being made for Prime TV and is funded by NZ On Air.

Other films shot at Avalon in the past year are: How To Murder Your Wife, produced by Screentime and shown on TV1 Sunday Theatre, as well as Belief: The Possession of Janet Moses produced by KHF Media.

Avalon is also open for business in the areas of studio music recording, and infinity screen, green screen and mocap work. Studio 11 has been used extensively for commercial shoots for Clemenger BBDO, Stem Creative, Waitemata Films, StoryBox, Curious Films and Luvly Productions in recent times.

Although Avalon is first and foremost a film and television business we have, for the past two years, hosted laBoth rge events such as_ the Hutt City Sports Awards and Hutt Valley Business Awards_. Both require Studio 8 in ‘light entertainment’ mode with 400 dinner guests. We have been pleased to host these high-profile events and help support the region in this way.

In order for Avalon Film and Television Studios to be an ongoing success we require the industry at large to use our facilities. Check out our website and our Facebook page for news of our activities. Please come and talk to us about your projects, and help us spread the word about the Avalon facilities and how great the Wellington region is for film and television projects.

Paul Mainwaring, CEO Avalon Film and Television Studios www.avalonstudios.co.nz www.facebook.com/AvalonStudiosLtd