Christchurch Film Industry Update
Hi again NZ TECHO crew, it’s nice and chilly here in the South as winter has definitely landed with blasts of snow over the dozen ski fields in Canterbury, it’s so good to get back up the mountain, breathe in the fresh air and check out the stunning views from the top. Thankful that we are keeping abreast of COVID 19, as crew have been busy with several domestic productions that are filming in the city at the moment, including the Amazon Studio Film "Don't Make Me Go” which has seen the unprecedented closing of a brand new New Zealand highway as a key location in Christchurch over the next couple of weekends. Well done to Screen CanterburyNZ, the Council and Christchurch location team, good to see the finely tuned location protocols successfully at work!
It feels timely that a new Screen CanterburyNZ regional production incentive supported by the council will be launched in July, this will help the region attract more frequent TV series and feature films - exciting news! This compliments a recently issued NZTE regional studio report, stating Christchurch offers the biggest potential for delivering large scale productions regionally outside of Wellington and Auckland, this is a great acknowledgement of what Christchurch has to offer and provides a great base to grow the South Island industry. Also great news for Temple Film Studios who have been approved resource consent to build 8 x 2400 m2 studios over 32 hectares of land prompting a huge push for investors to take the next steps in development.
Creatively there is a good cross section of funded content in various stages of pre-production and post production in Ōtautahi with various Webseries, Music Videos, Cataylst, Loading docs, Fresh shorts and Someday stories. Feature length documentaries about world famous artist Len Lye and the life of Shayne Carter are in being produced by Rick Harvie at Belmont, which brings me to shout out a big congratulations to independent Christchurch produced Peninsula Short film that was screened at the Tribeca Film festival in New York produced by Scott Flyger and Directed by Fiona Mackenzie. Season two of Second Chance Charlie funded by 2 Degrees was filmed in Christchurch, directed by Stephanie Damm is currently in Post production, while Agency Mechanic Group has been in the city filming a new Springfree campaign produced by YesLtd. Ethique and University of Canterbury filmed powerful new campaigns produced by Resonate boosting local crew and talent.
Guild member & costume designer Tina Hutchinson-Thomas, is currently putting the finishing touches on a new fully equipped 500 sqm wardrobe department space, available to dry hire at the Temple Film Studios location. A turn key hire space for productions including ample storage, dressing rooms and makeup rooms with natural lighting.
Starting in August, the Christchurch branch are looking forward to hosting two workshops for crew on Production Drama 101 and Accounting for freelancers, these should dovetail nicely into a planned Production Coordinator workshop in Christchurch for October, open to participants nationwide, run by Share the Knowledge. It certainly feels like a positive start to winter and looking forward to future opportunities…especially the recently announced direct flights to and from Christchurch to Los Angeles by American Airlines, when the borders open!
Amanda Jenkins, Christchurch Branch Chair
