Christchurch's Screen Sector Rising
The newly formed Christchurch Branch hit the ground running with a steady stream of new members joining and an enthusiastic committee formed in December 2019.
The main drive to get a branch set up in Christchurch was to give technicians a voice, enable visibility, and stimulate growth into the industry.
Local production companies, line producers, technicians have been busy with commercial work, location scouting, and pitching including a wide diverse amount of screen work that is in development and production with documentaries, short films, web content, commercials, and features including post-production.
The Christchurch industry has naturally been growing strength to strength over the last few years (post-earthquake recovery) enabling a bolder spark of connectivity and collaborations that naturally support the new film office Screen CanterburyNZ key objectives for film facilitation, industry growth, regional screen advocacy, screen inquiries triage, and screen attraction activity.
In February, Screen CanterburyNZ website and social media channels were launched, facilitating and supporting industry-related workshops with Doc Edge, WIFT, and Share the Knowledge. Regular industry meet-ups have been very popular and well received by technicians.
ChristchurchNZ launched a new website with video and stills content created by DOPs Jason Larraman, Julian Vares, Jeremy Black, and Photographer Dean Mackenzie. Virginia Wright's Documentary ‘We Are One’ aired on TVNZ for the anniversary of the Mosque attacks. Swanndri Summer 2020 Fashion Campaign was shot by local DOP Julian Vares, who also shot Music Videos for Nadia Reid and Yumi Zouma (both directed by Martin Sagadin).
Chinese brand, Vivo Global smartphone shot two commercials in Canterbury produced by local Darshan Shetty from Ki Productions. Sydney's Absolute Content just managed to finish a TVC shoot for Grass Fed milk formula in Ashburton line produced by AJ FILMS.
Greenstone TV’s new programme started shooting ‘Puppy School,’ and Resonate produced He Puna Taimona New Brighton hot pools Brand narrative, Te Whariki TVC, Ryman Healthcare employer TVC, Kathmandu Autumn Campaign, and Mike Pero commercials.
Local agency Plato shot ECAN MyWay Promotions with Director Dan Watson.
Belmont productions are producing Maurice and I, a feature-length documentary directed by Rick Harvie and produced by Jane Mahoney. It explores the remarkable partnership of local architects Sir Miles Warren and Maurice Mahoney.
Due South Films completed post-production on TMP funded web series Tahu Taxi and short film ‘PENINSULA’ directed by Fiona Mackenzie, produced by Scott Flyger, starring Tom Trevella, Amber Ranson, and Jasper Sutcliffe. Due South Films are looking at development into a series for web, telly, and feature. Producer Tony Simpson is in development with a television mini-series “Between the Cracks” a cop show, to be shot in the spectacular township of Lyttelton in Christchurch. He is also in pre-production for a documentary series, which has been put on hold since lockdown.
Dramatic releases of Chinese feature Only Cloud Knows (2019) directed by Feng Xiogang filmed near the Aoraki/Mount Cook village and coastal town of Kaikoura, Netflix Letter to the King (2019), Mulan (2019) (international premier only), with BBC Luminaries (2019) due to be released soon, all showcase locations in our backyard of Canterbury.
Now, under lockdown with Covid-19, we all wait to see how quickly the NZ screen industry can get back on its feet to share our talents, skills, innovation, and passion to create content!
Stay safe everyone.
