Emerging Trends in NZ Film

Spring has been in full swing in the south with daffodils, sunshine, and snow. We have seen the traditional seasonal dip in TVC activity, with many of the jobs trickling through on the smaller end of the scale. The Light Between Oceans is shooting in Dunedin and has, from all accounts, been a great shoot with crew from around the country working together to deliver the goods.

As we gear up for our (hopefully) busy summer season, the word from the people in the TVC game is that things are changing. The larger jobs are fewer and farther between and very competitive to land. We are seeing a lot of smaller and lower-budget jobs, and this appears to be a trend that may continue.

One of the reasons that these smaller jobs are possible is the rapidly emerging changes in technology that include smaller cameras that need less lighting and traditional support that the old 35mm machine required.

Another piece of technology emerging is drones (or UAVs). The images, angles, and potential cost savings provided are irresistible, and there are quite a few Kiwis who are now using them. I recently attended a session at an Association of Film Commissioners International event called Drone Wars: Safety and Security Overhead. This was a hot topic amongst my peers as it is a global phenomenon. The head of the Federation Aviation Administration (FAA) drone division was on the panel, and it was fascinating to get different perspectives from the other film offices around the world. South Africa has banned them. The FAA has just approved the big six studios to use them in the States (however, not in National Parks), while Canada has had firm guidelines in place for some time.

One of the big talking points was the difference between commercial and private use. Is a blogger who uses a drone and posts footage on their blog a commercial operator? What if they derive profit from their blog? From the perspectives of my colleagues, we want to enable the professional industry in a way that is sustainable. Should this blogger be held to the same standards as someone filming a feature film or TVC? Aren’t the risks potentially the same?

One person put it best, saying legislation is not able to keep up with technology.

Where NZ ends up on this is anybody’s guess, but with the changes in workplace safety laws on the horizon, I think it is crucial for commercial drone operators in NZ to get together and work with the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand to establish a code of practice that is effective in the long run.

I hope you enjoy the upcoming holiday season.

Kevin Jennings, Queenstown branch member