NZFC Update
I’ve now been in the CEO role at the NZFC for nearly three months and I’m enjoying the challenge of leading this organisation to a new future. As quickly as possible, I met with a wide range of industry partners to start building new relationships and grow existing ones. There is never a dull moment in our industry and a lot has happened in the last few months.
Here at NZFC, I have been immersing myself in the workings of the organisation while taking my time to listen and learn. We’ve had two Board meetings and I’ve seen first-hand how committed and passionate our Board and staff are to the kaupapa of the Film Commission.
On the 31st of August, we launched the newly developed criteria for the New Zealand Screen Production Rebate (NZSPR) for New Zealand productions, which we are now calling ‘the Rebate’. The move to give domestic productions access to both the Rebate and production funding from NZFC, NZ On Air, and Te Māngai Pāho is a win for the domestic screen sector. I can’t wait to see how this change is embraced and the wonderful projects that will result. There are also a few more technical changes to the Rebate around market attachments, above the line caps, and interim payments. You can find the details of these on our website if you want more information.
We have been working towards an early October deadline to bring in the changes to the new criteria for the NZSPR for International Productions. We are determined to make sure this process is as smooth and seamless as possible. International decision-makers have been observing the changes to our incentives and we’ve been having good conversations with multiple parties who have responded very constructively. We very much look forward to welcoming high-value international projects back to New Zealand under the new settings.
The changes on the international side are a clearer and simplified 5% uplift. New sustainability criteria have also been added, an excellent and essential step forward for the industry. The Post-Production, Digital, and Visual Effects (PDV) rebate returns to a flat rate of 20%, which we hope will attract a broader range of post-production activity to New Zealand. Another important change was to the name, changing from ‘grant’ to ‘rebate’, a distinction that hopefully eliminates the often-misunderstood essence of the incentive.
There is no doubt that the Hollywood writers’ and actors’ strikes have had a significant effect on the screen industry in New Zealand and around the world. The issues around streamers and, in particular, AI are complicated and are impacting so many industries, not just the screen sector. I’m hopeful a resolution is reached soon, so that everyone can move forward with clarity.
In the meantime, NZFC maintains close communications with international productions considering New Zealand as a filmmaking destination, and we look forward to locking them in and welcoming them once the strikes are resolved. These projects are a hugely important part of our film economy, create thousands of jobs, and provide economic benefits to the country. Minecraft was in pre-production when the strikes started and, like all productions around the world with an affiliation to AMPTP, they are on hold until there is a change or resolution to the strike. There are NZFC-funded films due to be in production before the end of the year that have attached SAG actors both from New Zealand and abroad. For some of these films, it’s a bit of a ‘wait and see’ approach. We are keeping a close eye on developments around the strike and the effects these are having on the NZ film industry.
Generally speaking, my impression is that New Zealand film is continuing to flourish, a bright spot in the otherwise globally uncertain landscape. We have two films starting principal photography in the next month or so: *Tinā* and *Kōkā*, with more to come before Christmas.
Having said that, I know that with fewer projects around the motu, crews, vendors, and businesses are hurting financially, which is hard, especially on the heels of COVID. Please be assured that NZFC staff are working very hard to ensure that when the strikes resolve, there are high-value international projects in the pipeline for New Zealand.
This year we have celebrated the release of some very successful projects supported by the NZFC. *Red, White and Brass* joined the elite group of New Zealand films earning more than one million dollars at the box office, and *Muru* was celebrated as the top-grossing New Zealand film of 2022. Supported by the Premium Fund, the recently released *Far North*, starring Temuera Morrison and Robyn Malcolm, debuted as Threenow’s top local show this year. Lee Tamahori’s *The Convert* and *Uproar*, starring Julian Dennison, both celebrated premieres at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Our *Flag Means Death*, shot in and around Auckland and starring...
