NZFC Update

What a privilege it has been to have been a part of the screen sector over the last three decades. I’ve had the opportunity to work with and alongside some of the best in the industry. As much as I am looking forward to my retirement, there will be much that I will miss. Nevertheless, I’m looking forward to ramping up visits to the cinema on my Gold Card.

It’s surprisingly not too difficult to recall my introduction to the New Zealand Film Commission. I was working at a print broking company in Wellington and just happened to come across an ad in The Evening Post for a Finance Director at the NZFC. Film sounded substantially more appealing than print, so I gathered a CV together, and it landed in the formidable, then Executive Director, Judith McCann’s lap. Once on board, it became evident that the role had a much wider scope than I had anticipated. Not only was I tasked with financial responsibilities, but I also had a board to navigate and close-up interactions with the trailblazing filmmakers of the day, a somewhat indefatigable group.

Truth was, I was sold, and while Judith may have been mildly terrifying, she was passionate about storytelling and a progressive leader who in her time made some significant legacy changes to the NZFC. I have worked under six CEOs, some more successful than others, but all have had a part in leading us to the place we find ourselves today, the lead screen agency in New Zealand.

I’ve been asked recently what has changed and what has stayed the same at the NZFC. Certainly, the organization has grown in scope and in numbers. In 1989, there were 12 people in the office; today, we have over 50. In 1989, we funded five films a year; we now fund 15. In 1989, we had a script development and funding team, marketing, and one person on short films. Back then, however, there was no policy team, no IT, no legal, no international relations, no incentives, no international attractions.

In the 90s, the industry was very locally focused. We didn’t put any energy into encouraging people from outside of New Zealand to come and make films here. It’s not that we weren’t happy to answer questions from international filmmakers; it was just very reactive. Enter Peter Jackson.

There is no question that The Lord of the Rings precipitated the biggest shift in the industry over my tenure. Peter’s early films were made with the support of the NZFC, but it was Heavenly Creatures, a project co-funded by the NZFC, that thrust him onto the international stage. From there, he was able to create relationships with Hollywood, a game changer for him but also the country.

The Lord of the Rings was ultimately the project that finally got the attention of politicians who were forced to acknowledge the value of the industry to the country. Incentives were introduced in 2004, and Film New Zealand was funded to provide support and information to international productions and to promote New Zealand as a filmmaking destination. Simultaneously in the early 2000s, the move from film to digital and the advancements in digital effects also triggered fresh momentum in the industry. These advancements saw a big upskilling of New Zealand crew and kicked off what has come to be a world-class visual effects presence in New Zealand.

I’m often asked about my favorite New Zealand films or the films that stand out. There are many, of course, but Once Were Warriors is a film that comes to mind. The script and adaptation of author Alan Duff’s novel was highly controversial, and the Board had a challenging decision to make that was not taken lightly. In the end, it was funded. The film was released in 1994 and was a huge box office and critical success, taking over $6M domestically and returning a profit to the investors.

Another area of significant progress is in the success and growth of Māori and Pacific storytelling. The NZFC Te Rautaki Māori Team was established in 2018 to help more Māori filmmakers find pathways to bring their stories to life. In the last few years, we have seen this happen with films such as Whina, Muru, Cousins, and Red, White and Brass, as well as a steady flow of exceptional and inspirational short films. Indigenous filmmakers are growing in numbers and going from strength to strength, and their work is seen increasingly by international audiences.

I want to express my great admiration for the work the industry guilds undertake and the many individuals who pour their heart and soul into these organizations. Many of the guilds have a long history in New Zealand, but we have also seen new entities emerge representing composers, visual effects artists, and Asian and Pasifika filmmakers. Guilds represent many of NZFC’s most important stakeholders. This work can be tireless and thankless but is essential to the stability and growth of the industry.

Departing the NZFC will be bittersweet, but I know the organization is in very good hands with Annie Murray. I wish everyone in the screen sector ongoing success, and I look forward to seeing the results on the big screen.