Regional Wrap

Queenstown's Film Industry Resilience

Despite a quiet period, Queenstown crew remains ready and eager for new projects.

It’s been a quiet few months in this region, and many local crew are feeling the loss caused by a decline in the number of TVCs that we have hosted in the past…

here I’ll pause my wrap article to offer sincere thanks to all producers that relentlessly pitch-pitch-pitch to get the jobs here. Without your perseverance this industry would be less.

The presence of Mulan and Letter For The King have been welcomed by all crew that joined those productions, and many more (I am thinking the number of ancillary services that are grateful to these productions). So now is a good time to bust the myth that Queenstown crew will be unavailable for anything other than TVCs.

Crew here welcome all productions to the area, and there is certainly no resentment supporting or being supported by non-local crew. But at so many levels it makes so much sense to opt for local crew: $$ sense in not paying accom, travel, & living allowance expenses; inherent knowledge about where to get stuff; experience in working in the local environs etc etc.

China/NZ Co-Pro Dynasty Warrior is a good case study. The NZ contingent was mostly crewed by locals and the lion's share of NZ sourced equipment was from local providers. And it rolled sweetly and was successful.

So I’ll take this opportunity to reiterate what my colleagues are saying:

This region has resourcing capability that can cater well for productions wanting to shoot here:

Experienced crew across all departments
Comprehensive range of equipment
Comprehensive range of truly outstanding locations within workable distance
Excellent support from local Film Office
Generally great weather!
Wide range of accommodation (Contrary to myth that it is hard to find accommodation in Queenstown I have just booked a largeish crew in for a period covering the notorious Chinese New Year), and other production services.

Really when re-read the above, I conclude that this region is film-making utopia!

Here is the silver lining: with little on the books until later in January maybe we will get to have a summer holiday in our own backyard. We will be out there on the lake or the trails, or the sun-decks.

And any production arriving during this period will find a crew delighted to have the chance to get their teeth into something.

See you out there,

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