Screen Incentives and Safety

While there is nothing real about the lovely creature gracing the cover of this issue of NZTECHO magazine (you’ve just gotta love Avatar!), we felt it timely to highlight some realities around the New Zealand Screen Production Grant scheme. New Zealand Film Commission’s screen incentives manager Naomi Wallwork dissects fact and fiction for us. She is expecting a busy 2015—great news for crew.

It really is full steam ahead for many in the TV and film industry in NZ right now. Definitely, in part, thanks to these increased screen industry incentives helping to attract overseas productions here.

We continue a safety theme from the last two issues. Lawyer Philip McCarthy’s article details what to expect with the health and safety bill that comes into law next April. The new legislation will see more weight put on managers and company directors around actively managing workplace health and safety, with stronger penalties and wider enforcement for non-compliance.

We also present the second of two articles by Jan Sisley on the Techos’ Guild safety workshop. If the passionate discussion had at each of the three workshops (held in Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch) is anything to go by, then it’s fair to expect further industry collaboration around safety.

It’s very encouraging to see new members continuing to sign up to the Techos’ Guild. All in all, the Guild really didn’t come off too bad from the recent industry downturn. A sign that crew clearly see the importance of collaboration.

Back to the subject of safety, I wish you all a happy and safe festive season. Catch you in 2015.

Carolyn Brooke, editor