|
New Zealand: Speedy grants scheme seeks to make more pix a reality
(Weekly Variety Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)
AUCKLAND, NZ Peter Jackson's "King Kong" and Andrew Adamson's "Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe" have proven global advertisements for New Zealand as a film location.
But impressive CGI (from Jackson's local FX house Weta) and fantasy landscapes are no longer enough to secure high profile Hollywood projects. The trouble is NZ is no longer as cheap as it once was. The Kiwi dollar reached a record 75 against the greenback during 2005 and crew costs are starting to eat into the attractiveness of shooting in NZ.
Enter the Large Budget Screen Grant Scheme, which is carrying the hopes of an emerging industry on its shoulders. Incentive completed its first full year in 2005 and was designed to match similar returns under the tax rebate offered by the Aussie government.
As an example of how effective the new scheme can be, Jackson's big gorilla picked up $NZ25.2 million ($17.4 million) and "Narnia" reaped $10.9 million in rebates for their recent shoots.
The big sell to producers, by government agency Investment New Zealand and industry body Film New Zealand, is not just the money - they say they are turning around applications so quickly they are delivering producers cash within three months.
"That can mean a big saving in financing costs, rather than waiting 12 months or even two years under a tax-based system," says Judith McCann, executive director of Film New Zealand.
Incentive is less popular with local filmmakers who seldom have projects that reach the $10.4 million threshold for local spend needed to qualify.
They hope the Ministry of Economic Development will amend rules this year and allow "bundling" of TV projects so they pass the threshold. Detractors, such as South Pacific Pictures managing director John Barnett, also say the extra government coin has had an inflationary effect. "The reality is that prices for crew immediately rose by 12.5% when the scheme was introduced," he tells Variety. "New Zealand used to have a two-tier price structure where people charge more for offshore pictures than local ones. But there is a whole generation of crew that having been working for 10 years who do not see any reason why they should reduce their price for local productions."
Industryites accept the country has had a charmed start as an international location.
"Having one of the world's great directors, Peter Jackson, based here we have been somewhat blessed," says David Madigan, a respected representative for crews who chairs Film New Zealand. "But the industry is not the slightest bit naive about the reality of competing with other territories." Indeed Kiwi film folk had the jitters over Christmas while waiting for confirmation of a range of new projects.
Both "King Kong" and "Narnia" completed filming in early 2005 and there has been a lull in production during the second half of 2005.
There are options. Jackson is developing a movie version of the game "Halo" for Universal and 20th Century Fox, Walden Media and Walt Disney Pictures are looking to shoot "The Bridge of Terabithia" and there are the "Narnia" sequels to consider.
Now, the Kiwi industry hopes that its ambitious grants scheme can help tip the balance back in its favor.
[ Back To SIP Trunking Home's Homepage ]
|
