Production activity in Aotearoa feels steady, but not nearly as busy as many local crews would hope. The pace varies depending on what part of the industry you work in.

On the international front, Legend of Zelda is prepping to shoot around October at Kumeu Film Studios. Evil Dead Burn x 2 will film back to back in Tāmaki Makaurau from July through October. Tenzing, which began in Nepal in May, will shoot at Aoraki / Mt Cook across July. There is talk that The Lost Boys, a Peter Pan inspired feature, may head into Auckland Film Studios, though that is unconfirmed.

Ms. X is expected to shoot now until the end of August, and Bust Up, a domestic feature set in the Bay of Islands, is currently filming.

Long-running series The Brokenwood Mysteries is ticking along in preparation for season twelve. New domestic work like Good Morning Mr Kopu is progressing, with others such as a possible second season of A Remarkable Place to Die and Blue Murder Motel in development or early prep.

Spartacus remains in limbo, with production decisions expected after San Diego Comic Con in July.

All told, this is a mixed bag. Some crews are flat out while others, especially in advertising, are feeling the slowdown. Many reckon commercial work might not return to previous levels as ad formats and budgets shift globally.

Internationally, the picture is similar, although Australia seems to be holding its own more firmly with big projects such as Godzilla x Kong: Supernova. And there is buzz around a new $127 million Oran Park studio near Sydney, designed to draw more blockbusters to Australia’s South West. I received a call from a member this month who is seriously considering packing up their whānau and heading across the ditch to what appear to be more fruitful waters. It raises fair questions about whether our current incentive settings are doing enough to attract work here, especially when so much seems to be heading to our neighbours.

Globally, from what I am hearing, the US and UK are still recovering post strikes. Hollywood is gradually restarting, but crew report job gaps, especially in commercials and indie. The UK is seeing more high-end TV bookings, though financing still weighs heavily. And across the board, ad production remains quieter, with reduced budgets meaning fewer short form roles.

So what does this mean for New Zealand?

We are not booming, and we are not idle, just somewhere in between. There is a reasonable amount of work for some, while others wait for the next gig. 

Here is hoping for a spring lift. In the meantime, let us keep the kōrero flowing and continue to manaaki one another through it.

~ Amber Wakefield
Executive Officer, NZCS