Auckland Wrap
With the shortest day of the year now behind us, there's some comfort in knowing the mornings will soon begin to brighten and the shooting days gradually get longer.
The Auckland production landscape has eased slightly following the completion of Disney's Zombies: Make a Splash and Evil Dead: Wrath.
Obsidian (Minecraft 2) continues filming through until August, and we're looking forward to Greenspan Productions' Dead Losi commencing production later that month.
Further afield, a number of Auckland crew have headed south to join another Ground Control project in Queenstown through until spring, while others have travelled to Wellington to work on The Hunt for Gollum over the coming months. Closer to home, Great Southern Television is also set to begin production on the next season of its local drama Blue Murder Motel in August which will be excellent for many local crew to get their teeth into.
The commercial sector continues to show encouraging signs of activity, particularly for this time of year, with a steady stream of productions keeping experienced crews busy alongside a strong roster of established directors. While budget pressures continue to affect productions, often resulting in leaner crews on set, the level of work remains positive considering the broader global economic climate.
Although the industry continues to navigate challenging conditions, it's encouraging to see high-quality productions choosing New Zealand and keeping our talented crews working for the most part. Here's hoping the months ahead bring continued momentum and renewed confidence across the sector.
