Resilience Amidst Challenges

Another broken up Covid year bites the dust. This has had a detrimental effect to many of our businesses, lives, and mental health. Despite this, for many productions and contracts have continued for the many facets of the screen industry. Broadcast TV has been rolling along, in between the lockdowns the local TV shows and short form TVC work has been buoyant. Some of the larger offshore products have kept rolling in between lockdowns and it only took this latest extended lockdown for Auckland, combined with the dysfunction of MIQ creating so much uncertainty, that the for the last third of the year has been pretty quiet for most.

But for many in the screen industry contracting sector having a couple of quiet months or three is not unusual for our sector, so I think the broken-up year was in some ways business as usual, in a strange kind of way. When you're used to a lumpy business cycle even the shock to the workflow and systems that comes with a pandemic can be worked through and survived by the New Zealand screen industry workforce.

We have had a couple of large shows either leave the country or get cancelled recently that have sent shock-waves through the sector, and while it seems like an earthquake to the affected crew at the time it’s unfortunately a part of this business and part of the entertainment contracting sector in general.

I think we need to stay optimistic about the next year and the upcoming future of our sector. I’m convinced that the demand for on-screen content, both domestically and globally, is not going to reduce in size and we have a great local crew base and ability to make contact for both our local screens and the world. Hopefully we can get better at combining the two and generating more content with local IP that is exported to the world, and is successful.

Recently we have also had notification of a review of the Screen Industry funding models specifically the SPIG. While I’m happy for this sort of review and think it needs to be done periodically to ensure we have the right settings, I’m hoping it can be done in a way that does not create too much uncertainty for those investing in our industry. We all need to champion the incentives to film in NZ to those who have concerns about them. It’s important, as they allow us to be part of the global film industry and are net positive to the economy regardless of the rebate. We need to be competitive not only in attracting offshore filmmakers, but also the support that flows down to the local content developers and the NZ screen industry in general.

Big thanks to Kelly our EO, Sioux our Vice President and all the Executive and branch committee members. Looking forward to next year with less restrictions and an ability for more events to allow our membership to network and renew working relationships.

Brendon Durey.