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In Focus
United Voice Shouts Louder

In Focus
United Voice Shouts Louder
Uniting the NZ screen industry to lobby for increased incentives and restore international competitiveness.
Pan Screen Group, NZ screen industry, screen incentives, film rebates, government consultation, industry downturn, IP creation, Film Auckland, screen forum, LBSPG, PDV Grant, industry stakeholders, NZ Film and Video Technicians' Guild, intellectual property, brain drain, cultural taonga, Rod Oram, Brendon Durey, Richard Bluck, Dave Rowell, Jeff Szusterman, Michael Bennett, Rachel Jean, South Pacific Pictures, screen sector review.
Uniting the NZ screen industry to lobby for increased incentives and restore international competitiveness.


Close Up
The Beauty of Strategy

Close Up
The Beauty of Strategy
Balancing access to remote locations with conservation values in the Otago Southland region.
Southland, Otago, film locations, conservation values, Department of Conservation, film industry, access issues, stakeholder strategies, regional film offices, conservation management strategies, Mount Aspiring National Park, film permits, DOC, private land, iwi, Land Information New Zealand, environmental impact, lobbying, public conservation land, commercial partnerships, film-friendly policies, Kevin Jennings, AFCI, filmmaking in NZ, sustainable film industry.
Balancing access to remote locations with conservation values in the Otago Southland region.


Wide Angle
Hooking Your Audience Early - Rethinking Filmmaking

Wide Angle
Hooking Your Audience Early - Rethinking Filmmaking
Using social media, crowdfunding, and community engagement to make a successful micro-budget feature film.
Escalator funding, Orphans & Kingdoms, Paolo Rotondo, Fraser Brown, crowdfunding, PledgeMe, marketing, social media, audience engagement, Waiheke Island, micro-budget, New Zealand film, film distribution, community involvement, production challenges, crew investment, sponsorship, Gotta Love NZ, Hope for Film, crowdfunding risks, film financing, low-budget films, indie filmmaking, audience investment, film campaign strategy.
Using social media, crowdfunding, and community engagement to make a successful micro-budget feature film.


Back in the Day
Oh What a Day

Back in the Day
Oh What a Day
Reminiscing about a memorable Japanese film shoot at Eden Park in the 1980s.
Tony Eversden, gaffer, Japanese film crew, Eden Park, Savage Islands, lighting, 6k HMIs, location shoot, Auckland, film production, Air New Zealand, airport shoot, Maori crew, Japanese DOP, generators, corporate boxes, film crew, location recce, lighting equipment, film collaboration, seafood meal, karaoke bar, Maori carving, Nare Mato, Joe Bidois, Therese Mangos, cultural exchange.
Reminiscing about a memorable Japanese film shoot at Eden Park in the 1980s.


Extreme Close Up
Kim Sinclair

Extreme Close Up
Kim Sinclair
A look at the evolving role of the art department and the industry's struggles for sustainability.
screen production, art department, set design, virtual production, Tintin, pre-vis, VFX, costume, hair, make-up, props, SPFX, film coordination, production rates, inflation, NZ film industry, Large Budget Screen Production Grant, overseas investment, Auckland film studio, film stage complex, overseas rates, cost of living, film trends, department collaboration, industry sustainability.
A look at the evolving role of the art department and the industry's struggles for sustainability.


President's Rave
Rejuvenating the NZ Film Industry

President's Rave
Rejuvenating the NZ Film Industry
A call for local investment and support as offshore productions decline and industry challenges persist.
NZ film industry, LBSPG, offshore productions, local production, New Zealand Film Commission, NZ On Air, government support, crew, resources, film funding, local films, Moas awards, TV3, Hope and Wire, Gaylene Preston, employment law, collective bargaining, contractor work, film lobby group, industry challenges, industry rejuvenation, 2014 outlook, NZ government, Emirates Team New Zealand, Rio Tinto.
A call for local investment and support as offshore productions decline and industry challenges persist.


The Fine Print
Film Funding Reaches Beyond Government Intervention

The Fine Print
Film Funding Reaches Beyond Government Intervention
Rethinking the balance between foreign incentives and local investment for a sustainable NZ film industry.
NZ film industry, LBSPG, foreign productions, film incentives, local production, capital investment, taxpayer funding, equity, deferred fees, crowdfunding, crowdfunding laws, Age of Stupid, investment risks, marketing plan, film financing, low-budget films, participant equity, production funding, securities laws, NZ film workers, points system, NZ employment law, JFK anniversary, Warner Bros.
Rethinking the balance between foreign incentives and local investment for a sustainable NZ film industry.


Editorial
Rejuvenating the Industry

Editorial
Rejuvenating the Industry
Acknowledging the hard work and dedication of those driving change in the NZ film industry.
Techos' Guild, Sioux Macdonald, Brendon Durey, Dot Kyle, screen industry forum, micro-budget films, Orphans & Kingdoms, Paolo Rotondo, Fraser Brown, Film Otago Southland, Kevin Jennings, Queenstown, Kim Sinclair, Tony Eversden, Dave Gibson, New Zealand Film Commission, film commissioners, industry dedication, unpaid work, NZ technicians, guild members, film industry challenges, industry support.
Acknowledging the hard work and dedication of those driving change in the NZ film industry.


Behind the Scenes
Guild Progress and Challenges

Behind the Scenes
Guild Progress and Challenges
Reflecting on the growth, achievements, and battles for the Guild in the past year.
Techos’ Guild, membership growth, The Blue Book, industry practices, immigration review, NZ film industry, bureaucratic issues, Weta Digital, screen industry review, NZ screen incentive, core funding, NZFC, Safety Code of Practice, film industry politics, pan industry group, government support, immigration decisions, ministerial responses, local subsidies, international standards, guild achievements, Brendon Durey, Sioux Macdonald, government relations, holiday events, member benefits.
Reflecting on the growth, achievements, and battles for the Guild in the past year.


News
New Zealand International Film Festival

News
New Zealand International Film Festival
A diverse selection of New Zealand films showcased at the NZ International Film Festival
New Zealand International Film Festival, 2013, local filmmakers, NZ films, Utu Redux, Daniel Borgman, The Weight of Elephants, Fantail, Escalator program, Toa Fraser, Giselle, Antarctica: A Year on the Ice, Gardening with Soul, Venus: A Quest, Sheen of Gold, The Skeptics, independent gaming, Don Driver, New Zealand’s Best, Friday Tigers, Maori Pasifika short films, Wairoa Maori Film Festival
A diverse selection of New Zealand films showcased at the NZ International Film Festival


In Focus
Film Auckland's Film-friendly Aims

In Focus
Film Auckland's Film-friendly Aims
Film Auckland’s new protocol aims to streamline processes and boost the city’s film-friendly reputation
Auckland, Film Auckland, Auckland Film Protocol, screen industry, filming in public spaces, film production, local councils, film-friendly, industry collaboration, council cooperation, public land, filming process, community feedback, filming guidelines, approval processes, film industry growth, international productions, film permits, screen culture, local filmmakers, economic impact.
Film Auckland’s new protocol aims to streamline processes and boost the city’s film-friendly reputation


Overheads
Entertaining Expenses?

Overheads
Entertaining Expenses?
Understanding what is deductible and the impact of GST and FBT on entertainment expenses
entertainment expenses, tax deductible, corporate boxes, yachts, business lunch, FBT, GST, gifts, wrap party, business contacts, private expenditure, charitable purposes, conference meals, meal breaks, business travel, cinema tickets, DVD rentals, gym memberships, tax rules, record keeping, tax advice.
Understanding what is deductible and the impact of GST and FBT on entertainment expenses


Regional Wrap
Dunedin Film and TV Industry Update

Regional Wrap
Dunedin Film and TV Industry Update
Music videos, animation, documentaries, and feature films thriving in Dunedin and Queenstown
Dunedin, Queenstown, Boy and Bear, music video, NHNZ, factual television, I Survived, Gem Hunt, Taylormade/ARL, America's Cup, animation, sports graphics, Ian Taylor, Al Jazeera, Wild Life Warzone, I Survived a Zombie Holocaust, Phantom camera, Short Film Otago, BBC Knowledge, Young Filmmaker Awards, Top of the Lake, Emmy nominations.
Music videos, animation, documentaries, and feature films thriving in Dunedin and Queenstown


Regional Wrap
Industry Slowdown and Opportunities in Wellington

Regional Wrap
Industry Slowdown and Opportunities in Wellington
TVCs and docos, but little drama or features in sight
Wellington, Crew Wellington, tax incentives, Australia, South Africa, Ireland, Canada, Eastern Europe, Avalon studios, Miramar, NZFC, script writing, New Zealand films, documentaries, film industry, Stephen Joyce, Hollywood.
TVCs and docos, but little drama or features in sight


Regional Wrap
New Zealand Industry Slowdown

Regional Wrap
New Zealand Industry Slowdown
TVC market spikes while feature film production slows
New Zealand, TVC market, feature films, screen production incentive, industry slowdown, Auckland, Power Rangers, Spartacus, crew, diversification, Australian production, Filmcrews, Blue Book, guild membership, freelance technicians.
TVC market spikes while feature film production slows


Close Up
Further Uncovering VFX

Close Up
Further Uncovering VFX
Charlie Tait and Michael Sarkis Discuss VFX Challenges, Camera Settings, and Production Best Practices
Weta Digital, VFX, green screen, blue screen, motion capture, markers, HDRi, camera settings, 3D stereo, visual effects, preproduction, postproduction, filmmaking, The Hobbit, virtual camera, camera calibration, film industry, VFX challenges, filmmaking techniques, VFX department, feature films, IMAX, VFX production
Charlie Tait and Michael Sarkis Discuss VFX Challenges, Camera Settings, and Production Best Practices