Overseas funded films shot and produced in New Zealand are bringing hundreds of millions of dollars into the country, Film New Zealand's annual report says.
The charitable trust reported gross revenues from overseas increased by 79 per cent in the past year to $542 million, with $481 million coming fromthe United States. Gross screen production sector revenues increased by 18 per cent to $1.26 billion.
The revenue came from films such as The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn, District 9 and The Lovely Bones, all produced by Wellington director Peter Jackson, as well as The Day The Earth Stood Still, and James Cameron's Avatar.
Film NZ said its large budget screen production grant, an incentive offered to film-makers to film in New Zealand, approved incentive payments for 18 productions, and a post-production/digital/visual effects incentive was given to two productions.
The total estimated economic income of the 20 productions was $1.2 billion, with 57 per cent spent in Wellington, 34 per cent in Auckland, 8 per cent in the South Island and 1 per cent in the rest of the North Island. Data from exit surveys completed by 16 of the productions showed employment was generated for 8972 New Zealanders working as crew, and 1184 cast. The annual report said marketing and promotional activity previously carried out by Trade and Enterprise's Investment New Zealand would be transferred to Film New Zealand.
Film New Zealand was also developing a sustainability policy for the screen production industry.
