Waiariki Film Studio also provides training, employment, and opportunities for young people through Tohea, a short, intense educational programme aimed at helping young people into internships in the film industry.
"Building a studio here means not only attracting large-scale productions, it also means that we can develop a workforce."
The programme, supported by the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment and the Ministry of Social Development, provides apprentices with paid employment while learning practical skills on a real shoot.
"Last year we ran a course of 20 apprentices," Northcroft said.
"Seventeen were contracted to Vegas, an action-thriller, which we partnered with Greenstone and Ten Thousand Pictures for TVNZ.
"They gained so much skill and experience, and some of them have even now gone on to work on other projects around the country."
Apprentices will further develop their skillset this June shooting Kairakau, a historical action series telling the stories of battles fought by tūpuna.
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