by Scoop — 24 December 2021
Screen CanterburyNZ have announced a $1.5 million NZD production grant fund to kick New Zealand region Canterbury’s screen sector into gear as global demand for screen content is at an all-time high.
The significant grant fund is a first of its kind in New Zealand and will provide just under $1.5 million NZD over the next three years to eligible productions that choose to film in the picturesque South Island region.
Screen CanterburyNZ is part of ChristchurchNZ, the city’s economic development agency. Screen CanterburyNZ’s Manager Bree Loverich is confident the grant will prove successful at increasing the frequency of production in the region and in creating and sustaining screen jobs. The initiative is a key priority of the industry-led Waitaha Canterbury Screen Sector Action Plan, co-created with local and international industry stakeholders.
“Global screen production is at an all-time high and forecast to continue. It makes sense to launch this grant now to encourage production here in Waitaha Canterbury, which also supports the growth of our national industry,” Loverich said.
Mayor of Christchurch, Lianne Dalziel, commented, “Canterbury is one of a few international locations where you can film the ocean and the mountains on the same day. We offer ease of access to the most diverse landscapes in the country within an hour’s reach from an international airport and New Zealand’s newest and second largest commercial centre. We are proud to be the backdrop for some of the world’s most epic cinema with our local crew having their names recorded in the history books of global blockbusters.”
In addition to unparalleled scenery, as seen in a new showreel, the region boasts New Zealand’s third largest screen economy with an established and growing screen production ecosystem which includes talented crew, strong logistics supply chains, an international airport, available land, and comparatively affordable housing.
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