Written by new-contact on May 22, 2013. Posted in Incentive News

New Zealand production industry calls for better TV filming incentives

New Zealand’s production industry has called for better TV filming incentives. The available rebate for television shows like Spartacus is worth only half the feature film figure, while series that don’t have enough New Zealand content must spend NZD15 million to qualify for support.

“You only need to look at the employment and economic impact of four seasons of Spartacus (above) in Auckland - 350 permanent crew, 400 casual crew, a thousand New Zealand and Auckland specific suppliers,” Screen Production and Development Association Chief Executive Penelope Borland told Fairfax NZ News: “The sooner incentives are improved to attract more long-form TV the better. There is huge competition internationally.”

The sooner incentives are improved to attract more long-form TV the better. There is huge competition internationally.

Penelope Borland, Screen Production and Development Association

New Zealand is under pressure to keep its feature film incentive programme flexible too, but the government has suggested in recent months that the priority will be attracting high-end television production on the scale of Game of Thrones.

For The Location Guide’s recent interview with Film NZ chief Gisella Carr click here.

(Spartacus stills: Starz Entertainment)