Sunday 7 February, 2010
Nosing around this part of the world, it seems that Kiwis didn't go to the cinema as much as everyone else in 2009.

News Feature by: Lindsay Shelton
Sunday 7 February, 2010
Today, Monday, the Film Commission (NZFC) launches its low-budget scheme at the Academy Cinema in Auckland. Lindsay Shelton, a former marketing director at the NZFC, takes a look back at previous low-budget schemes the Commission has run.

Sunday 7 February, 2010
Will Avatar's reign ever end? Logic says yes, but nothing looks like deposing it at the moment. Kiwi low-budget I'm Not Harry Jenson had a disappointing first week on screens, following some less than favourable reviews.

Friday 5 February, 2010
Escalator, the NZFC’s new low budget feature film initiative, was formally launched in Auckland today at the Academy Cinema. The launch was followed by a master class with director and star of low-budget British film Shifty, Eran Creevy and Riz Ahmed.

Friday 5 February, 2010
In March and April, Hong Kong will host its annual Entertainment Expo - nine entertainment industry events, all bar two of which are screen-related - attracting more than a few thousand additional visitors to the territory from all over the place, including some well-known names from here.

Friday 5 February, 2010
These are the application guidelines for Escalator, the NZFC's low-budget scheme.

Friday 5 February, 2010
Following our story on Wednesday this week, John Davies of Arkles Entertainment has contacted us to correct some information and share a little more about what's happening with Arkles and why.

Friday 5 February, 2010
MediaWorks' number-crunchers turned their calculators on the news viewer numbers for January, found some things to celebrate, and didn't make mention of any of the other stuff.

Friday 5 February, 2010
Cheapo airline (doesn't that concept inspire confidence) Pacific Blue flies home from Singapore clutching a Budgie, won for Best TVC at the Low Cost Airlines bash. If you're suffering Fridayitis, take a minute to perk yourself up and get an annoying tune stuck in your head ...

Friday 5 February, 2010
More Kiwis spent more time in front of the box in 2009 than ever before, and more time watching free-to-air telly than engaging with other forms of media. The NZ Television Broadcasters' Council (NZTBC) has released figures on last year's couch potatoes.

Thursday 4 February, 2010
A group of scientists doing groundbreaking research on whales in Antarctica aimed at proving Japan does not need lethal whale “research”, is the subject of a new documentary from Natural History New Zealand (NHNZ).

Thursday 4 February, 2010
The newly rebranded Documentary Edge Festival (DEF) will run an environmental strand under the banner Eco-Warriors, featuring five films. Environmentalism is the new religion, a topic which divides opinion and sells tickets ever since An Inconvenient Truth gave Al Gore a new lease on life, so it makes sense to have a section dedicated to satisfy people's thirst for carbon zero filmmaking and attract the green dollar.

Wednesday 3 February, 2010
SPADA has endorsed a new set of guidelines prepared by NZ Casting Directors in consultation with NZ Actors Agents. The guidelines outline reasonable expectations in the casting process in the context of the New Zealand screen industry. SPADA intends to work with them, and recommends them to SPADA members.

Wednesday 3 February, 2010
Half the top ten were format shows – more if you count Close Up and Coro! TV3 didn't make an appearance.

Wednesday 3 February, 2010
Despite One News dropping viewers, Close Up enjoyed a boost.

Wednesday 3 February, 2010
South Pacific Pictures (SPP) and Australian production company Cordell Jigsaw (CJ) have teamed-up to launch a new Sydney-based production outfit, Highwire Television, and have hired Steve Jones as Chief Executive.

News Feature by: John Barnett
Wednesday 3 February, 2010
About 2 years ago I began a public call for a review of the NZ Film Commission. At the time I felt that the NZFC Act was outdated and the way the NZFC conducted its business displayed a lack of accountability and transparency.

Wednesday 3 February, 2010
The Oscar shortlists were announced this morning at what was an ungodly hour in New Zealand. There were few surprises, but many disappointments - particularly for Australians.

Wednesday 3 February, 2010
Simon Mark-Brown's second documentary The Sun Came Out is off to the Santa Barbara Film Festival this week, as a late addition to the programme. From its beginning to end it's a time-honoured story of how 'not what you know, but who you know' can create very rewarding experiences.

Tuesday 2 February, 2010
There's little else one can say about Avatar with even its publicist getting nominated for an award in the US. All-singing, all-dancing and rugby-playing new arrivals shake up the top 5. It doesn't matter how much you sympathise with Nelson Mandela's lofty aims in 1995 as portrayed in Invictus, we was robbed.

Friday 29 January, 2010
The Ettamogah saga continues through summer with staff taunted with the possibility that they might just have a job if they don' talk to the nasty union. It seems the company remains under seige on both sides of the Tasman.

Friday 29 January, 2010
The number of visits to Maori Television’s (MTS) bilingual website has trebled in the last year with overseas viewers are driving much of the growth. Visits from within New Zealand have nearly doubled since March last year, when a revamp of the site boosted the amount of live and on-demand programming.

Wednesday 27 January, 2010
The NZ Screen Production Incentive Fund and the Australian Producers Offset look pretty much the same on the surface, but under the hood, they are very different. Former NZ Film Commission CEO Ruth Harley (currently running Screen Australia) reckons the Offset will stabilise and grow the television sector – and the SPIF won't.