Sir Peter Jackson review of Film Commission welcomed

Arts Culture and Heritage Minister Christopher Finlayson has received the final report of award winning director and producer Sir Peter Jackson and film academic David Court, reviewing the New Zealand Film Commission legislation.

“Sir Peter Jackson and David Court spent the best part of a year interviewing stakeholders and experts throughout the film industry to produce this very thorough and thought-provoking review,” Mr Finlayson said. “I thank them for their efforts and for the work they have produced. We could not have asked for a better qualified team.”

“The reviewers have made certain findings across a wide-range of areas, which I will be looking at more closely.”

“At a higher level, the reviewers posed themselves the question ‘Do we need the New Zealand Film Commission?’”

“Their answer was an unreserved: yes.”

“With that in mind, I will be looking very closely with officials and the Film Commission at the review’s findings and recommendations, on how to further improve the Film Commission’s performance in the next thirty years of the New Zealand film industry.”

The review makes a number of suggestions, including:

- A more strategic long term vision which will allow for more flexibility;

- The Commission should move towards being more “talent” focused than project-focused;

- A larger development team within the Commission;

- Bringing short film funding back to the Commission, and using short films as part of a more integrated strategy for developing feature film talent;

- Relaxing the current reliance on producer-centred projects;

- Continuing the Screen Production Incentive Fund.

“Some of the suggestions – such as increasing funding for the New Zealand Film Archive and the division of responsibility between staff and the board – relate to concerns that have already begun to be addressed since the review began,” Mr Finlayson said. “This increases my confidence this Government is moving in the right direction to help the creative industries.”

“Other recommendations will be carefully considered along with officials, the Commission and my colleagues, in particular Minister for Economic Development Gerry Brownlee, before we take recommendations to Cabinet.”

The full report can be viewed at http://www.mch.govt.nz/projects/culture/nzfc-review.html

[Scoop copy of Jackson Film Commission Report (PDF)]

ENDS

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