[Iris]

Hello.

As I posted in The Lounge, Kiwi hubby and I are seriously considering moving to New Zealand.

Hubby's degree is in Public Administration with an Economic Development/Tourism focus so it doesn't look like getting a job will be difficult for him - in fact he has an interview next week!

However, I work in the film industry - above the line - as the person who pulls the project and money together. Now I know Peter Jackson has put New Zealand on the map in terms filmmaking - but wanted to get a "finger on the pulse" as to how NZers really feel about their growing industry.

Any thoughts you care to share??

[MB]

Welcome, Iris. I'm afraid that I for one can't help you directly with your question.

What I can say is that the skill and career of our principal applicant is also in the Future Growth Area of 'Creative Industries' (I assume from your post that you know that Creative is one of the three designated FGAs. See NZIS site for details), so -- probably like you -- we are intrigued as to how skills in this field are viewed by NZIS.

To venture one answer, I think that it certainly doesn't hurt to be in an FGA career when it comes to NZIS assessing your chances of settling and finding work. But you don't earn extra points for being in an FGA unless you have a job offer and/or NZ-based experience and/or NZ-earned qualifications in your FGA skill. And yet there is a space on the EOI where you can indicate that you are in an FGA without being in one of the points-earning groups I just listed.... so maybe it does help somewhat.

But what's probably most concrete and helpful is that if you are in an FGA career - such as the film industry or, in my wife's case, ballet-teaching, ballet-shoe fitting and choreography -- you have several years of work experience to back it up and (preferably) directly relevant qualifications. By the way, you may have to have your quals. assessed by NZQA unless they are from an NZIS-recognized institution (usually established universities/colleges - there's a list for each country).

Sorry my answer is so general. I hope soemone else knows your interesting industry better than I.

Cheers and all the best with your application,
Matt.

[Beach Kiwi]

Now I know Peter Jackson has put New Zealand on the map in terms filmmaking - but wanted to get a "finger on the pulse" as to how NZers really feel about their growing industry.

Any thoughts you care to share??

New Zealanders are very proud of the way the film industry is progressing, and are keen to see it develop even more. Apart from that I don't really think we think about it in any great detail.

Here's some links you might be interested in:

New Zealand Film Commission (http://www.nzfilm.co.nz/)

Screen Production and Development Association of New Zealand (http://www.spada.co.nz/home/home.html)

[Moorf]

Was watching the News tonight here in NZ and there was a section on a film called "Boogeyman" which was a low budget indie film produced entirely in Auckland which has just topped the box office in the States.

http://tvnz.co.nz/view/news_entertainment_story_skin/472618%3fformat=html

Plus, when I was researching some info for a project Woz and I are developing I came across the following site which you may find interesting.

http://www.zeroland.co.nz/new_zealand_film.html

Hope it helps,
Moorf

[Jodie]

There's quite a few production companies and small-film agencies here - in fact I'm doing some work on a guys website at the mo who runs a small production company in Lower Hutt, so I think there's probably a bit of work around.

Have you tried looking at the Film Wellington website? It's pretty big down here I think, with Welly being the arts and creative capital and all! (And the home of Peter Jackson himself! Ask Sarahw what his house is like!! ;) )

Jod
:cool

[RoadRunner]

And the home of Peter Jackson himself! Ask Sarahw what his house is like!!
I'll bite - Sarahw: Please tell us what his house is like! How did you get to see it?? Details, please!

It seems like being in the film industry would be so cool.

[sarahw]

Hee hee! Peter Jackson's house looks like it needs a ruddy good clean & paint actually! :laugh It looks a bit like him - unkempt and a bit wild - has a fantastic situation on the beach on one of the bays around near the airport but not at all showbizzy. Looks very lived in & loved!

We saw it when we went on a Lord of the Rings location tour the other weekend - ha! Yes I know - how touristy but it was Ian's birthday & I thought it'd be a fun way to discover some cool places in Welly - and it was!

Film industry - a bit going on in Welly - Filming King Kong at the moment & after that will be a film adaptation of the book the Lovely Bones - also heard that Weta are doing a Jane & the Dragon animation film (like Golum in LOTR) in the paper today. Quite fun to drive around & see the sets here. We did laugh when Ian (shame you can't see my 6ft5 hairy man) found out that his hairdresser had done the hair on the King Kong set - I nearly fell off my chair laughing! It was so funny to tell everyone at home that he had King Kong's hairdresser! :laugh