Media Fact Sheet

Screen Council

The Screen Council will provide a leadership voice for the industry, oversee the implementation of the recommendations of the Screen Production Taskforce and provide ongoing advice to Ministers on ways to grow the sector.

Description

- Stand-alone industry organisation managed under an appropriate structure such as a Trust.
- Government funding for two years, thereafter funded from industry sources.
- Membership to be approved by the Ministers for Economic Development, Arts, Culture and Heritage, Broadcasting and Mâori Affairs.
- Membership drawn from industry practitioners, providing the Council with expertise in: relationship building and networking; leadership and building effective cooperation within the sector; strategy development; wide representation of industry practice including, but not limited to production; post production; domestic and international marketing; production financing; training and education
Issue/s Addressed
Mobilise industry ownership of and support for growth targets identified in the SPT report; and

Oversee the implementation of other SPT report recommendations relating to film financing, taxation, broadband and industry training and education.

Agencies Involved
Ministry of Economic Development
Ministry for Culture and Heritage
Te Puni Kokiri
NZ Trade and Enterprise

Timeline
Commence in 2003/04.

Total Cost (over 2 years)
$0.9 million

Screen Production Industry Survey

Description
A detailed survey of the screen production sector to provide an understanding, in economic and human terms, of the size, value and contribution to the New Zealand economy of this sector.

Recent studies of the sector have noted the severe limitations of existing data and the high costs of collecting primary data about the screen industry in particular and the creative sector generally. Statistics NZ will undertake a four-stage process to ensure that reliable and consistent statistics for the industry are collected. The first stage will involve clarifying the range of questions to be answered and the set of statistics to be produced. An investigatory stage will draw on existing data sources to develop preliminary statistics for the screen production industry. This will identify gaps requiring development of supplementary surveys. The final stages will include implementation of the new surveys and compilation of comprehensive and robust estimates of the size and contribution of the screen production sector.

Issue/s Addressed
Gap in current statistical information.

Builds on knowledge gained in NZ Institute of Economic Research report to Industry New Zealand, March 2002.

Agencies Involved
Statistics New Zealand
NZ Trade and Enterprise
Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Timeline
2003/04 - development
2004/05 - development and some sub sector data collection
2005/06 - undertake first annual data collection

Total Cost (over 4 years)
$0.872 million

Film NZ

Description
Funding to support Film NZ to:

- continue to promote New Zealand as a location for overseas investment in film production;
- undertake the development and implementation of a marketing plan for the screen production sector;
- co-ordinate with regional film offices in undertaking this activity; and
- improve Film NZ’s responsiveness to overseas enquiries resulting from the large-budget screen production grant.

FilmNZ will be subject to the review of support mechanisms for screen production being led by the Ministry for Culture and Heritage.

Issues to Be Addressed
Capability issues and short term funding problems for Film NZ.

Agencies Involved
Ministry of Economic Development
NZ Trade and Enterprise
New Zealand Film Commission

Timeline
2003/04 – $480,000
2004/05 – $480,000

Total Cost (over 2 years)
$0.960 million

Education and Training

Description

The Taskforce recommends changes to support the quality of tertiary education provision as it relates to the screen production industry. Final details depend on the formation of the Screen Council but the initial response from government agencies is that:

- Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) will work with the Screen Council to further develop the concept of an industry Screenmark Federation to provide better connections between industry and tertiary education providers. The Screenmark Federation could potentially provide a ‘qualmark-type’ standard for industry training.
- TEC will work with the sector to outline options to ensure that business skills become an integral part of tertiary courses related to the industry .
- TEC will work with the Screenmark Federation to ensure full consideration is given to the interests of the screen production industry in implementing the Tertiary Education Strategy (TES).
- TEC will work with the Screenmark Federation to develop ways of adapting the Modern Apprenticeship Scheme. Or developing an alternative scheme tailored to the creative sector.
- NZ Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) and TEC will work with the Screen Council on the introduction of initiatives to upskill existing practitioners, particularly in special business training courses with an emphasis on a global perspective. NZTE already funds a range of training courses for upskilling business people and is prepared to consider courses for specific industries.
Agencies Involved
Ministry of Education
Department of Labour
Tertiary Education Commission
NZ Trade and Enterprise

Total Cost
Cabinet has already approved funding to support a number of these activities from the GIF contingency fund. These are for TEC/TES related activities that are cross-sectoral. Specific funding for the screen production sector will be sought from the GIF Sector Project Fund, once the Screen Council is established.

Review of Government Mechanisms for Supporting Screen Production

Description
A review of whether government’s existing funding arrangements continue to be appropriate and effective, and the scope for enhancing these arrangements so they more effectively meet government’s objectives and the aspirations of the sector.

Scope and Focus

- focuses on the roles and functions of the NZ Film Commission, the Film Production Fund, NZ On Air, and Te Mângai Pâho, as the current core central government funding agencies for screen production activities;
- takes account of other government interventions in the screen production sector, including support for Film NZ and the work of economic development agencies such as NZTE (including Investment New Zealand);
- aligns with the government’s programme of work in developing a broadcasting strategy and with the Mâori Broadcasting Strategy.

The review team may recommend new policy, funding and institutional arrangements.

As a consequence of this Review it may be necessary to consider changes to the delivery of other functions of those existing agencies.

Issues to Be Addressed
Concerns expressed by screen production industry practitioners about the nature and scope of government intervention in the screen production sector.

Agencies Involved
Ministry for Culture and Heritage (lead), Te Puni Kokiri, Treasury, States Services Commission, Ministry of Economic Development in consultation with other agencies as required.

TIMELINE
2003/04 – Review period
2004/05 – Development of policy and legislation

Total Cost (over 2 years)
$0.500 million

Contact:

Large Budget Screen Production Grant

Description

- The grant scheme is effective from 1 July 2003. It was developed to provide an additional financial incentive for the production of both foreign and domestic large budget film and television projects in New Zealand. In establishing the grant, the Government recognised the economic, employment and skills development opportunities large budget productions contribute to New Zealand and to New Zealanders working in the screen industry.
- The LBSPG applies to screen productions that spend a minimum of $15 million on the production of the film or television project;
- Where a project’s qualifying production expenditure is between $15 – 50 million, the project will be required to spend a minimum of 70 percent of the projects total expenditure in New Zealand;
- Where expenditure is greater than $50 million no such percentage ratio applies.
- Eligible formats include feature films (including those shot direct to video), television movies, television drama series and mini-series.

Agencies Involved
NZ Film Commission will administer the LBSPG with IRD providing an auditing/verification role.

TIMELINE
The LBSPG is effective from 1 July 2003. It is due for review before June 2006.

Total Cost
$40.000 million per annum appropriation.

© Scoop Media