New Zealand
Location: South Pacfic Ocean
Broadcasters
TV3 is a commercial entertainment television channel owned by MediaWorks New Zealand.
Prime TV is the seventh-national free-to-air television station in New Zealand.
Currencies
Currency: New Zealand Dollar (NZD)
Q. Are there any requirements, when sending NZD?
A. Just your details, the beneficiary details and the purpose of the payment.
Q. Can I send inward and outbound payments?
A. Yes, there are no restrictions on sending money into or outside of New Zealand.
Q. How much can I send?
A. As much as you want.
Q. How long will it take for my funds to be received?
A. Standard international payment time. Please note, due to the different time zones, payments received in New Zealand will be delayed by a day.
Q. Who can I send NZD to?
A. Both individuals and businesses can receive funds.
Q. Is sending NZD expensive?
A. Not if you use the right currency broker, who will be able to offer you bank-beating exchange rates and significantly lower payment charges.
Q. Can you use forward contracts with NZD?
A. Yes. With the right currency broker, you can book an NZD exchange rate forward, protecting you against any adverse currency movements. With these contracts, you will always know exactly what is coming out of your bank account.
Information courtesy of Currencies Direct
Visas & Permits
Visas & Work Permits
Those travelling on Western passports can enter visa-free.
Work permits are required for cast and crew from all countries except Australia. These can generally be obtained quickly.
Clients and agencies don’t require work permits, while visiting to supervise shoots in New Zealand, but may require a visitor’s visa depending on nationality.
Please contact a local embassy, consulate or representative for more information. Alternatively, there are specialist companies that provide visa and immigration support to the media industry who may be able to assist.
Film Location Permits
The permitting process is generally quick, easy and streamlined. It is possible to close city streets for filming, as well as rural highways and country roads, but not motorways.
Aerial filming is permitted over most locations. A 500ft minimum height limit applies to cities, but there’s usually no minimum height restriction otherwise.
Customs
For productions looking to bring in film equipment, New Zealand is an ATA carnet country.
When to Film
When to Film
Summer runs from December to February. This is the busiest time for production, with long, sunny shoot days and impressive light. Autumn is from March to May. Winter runs from June to August with snow in the mountainous regions. The rest of the country rarely sees snow, so locations at lower elevations are open to filming all year-round. Spring is from September to November.
In New Zealand, Christianity is the largest religion, followed by Hinduism, Islam and Buddhism, owing to the country’s multicultural diversity.
Public Holidays
Public holidays may affect timing, availability and costs. See here for public holiday dates in New Zealand.
Costs & VAT
New Zealand is one of the most cost competitive filming centres in the Western world, and a high-quality production service centre. New Zealand is generally less expensive than Australia, due to the difference in exchange rate, less distance to locations, and more flexible crew and talent rules.
Funding & Tax Incentives
Treaty Documents
At the time of writing, the UK has a Film & TV Co-Production Treaty with New Zealand. Details can be found on the BFI website.
There is also the UK-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement.