SPI’s Report on the Economic Impact of the Aotearoa New Zealand Screen Production Sector Launched

SPI’s report on the Economic Impact of the Aotearoa New Zealand Screen Production Sector was released this weekend following the New Zealand Film Commission’s panel at this year’s Big Screen Symposium.

Aotearoa New Zealand has been spotlighted on the global stage for a range of projects, from The Power of the Dog and the Avatar series, to Whina. The country is also renowned for its diverse and accessible landscapes as well as its experienced crew.

The study found that since the introduction of the New Zealand Screen Production Grant (NZSPG) in 2014, more than 100 international productions have fed into the country’s economic growth. In the 2020/2021 period, production expenditure was recorded at NZ$985m. The number of people directly employed in the screen sector has grown to nearly 5,400 full-time equivalents (FTE) over the same period and that figure balloons to 17,600 FTE, if you include those in the supply chain. Beyond economic benefits, the industry has also had spillover impacts on other areas, such as tourism as well as diversity and cultural representation.

Economic Impact Studies are a valuable tool in measuring the scale of screen production activity, its overall economic footprint and the effect of policy interventions. The methodology used by SPI in this report is similar to that applied to studies done for a range of other countries including Ireland, the UK, several US states, and Australia. Much of the baseline data available on the sector was and is gathered by the New Zealand Film Commission through the NZSPG system, which SPI evaluated and built on through consultations and survey data gathered from screen sector bodies and notable industry professionals. It is important to note that this report is an economic analysis of the New Zealand screen sector and not a cost-benefit analysis of the NZSPG.

Investment in screen production has been at unprecedented levels, with a global deluge of productions being undertaken. This report sets out to inform industry decision-makers and policy-makers at all levels, noting that with continued investment and a globally competitive industry that nurtures diverse and creative talent, skills, and infrastructure, the screen sector can continue to aid in New Zealand’s economic recovery post-pandemic.   

Download the full report here. 

Further information on SPI’s Economic Impact Studies can be found here.