Border exemptions for six shows
International workers for seven overseas screen productions have now been given permission to get past New Zealand’s almostclosed borders.
They are forecast to bring 3000 jobs and $400 million into New Zealand and mean famous faces, including Robert Downey Jr, Viggo Mortensen and Oscarwinning director Peter Farrelly, could soon be joining the likes of Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst and Jane Campion here.
The Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment (MBIE) has revealed that, in addition to the Avatar and Power Of The Dog crews already allowed in, there were international crews arriving for five further projects: The Lord Of The Rings television series, Power Rangers, Cowboy Bebop, Sweet Tooth, and Greatest Beer Run Ever.
It meant that 206 film workers, along with 35 family members, had or would come into New Zealand, with all meeting their own quarantine or self-isolation costs, MBIE’s manager of immigration policy, Sian Roguski, said.
It has also been confirmed that a further 10 Avatar crew members – in addition to the 31 already here – had been granted border exemptions but had not yet arrived.
‘‘While some of the crew have already arrived, such as Avatar, the workers involved in the other productions will arrive into the country across the next six months,’’ Roguski said.
‘‘This is subject to production timing and managed quarantine availability.’’
All exemptions, which allowed non-New Zealanders through the Covid-closed borders, were granted before June 18, at a time Economic Development Minister Phil Twyford needed to sign them off.
Twyford on Wednesday announced a boost in funding for international and domestic filmmakers and television shows in the wake of Covid-19, with more than $230 million pumped into projects.
‘‘Our success at managing Covid-19 gives our country an opportunity to become one of the few countries still able to safely produce screen content,’’ he told a crowd of film executives and industry insiders at Parliament.
MBIE estimated that 3000 New Zealanders would be directly employed by the productions, which would bring in $400m to the economy.