Lights, camera, action

A new Covid-19 insurance scheme is being rolled out by the Ministry for Culture and Heritage to help get 12 New Zealand screen productions over the line.

The screen sector indemnity scheme has been established by the ministry after concerns were raised by the sector about the films being able to get over the line, according to a briefing to new Arts Minister Carmel Sepuloni.

It allows the ministry, on behalf of companies with films scheduled to begin production before April 2021, to submit individual business cases to Treasury in order to seek an indemnity for the films.

This means should a production collapse due to Covid-19, companies could make insurance claims to the ministry directly.

The 12 productions would have ‘‘reasonably [been] expected’’ to get pandemic cover before it became unavailable on the private insurance market earlier this year, ministry deputy chief executive Anna Butler said.

The cover was only for productions that needed private finance, of which insurance was a requirement. The insurance covered against delays and abandonments due to Covid-19.

Butler said the 12 productions would be considered by Finance Minister Grant Robertson on a ‘‘case-by-case basis’’. Some had already been granted the indemnity, while others were yet to be considered.

‘‘Screen productions generally need pandemic insurance to secure private finance. If granted, the indemnity will give financiers the comfort they need to lend to productions,’’ Butler said.

All 12 productions are being developed by New Zealandregistered production companies, and have New Zealand content. The productions showcase New Zealand, and were identified by the New Zealand Film Commission as