New Zealand to tweak film and TV incentives

New Zealand Screen Production Grant (NZSPG) system has been renewed with some tweaks. This comes after a review in 2022 of the country's international production incentives and the post-production and visual effects schemes.

The current program will be renamed the New Zealand Screen Production Rebate.

Qualifying international live-action productions' core rebate of 20% New Zealand expenditure will remain unchanged.

The secondary mechanism where certain large productions which deliver a durable benefit to the New Zealand industry can apply for an additional 5% "uplift" is to be "redeveloped to make the criteria clearer and more objective and the process more efficient, while retaining a focus on wider economic benefits to New Zealand," the government said.

The Post-Production, Digital and Visual Effects Grant (PDV) will return to a flat 20% rebate.

The threshold for qualifying expenditure will be lowered from NZ$500,000 to NZ$250,000 ($151,000). 

Additionally, all types of local New Zealand-led productions will be able to access the rebate alongside other government funding, including from NZ On Air, Te Māngai Pāho and the NZ Film Commission.

Since 2014, productions accessing both the domestic and international rebate have spent around $5.2 billion in New Zealand and received around $1.15b back in rebates.

The screen industry contributes more than $3.5b to New Zealand’s economy each year.