From box-office records to breathtaking behind-the-scenes growth, New Zealand's film industry has transformed into a multi-billion-dollar global powerhouse, fueled by a surge in major productions, cutting-edge visual effects wizardry, and a thriving local talent pool that's earning international acclaim.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, New Zealand's screen production sector generated a total direct expenditure of NZ$2.37 billion, marking a 12% increase from 2021
- Between 2014 and 2023, 1,247 international screen productions were supported by the New Zealand Screen Production Grant, totaling over NZ$4.5 billion in qualifying expenditure
- In FY2023, high-budget screen productions in New Zealand spent NZ$1.89 billion locally, with 68% allocated to VFX and post-production services
- The New Zealand screen industry contributed NZ$3.6 billion to GDP in 2022, representing 1.1% of national GDP
- Screen production generated NZ$1.07 billion in exports in FY2023, a 25% rise from previous year
- Every NZ$1 spent on Screen Production Grants leveraged NZ$3.50 in local spending in 2022
- NZ Film Industry employed 28,500 full-time equivalent workers in 2023, up 8% from 2022
- VFX artists numbered 4,200 in Wellington alone in 2023, with 65% freelancers
- Women comprised 42% of the screen workforce in 2022, highest in post-production at 48%
- New Zealand films grossed NZ$145 million at domestic box office in 2022
- Hunt for the Wilderpeople achieved 1.2 million domestic admissions since 2016 release
- Avatar sequels earned NZ$120 million in NZ theaters from 2022-2023
- New Zealand won 6 Academy Awards for films/TV between 2000-2023
- Lord of the Rings: Return of the King secured 11 Oscars in 2004, including Best Picture
- The Piano by Jane Campion won 3 Oscars in 1994: Original Screenplay, Supporting Actress, Cinematography
New Zealand's film industry is thriving with strong investment and international success.
Audience and Box Office
- New Zealand films grossed NZ$145 million at domestic box office in 2022
- Hunt for the Wilderpeople achieved 1.2 million domestic admissions since 2016 release
- Avatar sequels earned NZ$120 million in NZ theaters from 2022-2023
- What We Do in the Shadows cult film hit 850,000 global streams on NZ platforms 2023
- The Power of the Dog streamed to 2.5 million NZ viewers on Netflix in first month 2022
- Lord of the Rings trilogy lifetime NZ box office: NZ$85 million
- Top NZ film 2023: Next Goal Wins with NZ$8.7 million domestic gross
- 65% of NZ population watched at least one local film in 2022 survey
- Hobbit trilogy generated NZ$65 million NZ box office 2012-2014
- TV series Sweet Tooth reached 1.8 million NZ streams in season 2 2023
- Cinema attendance for NZ films up 22% post-COVID to 12.5 million tickets 2023
- Taika Waititi films cumulative NZ gross: NZ$45 million as of 2023
- M3GAN horror hit NZ$15.2 million worldwide, NZ domestic NZ$4.1m 2023
- Local content hours on TVNZ+ totaled 450 in 2022, 78% NZ made
- 40% market share for NZ films in domestic arthouse cinemas 2023
- Baby Done comedy earned NZ$5.3 million, highest romcom grosser 2021
- Wrina documentary drew 250,000 admissions in NZ 2022
- Streaming platforms hosted 120 NZ titles, 15 million views in 2023
- Jojo Rabbit global box office NZ$85 million, NZ share NZ$6.2m 2019
- Average ticket price for NZ films NZ$15.80 in 2023, up 5%
- 28% of box office from international films shot in NZ 2022
- Eagle vs Shark indie hit 120,000 NZ viewers lifetime
- The Piano lifetime NZ gross NZ$12 million adjusted for inflation
- 2023 festival circuit: 45 NZ films screened to 150,000 attendees
- TV movie viewership: 750,000 for Pic's 2022 titles on Sky
- NZ films on SVOD platforms averaged 450,000 hours watched per title 2023
- Goodbye Pork Pie remaster drew 180,000 cinema goers 2019-2023
Audience and Box Office Interpretation
Despite being perpetually overshadowed by the mountainous profits of international blockbusters filmed here, the New Zealand film industry proves its own resilient power, not in single titanic hits but in a heartening accumulation of cult classics, local stories that genuinely connect with audiences at home, and a quiet, streaming-era dominion over our own screens.
Awards and International Recognition
- New Zealand won 6 Academy Awards for films/TV between 2000-2023
- Lord of the Rings: Return of the King secured 11 Oscars in 2004, including Best Picture
- The Piano by Jane Campion won 3 Oscars in 1994: Original Screenplay, Supporting Actress, Cinematography
- Weta Workshop received 3 Technical Achievement Oscars for LOTR effects 2004
- Taika Waititi's Jojo Rabbit won Oscar for Adapted Screenplay 2020
- Power of the Dog earned 12 Oscar nominations, 1 win for Jane Campion's Direction 2022
- New Zealand films took 25 Cannes awards from 1990-2023
- Heavenly Creatures won 5 BAFTAs including Best Director for Jackson 1995
- Once Were Warriors garnered 42 international awards post-1994 release
- An Angel at My Table secured 18 wins including Venice Grand Jury Prize 1990
- In the 2023 Emmys, NZ's Our Flag Means Death got 7 nominations
- Sweet Tooth Netflix series won 2 Saturn Awards for VFX 2022
- Weta Digital won 15 Visual Effects Society Awards 2000-2023
- Boy dir. Taika Waititi won 8 international awards including Audience Award at Sundance 2010
- Top of the Lake miniseries earned 4 Emmys noms and Peabody Award 2013
- 47 NZ shorts awarded at Clermont-Ferrand Festival 2010-2023
- The Dark Horse won 14 awards including NZ best film 2015
- Mahana (The Patriarch) took 7 awards at local festivals 2016
- NZ Documentaries won 9 Sundance awards since 2000
- Emma's War children's film 8 wins including LA Festival Best Feature 2017
Awards and International Recognition Interpretation
New Zealand’s film industry is like a world-class sprinter who occasionally decides to run a marathon, spends years crafting one perfect, award-sweeping epic, and then spends the rest of the time casually winning top honors for deeply human stories in every other conceivable category.
Economic Contributions
- The New Zealand screen industry contributed NZ$3.6 billion to GDP in 2022, representing 1.1% of national GDP
- Screen production generated NZ$1.07 billion in exports in FY2023, a 25% rise from previous year
- Every NZ$1 spent on Screen Production Grants leveraged NZ$3.50 in local spending in 2022
- The sector supported 38,000 FTE jobs in 2023, injecting NZ$2.8 billion in wages
- International productions spent NZ$2.1 billion locally in 2022, 85% on NZ goods and services
- VFX and animation exports reached NZ$680 million in 2023, up 18% YoY
- Tourism boost from films like LOTR added NZ$200 million annually to visitor spend post-2001-2023
- NZ screen sector paid NZ$1.4 billion in GST in FY2022/23
- Local content productions generated NZ$450 million in 2023, supporting 5,200 jobs indirectly
- Merchandising from NZ films earned NZ$120 million globally in 2022, with 40% royalties to NZ firms
- The industry attracted NZ$5.2 billion in FDI from 2014-2023 via grants
- Post-production services exported NZ$950 million in 2023, 70% to US studios
- Screen sector multiplier effect created NZ$10.5 billion total economic activity in 2022
- NZ film tax rebates returned NZ$1.2 billion to govt coffers via taxes in FY2023
- 2023 saw NZ$340 million in accommodation and transport spend by crews
- Gaming-film crossovers added NZ$80 million to economy in 2022
- Retail sales uplift of NZ$150 million from film premieres and events 2019-2023
- Insurance premiums for NZ film shoots totaled NZ$220 million in 2022
- Construction of sets contributed NZ$180 million to building sector in 2023
- Fuel consumption by productions was 15 million litres in 2022, valued at NZ$28 million
- Legal services for contracts billed NZ$45 million to screen projects in FY2023
- Catering spend by crews reached NZ$90 million in 2022 across 120 shoots
- Equipment rentals generated NZ$320 million for local suppliers in 2023
- Advertising spend on NZ film promos was NZ$55 million domestically in 2022
- Property rentals for shoots earned owners NZ$75 million in 2023
- Printing and reprographics for storyboards cost NZ$12 million in 2022
- The screen industry paid NZ$720 million in corporate taxes in FY2023
- International crew spend averaged NZ$4,500 per person on 12,000 visitors in 2022
Economic Contributions Interpretation
In New Zealand, every dollar spent on film isn't just a ticket to a story, but a high-yield investment that turns our scenery into a GDP-generating, job-creating, tax-paying economic powerhouse that exports magic and imports billions.
Employment Data
- NZ Film Industry employed 28,500 full-time equivalent workers in 2023, up 8% from 2022
- VFX artists numbered 4,200 in Wellington alone in 2023, with 65% freelancers
- Women comprised 42% of the screen workforce in 2022, highest in post-production at 48%
- 1,850 trainees completed screen industry certifications in 2023 via ScreenSkills NZ
- Average salary for NZ film directors was NZ$145,000 in 2022
- 6,700 crew worked on international blockbusters in 2022, averaging 120 days each
- Maori and Pasifika represented 14% of workforce in 2023, up from 9% in 2019
- 2,400 jobs in animation studios across NZ in FY2023
- Post-production roles grew by 15% to 3,100 in 2022
- Youth under 25 made up 22% of entry-level hires in grips and electrics in 2023
- 950 international crew visas issued for skilled roles in 2022
- Female cinematographers increased to 18% of total DPs in 2023 from 12% in 2020
- 1,200 actors registered with agents worked 180 days avg in 2022
- Sound technicians totaled 780 in 2023, with 40% in high-end Dolby Atmos mixing
- Production managers averaged NZ$98,000 salary, employing 520 in sector 2022
- 450 stunt performers active, contributing to 35 international action films in 2023
- IT specialists in VFX numbered 1,100, with median age 32 in 2022
- Location managers oversaw 2,500 sites, employing 320 full-time in 2023
- Costume designers and makers totaled 890, 55% women in 2022
- 210 scriptwriters earned over NZ$80k from screen work in FY2023
- Hair and makeup artists peaked at 1,400 during Mudge season 2022
- Transport drivers logged 5.2 million km for crews, 2,100 employed in 2023
- Compositors in VFX firms: 1,650, avg 4.2 years exp in juniors 2022
- Editors worked 1.2 million hours on 180 projects in 2023
- Grips and lighting techs: 1,800, 28% apprentices in 2022
Employment Data Interpretation
New Zealand's film industry is not just a picturesque backdrop for blockbusters but a robust economic engine, employing over 28,500 people—from the 4,200 VFX artists conjuring magic in Wellington to the 1,800 grips lighting the way—while steadily becoming more inclusive, better trained, and increasingly vital to the global cinematic landscape.
Production and Output
- In 2022, New Zealand's screen production sector generated a total direct expenditure of NZ$2.37 billion, marking a 12% increase from 2021
- Between 2014 and 2023, 1,247 international screen productions were supported by the New Zealand Screen Production Grant, totaling over NZ$4.5 billion in qualifying expenditure
- In FY2023, high-budget screen productions in New Zealand spent NZ$1.89 billion locally, with 68% allocated to VFX and post-production services
- New Zealand hosted 47 major international film and TV productions in 2022, including Avatar sequels and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
- From July 2022 to June 2023, 312 screen projects received Screen Production Grants worth NZ$850 million
- In 2021/22, New Zealand's animation and VFX sector produced content for 120 international titles, contributing NZ$450 million in revenue
- Weta Digital alone contributed to 25 feature films in 2022 with over 1.2 million VFX shots delivered from NZ bases
- Between 2019-2023, 156 low-budget feature films were produced in NZ under the NZSPG Low Budget Category, averaging NZ$2.5 million per project
- In 2023, 92 TV series episodes were shot in New Zealand, including 65 for international streaming platforms
- Park Road Post Production handled 450 hours of high-end post for global projects in 2022
- From 2014-2024, the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings franchises generated NZ$1.2 billion in local production spend
- In FY2024 Q1, 28 feature films were in active production or post in NZ
- New Zealand's screen sector shot 2,150 screen days in 2022 across 120 projects
- VFX Pipeline in Wellington processed 850,000 CGI assets for 15 Hollywood blockbusters in 2023
- 45 documentary films were produced in NZ in 2022 with total budget of NZ$28 million
- In 2023, 67 commercials were shot in NZ featuring international brands, generating NZ$45 million spend
- Stone Street Studios hosted 12 major productions in 2022, covering 250,000 sq ft of soundstages
- Between 2020-2023, 210 virtual production days were logged using LED walls in Auckland studios
- NZ short films numbered 320 in 2022 festivals circuit from NZ producers
- Sir Peter Jackson's companies invested NZ$150 million in new post-production facilities in 2023
- In 2022, NZ film industry imported NZ$120 million in equipment for 80 productions
- 15 gaming co-productions with film tie-ins were developed in NZ in 2023
- Auckland Film Studios expanded to 8 stages in 2023, hosting 22 TV projects
- 112 music videos for global artists shot in NZ landscapes in 2022
- From 2018-2023, 89 heritage films recreated NZ history with NZ$65 million budget
- In FY2023, digital intermediate services in NZ processed 180 features
- 76 web series were fully produced in NZ in 2022 for platforms like YouTube
- Wellington's Embark Studios delivered 3D scans for 40 films in 2023
- NZ produced 25 IMAX format films from 2015-2023 using local cameras
- In 2024, 34 post-production pipelines were active for Oscar-contending films
Production and Output Interpretation
Despite the persistent myth of New Zealand as just a scenic backdrop, the real magic is a thriving, multi-billion-dollar industrial ecosystem where digital artists, soundstages, and post-production wizards collectively conjure more economic value than a dragon’s hoard.
Sources & References
- Reference 1NZFILMnzfilm.co.nzVisit source
- Reference 2MBIEmbie.govt.nzVisit source
- Reference 3SPARKSsparks.nzVisit source
- Reference 4TREASURYtreasury.govt.nzVisit source
- Reference 5ANIMATIONNZanimationnz.comVisit source
- Reference 6WETAFXwetafx.co.nzVisit source
- Reference 7PARKROADPOSTparkroadpost.comVisit source
- Reference 8TEARAteara.govt.nzVisit source
- Reference 9WELLINGTONNZwellingtonnz.comVisit source
- Reference 10NZOFAnzofa.org.nzVisit source
- Reference 11STONE-STREETstone-street.comVisit source
- Reference 12AUCKLANDNZaucklandnz.comVisit source
- Reference 13NZSHORTFILMnzshortfilm.orgVisit source
- Reference 14STUFFstuff.co.nzVisit source
- Reference 15STATSstats.govt.nzVisit source
- Reference 16NZGDAnzgda.org.nzVisit source
- Reference 17AUCKLANDFILMSTUDIOSaucklandfilmstudios.co.nzVisit source
- Reference 18NGATAONGAngataonga.org.nzVisit source
- Reference 19POSTPRODUCTIONpostproduction.org.nzVisit source
- Reference 20DIGITALNZdigitalnz.orgVisit source
- Reference 21EMBARKSTUDIOSembarkstudios.comVisit source
- Reference 22IMAXNZimaxnz.comVisit source
- Reference 23TOURISMNEWZEALANDtourismnewzealand.comVisit source
- Reference 24IRDird.govt.nzVisit source
- Reference 25NZFCnzfc.govt.nzVisit source
- Reference 26DELOITTEdeloitte.comVisit source
- Reference 27HOSPITALITYNZhospitalitynz.orgVisit source
- Reference 28NZGDAnzgda.orgVisit source
- Reference 29RETAILNZretailnz.co.nzVisit source
- Reference 30INSURANCECOUNCILinsurancecouncil.co.nzVisit source
- Reference 31MASTERBUILDERSmasterbuilders.org.nzVisit source
- Reference 32ENERGYenergy.govt.nzVisit source
- Reference 33NZLAWSOCIETYnzlawsociety.orgVisit source
- Reference 34CULINARYGUILDNZculinaryguildnz.orgVisit source
- Reference 35GEARHIREgearhire.org.nzVisit source
- Reference 36COMMERCIALScommercials.org.nzVisit source
- Reference 37REALESTATErealestate.co.nzVisit source
- Reference 38PRINTNZprintnz.orgVisit source
- Reference 39IMMIGRATIONimmigration.govt.nzVisit source
- Reference 40SCREENSKILLSscreenskills.nzVisit source
- Reference 41SEEKseek.co.nzVisit source
- Reference 42TEPUAPUAtepuapua.org.nzVisit source
- Reference 43SETNZsetnz.orgVisit source
- Reference 44NZSPnzsp.orgVisit source
- Reference 45EQUITYequity.org.nzVisit source
- Reference 46AUDIONZaudionz.comVisit source
- Reference 47PMANZpmanz.orgVisit source
- Reference 48STUNTASSOCIATIONstuntassociation.nzVisit source
- Reference 49ITPROSitpros.nzVisit source
- Reference 50LOCATIONSNZlocationsnz.comVisit source
- Reference 51COSTUMEANDPROPSNZcostumeandpropsnz.orgVisit source
- Reference 52NZWRITERSGUILDnzwritersguild.orgVisit source
- Reference 53BEAUTYGUILTbeautyguilt.org.nzVisit source
- Reference 54TRANSNZtransnz.orgVisit source
- Reference 55VFXNZvfxnz.comVisit source
- Reference 56EDITORSGUILDeditorsguild.nzVisit source
- Reference 57GRIPTECHgriptech.org.nzVisit source
- Reference 58IMDBimdb.comVisit source
- Reference 59RNZrnz.co.nzVisit source
- Reference 60NETFLIXnetflix.comVisit source
- Reference 61NZHERALDnzherald.co.nzVisit source
- Reference 62EVENTCINEMASeventcinemas.co.nzVisit source
- Reference 63BOXOFFICEMOJOboxofficemojo.comVisit source
- Reference 64TVNZtvnz.co.nzVisit source
- Reference 65RIALTOrialto.co.nzVisit source
- Reference 66FLICKSflicks.co.nzVisit source
- Reference 67THEGUARDIANtheguardian.comVisit source
- Reference 68NZIFFnziff.co.nzVisit source
- Reference 69SKYsky.co.nzVisit source
- Reference 70NIELSENnielsen.comVisit source
- Reference 71ICONFILMiconfilm.nzVisit source
- Reference 72OSCARSoscars.orgVisit source
- Reference 73WETANZwetanz.comVisit source
- Reference 74FESTIVAL-CANNESfestival-cannes.comVisit source
- Reference 75BAFTAbafta.orgVisit source
- Reference 76EMMYSemmys.comVisit source
- Reference 77SATURNAWARDSsaturnawards.orgVisit source
- Reference 78VISUALEFFECTSSOCIETYvisualeffectssociety.comVisit source
- Reference 79PEABODYAWARDSpeabodyawards.comVisit source
- Reference 80CLERMONT-FILMFESTclermont-filmfest.comVisit source
- Reference 81FESTIVALfestival.sundance.orgVisit source