Economic Impact of the Aotearoa New Zealand Screen Production Sector

Client: New Zealand Film Commission

Location: New Zealand

This important 2022 study for the New Zealand Film Commission calculated the economic impact of the New Zealandcountry’s screen production sector, drawing principally from the New Zealand Screen Production Grant (NZSPG) incentive.

Key findings from the study include:

• More than 100 international productions have accessed the NZSPG since 2014, which has stimulated the country’s economic growth

• In the 2020/2021 period, production expenditure was recorded at NZ$985 million, with 5,400 people full-time equivalents (FTE) directly employed in the screen sector

• Beyond economic benefits, the industry has also seen spillover impacts on other areas, including tourism, as well as on diversity and cultural representation.

SPI’s methodology used by SPI for 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. Data sources included production data held by the New Zealand Film Commission through the NZSPG system, consultations and survey data gathered from screen sector bodies and notable industry professionals.

If you would like to hear more about this study, please email SPI Consultant Joshua Dedman on joshua@o-spi.com.

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