New Zealand – Filmmakers Nirvana

Connecting our backyard to global filmmakers – built by Producers for Producers

What sets us apart from the rest? New Zealand, Aotearoa, Middle Earth, Land of the Long White Cloud, our backyard, our home. Welcome to New Zealand, our home to awe-inspiring locations, world-class crew and facilities, and film-friendly communities. Come join us!

WHAT WE DO

A collaboration between Reel Factory and Mr Positive to offer a top-tier production service in New Zealand.  Being Kiwi owned and operated, we offer years of collective experience, where others see obstacles, we see opportunities! New Zealand is a special place for everyone who lives and travels here. Our land is the location of choice for some of the world's most high-profile brands to create their campaigns, films to set their locations upon and TV shows to host from. We’re dedicated to growing the production service industry in New Zealand, it’s important our visitors have a great experience in our land and with our crew through our services.

Our team have been working closely with Tourism New Zealand, every local film council, regional tourism operators and local film experts for over a decade. We have hosted scores of international shoots from reality TV shows, large and small TVCs and an array of stills photography projects. Our home is diverse in landscapes and easy to navigate. With fantasy worlds loved by millions of fans, our stunning and easy-to-access locations also “double as” US, UK, Asian and European settings. With seasons opposite to the Northern Hemisphere, you can shoot snow in July or wheat fields in February.

 

 

          

Production In NZ Through COVID-19

With the global impacts of Covid-19 our production industry is changing fast and we all need to adapt. For advertising projects, location is everything and thankfully in New Zealand we have film locations that the world is envious of. Travel between countries through 2020 has a very different outlook to how we would usually operate. For most ad productions, we would normally see agency, client and director fly to their shooting location to shoot abroad. The future of offshore production is coming and Reel Factory is ready to handle it. New Zealand borders are closed to international travellers for an unforeseen amount of time, however our production industry is operating as strong as ever. Our rivers are still flowing, grass is greener than ever and our beautiful locations abnormally quite – it’s the perfect time to base your next production in New Zealand!

In the last few months, we have had more and more of our projects turn to streaming technology as a way to reduce the budget of a project. With the technology that exists now, it is very easy to communicate while on set even if we have a director in Argentina, a creative agency in France and a client in Japan. Sounds farfetched? It’s a lot more simple than it sounds. Get in touch to find out how we can facilitate your commercial production with ease in New Zealand. 

 

Built by Producers for Producers

That amounts to much more than a fixer or diary service. Regardless of project scale, we adhere to professional standards accepted and expected industry wide. Our key focus is understating your brief and exactly what you want to achieve. Our production team are our family, who have been working together for many years. What you get with our crew is a well-oiled machine with the know how to execute a brief of any scale.

Partnership with the region’s landowners, communities, businesses and film industry stakeholders is key to everything we do. This is allied with the strong relationships we've built with offshore and domestic filmmakers over the years. Our role is that of connectors and facilitators, enabling the region to be celebrated on screen, worldwide.

Flexible Productions Packages

Reel Factory & Mr Positive are the new age in production, a nimble team with the kiwi, can do attitude. We understand what a true flexible approach towards production actually looks likes. Our team are committed to ensure your stills, television commercial advertising and brand content shoot receives world-class treatment with a no bullshit attitude.

World Class Crew

Our award-winning HOD’s and crew are sought after by some of the world’s best filmmakers. We can help connect you with the right people and resources you need for a successful shoot.
 

Our connections of well experienced crew run deep throughout the country. From Northland through Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and most importantly Otago. You will be glad to hear crew in New Zealand are not unionized but The Blue Book is the standard reference document of best practices for the engagement of screen production crew in New Zealand. See – nztecho.com

Our Facilities

Reel Factory HQ is a purpose-built 5,000 square ft facility which is free for your international team to use at their disposal. We have a separate line production office space with all the usual home amenities as well as the boardroom to make things happen, four fulltime edit suites, three production offices, a viewing theatre, gear warehouse, Auckland centrals largest studio/cyclorama space, the only motion control cine robot in New Zealand and the all-important bar to toast a job well done. Our HQ is based on the North Shore of Auckland which is close to accommodation and many great eateries - alternatively Auckland city is only a 15 minute drive from our office.

Equipment

New Zealand is at the forefront of new technology within the film industry. Some of the best cinematography equipment in the world has been created on our shores. We have access to a range of cinema equipment that is comparable to Hollywood. Specialist equipment available includes Phantom high speed cameras, super techno cranes, tracking vehicles, gyro stabilized heads, steadicams, helicopters and mounts, motion control equipment, special effects equipment, underwater film equipment, studios and sound stages including the largest underwater purpose built film tank – the list goes on.
 

We have the contacts for any specialist equipment needed for your New Zealand production.

Casting

New Zealand’s superb actors portray diverse looks and ethnicities, every year more of them are offered high profile roles throughout film, TVC’s and drama shows. Memorable characters are seen in some of audience favourites including Thor: Raganarok, Avatar, The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies, Live Free or Die Hard, Top of the Lake, Grey’s Anatomy, Peaky Blinders, Fear the Walking Dead, Flight of the Conchords, Riverdale, Hawaii Five-O, The Shannara Chronicles, Power Rangers and many more.
 

Our team have a great working relationship with all leading casting agents throughout New Zealand.

Post Production

New Zealand companies work with the major US studios and high-profile international producers and directors. Your project will benefit from the creation of bespoke workflows and a commitment to quality throughout the delivery of sound and picture post, music scoring, animation and the visual effects created here. Delivery of digital and post production progress is seamless for dailies, remote sound, online and colour grade reviews through to final international delivery. You’ll also find:
 

• Ultra-fast connectivity
• Innovative technologies
• Integrated communications hubs
• Live reviewing systems

Physical Effects

New Zealanders excel at creating imaginary and intensely detailed worlds. Expertise in conceptual and digital design extends into special effects, prosthetics, makeup, costume and weaponry design with an emphasis on attention to detail and quality in their physical manufacturing. This is found in all types of projects from high-end commercials to VFX intensive blockbusters like Blade Runner, Guardians of the Galaxy , Lord of The Rings, Avatar and so on.

Seasons

You don’t have to travel far for seasons opposite to the Northern Hemisphere, you can shoot snow in July or wheat fields in February. A Kiwi Christmas is hard to beat in the middle of summer – and the winter mountain ranges turn themselves into glorious white peaks from July. On top of that you get the most clean air and beautiful light across our untouched land.

Catering

It is safe to say New Zealand has great food, wine and an incredible coffee culture! New Zealand cuisine is largely driven by local ingredients and seasonal variations, welcome to the very best produce form our land, sea and sky! We will make sure you and your crew have extremely satisfied taste buds wether you are shooting upon a mountain range or in the comforts of a studio.

Driving

New Zealand roads are to be driven on the left hand side of the road as in the UK and Japan. We have great flexibility on New Zealand roads to be able to close down rural and urban streets to enable cars to drive on the reverse side.
 

The minimum driving age in NZ is 15 years of age, Visitors from Australia, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands and South Africa may drive in New Zealand if they have a current driver’s license in their own country. Visitors from other countries may also drive in NZ if they hold a current International Drivers Permit (I.D.P.). Reel Factory can take care of all travel logistics for your teams time in NZ.

Working Days

The standard shoot day in New Zealand is based on 10 hrs including 45mins lunch, with overtime payable after 10 hrs. The working week is usually six days, with overtime payable on the seventh day. There are no penalty rates for shooting on weekends but extra rates are payable on some public holidays. Each production is run on a case by case basis, we can work our teams up to 15 hours a day but cost and travel implications apply.

Customs & Freight

Importing equipment (including camera equipment), props or vehicles into New Zealand is easy when you have the right contacts. We work with great local freight forwarding companies who know how to work collaboratively with film companies and our deadlines. Our freight and customs brokers will advise on the most efficient freight options.

VISAS

We can help take care of any work visas required and work on fast tracking them through our contacts in the embassy, NZIS, local Technicians Guild and local representatives of Actors Equity. Usually Temporary Work Visas can be processed within a few days once all of the required information has been provided.

Money $

Producing on the other side of the world can save you money. Good exchange rates of the New Zealand dollar to other currencies make it possible to stretch your dollar further. Goods & Services Tax (GST) is a consumer tax of 15% applicable to all goods and services provided within New Zealand. GST incurred in the manufacture of goods for export (including films) may be refunded to local producers, subject to fulfilling certain criteria.

LOCATIONS

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New Zealand’s scenery is internationally renowned and unique, often lending itself as an alternative world or time, and in doing so never looking out of place.

Our country is famous for its almost overwhelming range of incredible locations; deserts, volcanoes, mountains, endless coastlines, forests and modern and historic cities. The best part of our diverse landscape is everything is within an arms reach. In one day you can be on top of a mountain range, then within thick native forest and out on the coastline or down a river bed.

With fantasy worlds loved by millions of fans, our stunning and easy-to-access locations also “double as” US, UK, Asian and European settings. You don’t have to travel far for diverse looks and with seasons opposite to the Northern Hemisphere, you can shoot snow in July or wheat fields in February.

Below are some examples of the diversity of locations within our home – those of which are all easily accessible.

My favorite parts about “The Battle of Five Armies” were the moments where you could clearly see that we were looking at New Zealand. That it wasn’t done in post, it wasn’t CGI, it was the beautiful, incredible creation of Mother Nature in all of her splendor.

- Sir Peter Jackson, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

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CONTACT

We'd love to chat to you about your production service requirements in New Zealand.

We are here to answer any questions you may have about filming at our home, and welcome you down to our beautiful country.

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