9781841504575
Distributed for Intellect Ltd
New Zealand Film and Television
Institution, Industry and Cultural Change
Despite challenges arising from a limited population and the difficulty of obtaining adequate funding, both the film and television industries of New Zealand have been the source of significant achievements and profound cultural influence. Charting their emergence and subsequent development through five decades, New Zealand Film and Television looks at these two increasingly vibrant cultural and creative industries. While there is a growing body of academic work on film and television in New Zealand, relatively little exists that examines the specific cultural concerns, local industries, institutions, and policies involved, which this book addresses in full.
Reviews
Table of Contents
List of Illustrations
Acknowledgements
Glossary of Māori Terms
List of Abbreviations
Introduction
New Zealand Screen Production and Political Economy
‘New Zealand-Domiciled’ Feature Film and Television Drama
The Institutional Ecology of New Zealand-Domiciled Screen Production
‘Localness’ and ‘Universality’
New Zealand Screen Production and Cultural Considerations
Research Questions and Chapter Organisation
Chapter 1: Television in the Era of Public Monopoly (1960–88)
Introduction
Television and National Culture
The Inception of Television
The Single-Channel Era (1960–74)
Two-Channel Independence (1975–79)
Two-Channel Complementarity: The First Years of TVNZ (1980–88)
‘Public Service’ Objectives in Programming
Māori Television
Locally-Produced TV Drama in the Monopoly Era
The Institutional Culture of TV Production
Three Landmark TV Drama Productions
Pukemanu (1971–72)
The Governor (1977)
Erebus the Aftermath (1987)
Conclusions
Chapter 2: Pioneers, Mavericks and the Inception of a National Cinema (1960–88)
Introduction
Cinema, Industry and National Culture
The Film Industry Working Party
Television and the Emergence of a Fledgling Film Industry
The Development of the New Zealand Film Commission
The NZFC’s Founding Act of Parliament
Halcyon Days: The First Years of the NZFC (1978–82)
The Tax Shelter Years (1982–84): A Production Boom and Bust
NZFC Policy Directions in the Mid-1980s
Neo-Liberal Politics and Some Initial Impacts
New Zealand Film-Making: The Achievement of a Production Industry and a Distinctive Voice
New Zealand Feature Films: Three Contrasting Examples
Sleeping Dogs (1977)
Vigil (1984)
Ngāti (1987)
Conclusions
Chapter 3: Television, Neo-liberalism and the Advent of Competition (1988–99)
Introduction
The Neo-Liberal Turn and the ‘New Zealand Experiment’
Neo-Liberalism and Television
The Restructuring and Deregulation of Broadcasting
The New Broadcasting Legislation
The Creation and Role of New Zealand On Air
NZoA’s Funding Allocation Strategies
Successes and Failures: The First Decade of Competition
The Proposal to Sell TVNZ
Commissioning Culture after Deregulation
The Independent Sector, Local-Content and South Pacific Pictures
TV Drama Production in the 1990s
Case Study of Shortland Street (1992–)
Conclusions
Chapter 4: Neo-Liberalism and the Consolidation of a National Film Industry (1988–97)
Introduction
Challenges for the NZFC in the Late 1980s
The Emergence of an NZFC Script Development Policy
Changes in Television, New Zealand On Air and New Horizons for the Film Industry
Alternative Forms and Related Strategies: Short Films and One-Off Dramas
Renewed Production, Consolidation and Success
Changes of Direction for the NZFC
The ‘Low Budget Film’ and Other Developments in NZFC Funding Criteria
International Collaborations
Further Changes to NZFC Directions and Policy: The Ruth Harley Era
Case Studies of An Angel at My Table (1990) and The Piano (1993)
Case Studies of Once Were Warriors (1994) and Heavenly Creatures (1994)
Conclusions
Chapter 5: Television after 2000: Digital ‘Plenty’ in a Small Market
Introduction
Public Television Post-2000: The TVNZ Charter and Other Initiatives
Establishing a Māori Television Network
Unrealistic Expectations and Conflicting Objectives: The Failure of the TVNZ Charter
Intensifying Competition in a Deregulated Television Market
Free-to-Air Digital Television and New Digital Channels
The Post-2000 Context for TV Drama Production
Locally-Produced TV Drama and the Influence of New Zealand On Air
Case Study of Outrageous Fortune (2005–10)
Conclusions
Chapter 6: New Zealand Cinema and Internationalism (1998–2010)
Introduction
Film Industry Criticisms of the NZFC
Cultural Considerations and a Change of Government
The Film Production Fund Trust: Operation and Outcomes
The Screen Industry Taskforce and Other Government Initiatives
Branding New Zealand: Peter Jackson and ‘Wellywood’
Enticing International Investment: The Large Budget Screen Production Grant
The Implications of an International Presence
Facilitating Local Production: The Screen Production Investment Fund
Maintaining New Zealand-Domiciled Feature Film
The NZFC and Māori-Themed Feature Films
Case Study of Whale Rider (2002)
Case Study of Boy (2010)
Evaluating the Changing Context for New Zealand Film Production (2008–10)
Conclusions
Conclusions
Institutional and Cultural Change in Television
Institutional and Cultural Change in Film
Key Influences on New Zealand-Domiciled Feature Film and TV Drama
References
Index
Acknowledgements
Glossary of Māori Terms
List of Abbreviations
Introduction
New Zealand Screen Production and Political Economy
‘New Zealand-Domiciled’ Feature Film and Television Drama
The Institutional Ecology of New Zealand-Domiciled Screen Production
‘Localness’ and ‘Universality’
New Zealand Screen Production and Cultural Considerations
Research Questions and Chapter Organisation
Chapter 1: Television in the Era of Public Monopoly (1960–88)
Introduction
Television and National Culture
The Inception of Television
The Single-Channel Era (1960–74)
Two-Channel Independence (1975–79)
Two-Channel Complementarity: The First Years of TVNZ (1980–88)
‘Public Service’ Objectives in Programming
Māori Television
Locally-Produced TV Drama in the Monopoly Era
The Institutional Culture of TV Production
Three Landmark TV Drama Productions
Pukemanu (1971–72)
The Governor (1977)
Erebus the Aftermath (1987)
Conclusions
Chapter 2: Pioneers, Mavericks and the Inception of a National Cinema (1960–88)
Introduction
Cinema, Industry and National Culture
The Film Industry Working Party
Television and the Emergence of a Fledgling Film Industry
The Development of the New Zealand Film Commission
The NZFC’s Founding Act of Parliament
Halcyon Days: The First Years of the NZFC (1978–82)
The Tax Shelter Years (1982–84): A Production Boom and Bust
NZFC Policy Directions in the Mid-1980s
Neo-Liberal Politics and Some Initial Impacts
New Zealand Film-Making: The Achievement of a Production Industry and a Distinctive Voice
New Zealand Feature Films: Three Contrasting Examples
Sleeping Dogs (1977)
Vigil (1984)
Ngāti (1987)
Conclusions
Chapter 3: Television, Neo-liberalism and the Advent of Competition (1988–99)
Introduction
The Neo-Liberal Turn and the ‘New Zealand Experiment’
Neo-Liberalism and Television
The Restructuring and Deregulation of Broadcasting
The New Broadcasting Legislation
The Creation and Role of New Zealand On Air
NZoA’s Funding Allocation Strategies
Successes and Failures: The First Decade of Competition
The Proposal to Sell TVNZ
Commissioning Culture after Deregulation
The Independent Sector, Local-Content and South Pacific Pictures
TV Drama Production in the 1990s
Case Study of Shortland Street (1992–)
Conclusions
Chapter 4: Neo-Liberalism and the Consolidation of a National Film Industry (1988–97)
Introduction
Challenges for the NZFC in the Late 1980s
The Emergence of an NZFC Script Development Policy
Changes in Television, New Zealand On Air and New Horizons for the Film Industry
Alternative Forms and Related Strategies: Short Films and One-Off Dramas
Renewed Production, Consolidation and Success
Changes of Direction for the NZFC
The ‘Low Budget Film’ and Other Developments in NZFC Funding Criteria
International Collaborations
Further Changes to NZFC Directions and Policy: The Ruth Harley Era
Case Studies of An Angel at My Table (1990) and The Piano (1993)
Case Studies of Once Were Warriors (1994) and Heavenly Creatures (1994)
Conclusions
Chapter 5: Television after 2000: Digital ‘Plenty’ in a Small Market
Introduction
Public Television Post-2000: The TVNZ Charter and Other Initiatives
Establishing a Māori Television Network
Unrealistic Expectations and Conflicting Objectives: The Failure of the TVNZ Charter
Intensifying Competition in a Deregulated Television Market
Free-to-Air Digital Television and New Digital Channels
The Post-2000 Context for TV Drama Production
Locally-Produced TV Drama and the Influence of New Zealand On Air
Case Study of Outrageous Fortune (2005–10)
Conclusions
Chapter 6: New Zealand Cinema and Internationalism (1998–2010)
Introduction
Film Industry Criticisms of the NZFC
Cultural Considerations and a Change of Government
The Film Production Fund Trust: Operation and Outcomes
The Screen Industry Taskforce and Other Government Initiatives
Branding New Zealand: Peter Jackson and ‘Wellywood’
Enticing International Investment: The Large Budget Screen Production Grant
The Implications of an International Presence
Facilitating Local Production: The Screen Production Investment Fund
Maintaining New Zealand-Domiciled Feature Film
The NZFC and Māori-Themed Feature Films
Case Study of Whale Rider (2002)
Case Study of Boy (2010)
Evaluating the Changing Context for New Zealand Film Production (2008–10)
Conclusions
Conclusions
Institutional and Cultural Change in Television
Institutional and Cultural Change in Film
Key Influences on New Zealand-Domiciled Feature Film and TV Drama
References
Index