Filming in New Zealand

COVID-19 UPDATE
You will find a fact sheet around border entry for the screen sector here.

New Zealand is known for delivering some of the largest and most complex international productions imaginable. You’ll find our natural and commercial advantages are great for your budget and include:

• Stunning locations
• Reverse seasons extend shooting windows
• Simple and generous incentives
• Favourable exchange rates 
• #1 ‘Ease of Doing Business’ (World Bank  2017)
• No fringes, no-fault accident cover, no regional sales taxes
• Flexible and expert crew
• Diverse casting options
• Quality facilities 
• Ground-breaking post-production and visual effects 

You’ll find a robust screen industry here well used to servicing multiple productions concurrently.  Hiring New Zealand cast, crew and businesses can also help you to meet incentive points tests.

Time Zones

Being east of the International Date Line means New Zealand is one of the first countries in the world to greet the new day. The entire country operates within a single time zone, UTC/GMT+12 hours.

Wherever you are in the world you can take advantage of the time offset between New Zealand, Asia and the United States with clear and convenient windows of communication. 

Geography

Our South Pacific islands form a compact country about the same size as England or two-thirds the size of California and are just a quick overnight flight from Los Angeles. 

Travel

International airports service Auckland and Wellington in the North Island and Christchurch, Dunedin and Queenstown in the South Island with many regional airports servicing other main centres.

You can drive from one coast of the country to the other in a matter of hours travelling through the spectacular scenery New Zealand is so well known for.  All major rental car agencies are represented here.

Our North and South Islands are also connected by passenger, vehicle and freight ferries.

Climate

New Zealand’s long, narrow geography and South Pacific location offers numerous micro-climates ranging from sub-tropical to deserts to snowy alpine peaks and plateaus. Seasons start with spring in September, summer in December, autumn (fall) in March and winter in June.

Population

New Zealanders number almost 5.2 million and offer  casting options with people of mainly European, Māori, Polynesian, Asian and Latin descent and growing populations of African and Middle Eastern ethnicities. English is spoken everywhere, and Te Reo Māori and New Zealand sign language are also official languages.

Regions

A broad range of shooting locations throughout the country are supported via  production hubs in Auckland, Wellington and Queenstown. Local authorities across New Zealand are film-friendly and in the key centres regional film offices can provide location and facilities research, facilitation, permitting and advocacy as well as information specific to the screen industry in their districts.