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:

Immigration

New Zealand Immigration has an online service offering a specialised work visa for screen productions.  

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. 

World map displaying flight distances to New Zealand from these major cities; London, Shangai, Los Angeles, New York and Sydney.

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. 

View this promo to learn more about New Zealand as a great place to live, work and do screen business

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.

Snow

New Zealand is a popular location for shooting snow during the Northern Hemisphere summer and we have renowned expertise with filming in high alpine conditions. 

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.

Talk to us

We can help with detailed information for your production 

Population

5.2M

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.