Research Into New Zealand's Independent Documentary Sector
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Research into New Zealand’s independent documentary sector Commissioned by Creative New Zealand and the New Zealand Film Commission Contents Foreword............................................................................................................................ 4 1. Executive summary ................................................................................................. 5 1.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 5 1.2 Context ...................................................................................................................... 5 1.3 Defining the term “documentary” ............................................................................. 6 1.4 The barriers................................................................................................................ 6 1.5 The opportunities....................................................................................................... 7 1.5 A way forward........................................................................................................... 7 1.6 A final word............................................................................................................... 8 2. Introduction ............................................................................................................. 9 2.1 Research objectives ................................................................................................... 9 2.2 Methodology............................................................................................................ 10 3. Context.................................................................................................................... 11 4. How this research defines documentary.............................................................. 15 5. Roles of the New Zealand documentary.............................................................. 16 5.1 Cultural.................................................................................................................... 17 5.2 Civil society............................................................................................................. 17 5.3 Local content ........................................................................................................... 17 5.4 Professional development........................................................................................ 17 5.5 Industry development.............................................................................................. 17 6. Snapshot of documentary companies .................................................................. 17 6.1 Overview ................................................................................................................. 17 6.2 Divisions between small and large companies........................................................ 18 7. Independent documentary makers: the barriers................................................ 19 7.1 Perceptions of the current television environment .................................................. 19 7.2 Funding structures ................................................................................................... 20 7.3 Archive footage costs .............................................................................................. 22 7.4 Sustainability........................................................................................................... 23 7.5 An overview of the barriers..................................................................................... 24 8. Independent documentary makers: the opportunities....................................... 24 8.1 Talent development ................................................................................................. 24 8.2 Screening opportunities outside network television................................................ 25 8.3 International opportunities....................................................................................... 27 8.4 Sales and distribution .............................................................................................. 28 8.5 Benefits of the Screen Innovation Production Fund................................................ 29 8.6 Alternative funding opportunities............................................................................ 30 8.7 An overview of the opportunities............................................................................ 30 9. Commissioning and programming ...................................................................... 31 9.1 Television New Zealand.......................................................................................... 31 9.2 TV3.......................................................................................................................... 32 9.3 Māori Television ..................................................................................................... 33 9.4 Sky Documentary Channel...................................................................................... 35 9.5 TVNZ Digital Services............................................................................................ 35 10. Exhibitors and distributors .................................................................................. 36 2 11. International comparisons.................................................................................... 37 11.1 Australia .................................................................................................................. 37 11.2 Canada ..................................................................................................................... 39 11.3 Ireland...................................................................................................................... 40 12. A way forward ....................................................................................................... 41 12.1 Funding and distribution.......................................................................................... 41 12.2 Specific documentary funds .................................................................................... 42 12.3 Documentary shopfront group................................................................................. 44 12.4 Online opportunities................................................................................................ 44 13. A final word............................................................................................................ 44 14. Appendices ............................................................................................................. 45 Appendix 1: Who was interviewed ......................................................................... 45 Appendix 2: A timeline of the independent documentary sector............................ 46 Appendix 3: Mandates of documentary funders ..................................................... 49 Appendix 4: Government funding........................................................................... 52 Appendix 5: Screen Innovation Production Fund................................................... 55 3 Foreword Tēnā koutou As long-standing partners of the Screen Innovation Production Fund, Creative New Zealand and the New Zealand Film Commission value the significant role that documentary filmmakers and their work play in this country. That is why we commissioned research into the state of the independent documentary sector in September 2007. The research has two objectives. Firstly, we wanted to identify and analyse barriers and opportunities affecting documentary makers in this country. We also wanted the findings to help us determine the future roles of both our organisations in documentary filmmaking in New Zealand. A key trigger prompting this research is the increasingly competitive nature of the Screen Innovation Production Fund, where approximately only one in every six funding applications is supported in each funding round. As a consequence Creative New Zealand and the New Zealand Film Commission have considered how projects are funded through the Screen Innovation Production Fund. Changes to the criteria will be announced in November 2008 to be launched in June 2009 funding round. New Zealand Film Commission will launch a guide to “How to Market Your Documentary” on the NZFC website in August 2008. Along with the barriers, this research identifies a range of opportunities and possibilities. We hope it will spark informed discussion among documentary makers, industry organisations, exhibitors and distributors, funders and broadcasters, providing a useful stepping stone towards meeting the challenges that the sector faces. Kia hora te m ārino, kia whakapapa pounamu te moana, kia tere te kārohirohi i mua i t ō huarahi. Stephen Wainwright Ruth Harley Chief Executive Chief Executive Creative New Zealand New Zealand Film Commission March 2008 4 1. Executive summary 1.1 Introduction • Concerns have been expressed by New Zealand documentary makers about a perceived lack of opportunity for them to practise their craft. Commissioned by the New Zealand Film Commission and Creative New Zealand, this research surveyed the views of documentary makers, industry organisations, broadcasters and distributors/exhibitors. • As well as identifying current barriers and opportunities, this report presents the views of documentary