What is a New Zealand Film?

1. What is a New Zealand Film? • Is it a film made in New Zealand? • Is it a film directed by a New Zealander? • Is it a film that has New Zealand content? • Is it a film that New Zealand actors? • Is it a European New Zealand film? • Is it a film with an all Samoan cast and directors? • Is it a film that is concerned with New Zealand ideas/themes/anxieties?

2. The Commercial Definition • Based on the commercial success of a film- what does commercial success mean? In New Zealand? In the world? Box office profit? • The Piano? (Campion, Australia 1993) Le Piano (Campion/Australie/France, 1993) Production Companies: Jan Chapman Productions (Australia) in association with CIBY 2000 (France) • Heavenly Creatures? (Jackson, NZ 1995) Production Companies Wingnut Films (NZ) in association with the New Zealand Film Commission and [not listed in credits] Fontana Film Production (Germany

3. Once Were Warriors? (Tamahori, NZ, 1995) Production Companies Communicado (NZ) in association with the NZ Film Commission, Avalon studios and NZ on Air. $2,201,126 (USA)NZD 6,795,000 (New Zealand) ( 1995) • Whale Rider? (Caro, NZ/Germany 2002) Production Companies South Pacific Pictures Ltd (NZ) and Apollo Media Pictures GmbH & Co Produktion, Germany. $20,772,796 (USA); NZD 6,400,000

4. Boy? (Taika Waititi, NZ, 2010) Writer:Taika Waititi. Producers: New Zealand Film Commission, Unison Films, Whenua Films. NZD 9,294,500 (New Zealand) (12 September 2010) • Lord of the Rings? The Fellowship of the Ring (Jackson USA/NZ 2000) The Two Towers (Jackson, USA/NZ/Germany, 2002) The Return of the King (Jackson, USA/NZ/Germany, 2002) Production Companies New Line Cinema (USA): Wingnut Films (NZ), The Two Towers & Return of the King Lord Zweite Produktion (Germany) Fellowship =$871,530,324 (Worldwide) (25 November 2011)Two Towers= $1,119,929,521 (Worldwide) (25 November 2011) Return of the King =926,047,111 (Worldwide) (25 November 2011)

5. The Orator (O Le Tulafale) (Tusi Tamasese, 2011) written and directed by Tusi Tamasese and shot on the island of Upolu in Samoa. Produced by Polynesian Blue, Ah Liki Wholesale, Bluesky Samoa Tel, Blueskin Films Ltd and the NZ Film Commission. NZD 2,300,000 (estimated) • The Ferryman (Chris Graham, NZ, 2007) Atlantic Film Productions, General Film Corporation, Lipsync Productions, New Zealand Film Commission, New Zealand Film Production Fund, Prescience Film Fund, Prescience. $7,000,00 to create. No box office yet. • Home By Christmas (Gaylene Preston, NZ, 2010) Gaylene Preston Co. NZD 1,149,700 (New Zealand) (August 2010)

6. The Populist Definition Is the director a New Zealander? • Jane Campion – born Waikanae 1954, Art School Wellington, Australian Film and Television and Radio School-first films made in Australia • Lee Tamahori- born Wellington 1950, commercial artist, boom operator late 1970s, 10 years making award winning TVCs) • Nicki Caro – born 1966 BFA from Elam Art School Auckland University and Swinburne Film and Television School, Melbourne- TVCs and short films and Memory and Desire, 1998 • Sir Peter Jackson – born Wellington 31 October 1961, no formal training, first job photo engraver on NZ Post. Bought a Bolex Video camera in 1982 and made Bad Taste 1987, NZ)

7. Is the visual setting New Zealand? The Piano – A west Auckland Beach and West Coast, SI Once Were Warriors – South Auckland Whale Rider – The East Coast of the NI Lord of the Rings – Matamata and a host of other settings NI & SI Whale Rider –Henderson Valley Studios, Hickory Avenue, Henderson, Auckland, Taupo, Waikato, Whangara, Gisborne Boy – Waihau Bay, New Zealand

8. Is the ‘storyline’ a New Zealand tale? • The Piano – yes, colonial times and inter-racial contact • Once Were Warriors – An Alan Duff novel of urban Maori • Whale Rider – A Witi Ihimaera novel of rural East Coast Maori • Lord of the Rings – No. British novel. • Boy – Yes. Original story and script by a Maori

9. How do we agree on what constitutes a New Zealand film?