Feature Production

We’re committed to allocating a significant part of our budget to feature film production funding (including post-production funding) to ensure the ongoing production of quality New Zealand films that appeal to diverse cinema audiences in New Zealand and overseas.

You can apply for funding for any feature film project at any budget level.  However, slightly different criteria will apply depending on the type of project, budget level and the stage you’re at in production.  The different types of project are:   

·         Features accessing the Screen Production Incentive Fund (SPIF films)

·         Non-SPIF features with budgets of $1 million and above

·         Low-budget features, i.e. budgets under $1 million

·         Theatrical documentaries

·         Features and theatrical documentaries that have been shot and require post-production funding

Please note that ‘feature’ refers to a fiction feature film and ‘low-budget feature’ refers to a fiction feature film with a budget under $1 million.  If your film has been completed and just requires finishing funds so that it can be released, please see our Feature Film Finishing Grant Guidelines (see below).   

Applications for production funding are considered by the Board of the NZFC based on staff recommendations. Decisions are made at the Board's regular meetings held six times a year.

Board meetings have been scheduled for the following dates in 2011.  Please note that complete production funding applications must be submitted by the application deadline five weeks prior the meeting.

Tuesday 18 October (Submission Deadline – Tuesday 13 September)
Tuesday 6 December (Submission Deadline - Tuesday 1 November)

Before applying, please read our Feature Film Production and Post-Production Funding Guidelines (download below).  Applications should be made using the Production and Post-Production Application Coversheet (below) and include all supporting material listed in the checklist on that form.  You should send these by email to our Business Affairs Assistant (businessaffairs@nzfilm.co.nz) no later than the submission deadline.    Please send the script in .pdf format and your application in .pdf or .doc/.docx format in two separate and complete documents (font Arial/Times New Roman, font size 12).