Te mahi kiriata ki Aotearoa

Filming in New Zealand

Name: New Zealand Film Commission
Price range: $

New Zealand’s film industry combines creative vision with production precision—offering world-class infrastructure, experienced crews, and vendors across an iconic landscape.

Whether you're producing a major studio feature or a bespoke independent project, New Zealand offers the scale, flexibility, and reliability to bring your story to life.

 
"I have a list of reasons for coming back here, but the top one is I budget films, and here in New Zealand we get the most on screen for our dollar."

- Mark Katchur, M3gan Executive Producer

Diverse Locations, Seamless Logistics

Getting here is easier than you think:

Los Angeles:12 hours

New York City: 16 hours

London: 24 hours

Singapore: 10.5 hours

Mumbai: 16–18 hours

As one of the first countries to greet the new day, New Zealand runs on a single time zone (UTC+12). This creates clear, convenient communication windows with the U.S., Asia and Europe, so your production stays connected around the clock.

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Wide geographic palette

From snow-capped peaks to lush forests, bustling cities to breathtaking coastlines — New Zealand packs an entire world of cinematic possibilities into one compact, accessible destination. Here, your production can capture diverse looks without the hassle of long travel days, making every shoot efficient, flexible, and unforgettable.

Discover New Zealand film facilities
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Time and seasonal advantages

New Zealand’s time zone enables real-time collaboration with teams in the U.S., Europe, and Asia—keeping global productions connected and moving. Reverse seasons offer summer landscapes in December and snowy peaks in July, while diverse microclimates allow for vastly different looks within hours—supporting year-round filming across genres.
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Seamless travel and logistics

With five international airports and efficient domestic travel, New Zealand offers seamless connectivity for cast, crew, and equipment. Productions can move quickly between cityscapes, alpine regions, beaches, and rural settings—saving time and budget while expanding creative options.

Discover New Zealand Locations

Where stories and culture unite

Filming in Aotearoa New Zealand is about connecting with the land, the people, and the culture that make this place unique. Respect for Māori values and tikanga (protocols) is part of the journey, and the NZFC is here to guide you every step of the way.

An introduction to Māori New Zealand

Our film industry is powered by our people

New Zealand offers a skilled, English-speaking workforce with international experience across all departments.

Film industry talent

World-renowned filmmakers, technicians, and post-production specialists bring international productions to life with precision and creativity. Areas of excellence include:

Production: Experienced production personnel, directors, and crew deliver efficiency, innovation, and seamless execution.
Art Departments: Acclaimed teams in production design, costume, and makeup are known for originality, detail, and storytelling impact.
Post-Production: Award-winning experts in visual effects, animation, editing, and sound design consistently produce world-class results.

Discover our world-class talent

Casting

A skilled and diverse pool of screen professionals is available for a wide range of roles, genres, and character types. Local performers are known for their adaptability and global success. Recent global productions featuring New Zealand talent include The White Lotus, Chief of War, A Minecraft Movie and the Avatar trilogy.

The industry also offers expert stunt performers, motion capture artists, and body doubles. We can connect you with casting agents, stunt coordinators, and specialists, or you can contact the Actor’s Agents Association of New Zealand directly.

Visit the AANZ

Global stories, made in New Zealand

Discover the powerful stories studios and streamers have brought to life in Aotearoa, working with international and local directors including James Cameron, Jane Campion, Wes Ball, Ava DuVernay, Jared Hess, Peter Jackson, Christopher McQuarrie, Niki Caro, Ridley Scott, and Taika Waititi.