Screen industry booms - $3.2b for the year

The Hunt for the Wilderpeople director Taika Waititi during production.

New Zealand's screen industry is booming, despite a decline in film revenue from production hub Wellington.

Data from Statistics New Zealand showed the screen industry had jumped $66 million to $3.2 billion for the 2015 year, boosted by increased production work in Auckland.

Wellington continued to lead in the feature film department, despite a significant 55 per cent decline in film production revenue for the region.

Total revenue from Wellington businesses dropped 15 per cent for the year to $586 million, reflecting the film industry.

Statistics New Zealand senior manager Nicola Growden said screen industry production and post-production was up nine per cent on 2014, with Auckland leading the television production sector.

"Television programme production in Auckland is really showing strength, growing $150 million from 2014," Growden said.

"New Zealand's screen industry is dominated by Auckland and Wellington regions - only four percent of the total screen industry revenue in 2015 was earned by businesses with their main office in other parts of New Zealand."

Revenue received from production and post production businesses jumped 13 per cent in 2015 to $1,040 million with international revenue received increasing four per cent to $515 million.

"In particular, there was strong growth in revenue from Asian countries and from Australia, while revenue from North America decreased," Growden said.

Growth in revenue was particularly strong from producing commercials, with $545 million earned from commercials in 2015, compared with $160 million the previous year.

Growden said this was driven by an increase in revenue from contracting businesses producing commercials.

See the latest Screen Industry Report from Statistics NZ here: