New names to run film commission

The Government has announced another step in the shake-up of the New Zealand Film Commission, appointing company director Patsy Reddy as the chairwoman of the body that finances most New Zealand feature films.

Ms Reddy is the wife of David Gascoigne, a former chairman of the Film Commission who administered one of the key Government-sponsored film funds used to make bigger-budget movies.

Ms Reddy, Rhiannon Evans and Charles Finny have been appointed for terms of three years, beginning on July 1. The changes coincide with the end of the term of chairman David Cullwick.

A new chief executive, Graeme Mason, was appointed in April and two other new appointments are expected soon.

The changes were announced by Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Chris Finlayson, who recently appointed Peter Jackson and Australian David Court to review the role of the commission.

Reddy has corporate directorships with New Zealand Post, Air New Zealand and SkyCity Entertainment as well as creative sector roles.

Charles Finny has worked in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and is a regular commentator on economic, environmental and trade policy.

Rhiannon Evans, from Christchurch, had relationship, analytical, and commercial experience with investment banking in New Zealand and London, Mr Finlayson said.

Production industry comment ranged from positive - Ms Reddy had a background in the arts sector and with business - to negative with criticism that the commission lacked film-makers and indicated the Government had gone back to the usual sources to run the funding body.