Economic and Regional Development Minister Stuart Nash at Waiariki Films on Wednesday. Photo / Felix Desmarais / LDR
Economic and Regional Development Minister Stuart Nash at Waiariki Films on Wednesday. Photo / Felix Desmarais / LDR
Rotorua-based filmmakers hope to expand Steambox Collective's Waiariki film studio to future-proof the screen industry in Rotorua, and it has made a plea for the Government to back it to do so.
Steambox Collective trustees Piripi Curtis and Lara Northcroft, along with Film Bay of Plenty trustee Anton Steel, made the pitch for more funding for the project as Economic and Regional Development Minister Stuart Nash visited the studio today .
The minister was in Rotorua on a whistlestop tour of business and tourism sites in the city, stopping by the film studio as he announced a milestone of $2.1 billion spent on regional economic development projects since 2018.
Steambox Collective got $875,000 of that funding to create the Waiariki Films studio sound stage on White St.
The funding came from the Regional Economic Development and Investment Unit - Kānoa.
Speaking to Local Democracy Reporting, Nash said the $2b spent was "massive for economic development and growth and empowerment".
"You could argue, and I think very successfully, that for a long, long time our regions have been neglected in terms of economic development, and now $2 billion is being spent.
"It's not about the money, it's about the jobs it's created, it's about the future, it's about providing opportunities for people who once grew up in the regions to come back and be part of those regions as they go forward."
He said Waiariki Films was a "classic opportunity".
"They're building a film studio and a film industry in Rotorua. We've given $875,000, it's not a lot of money in the scheme of things, but it's enough money to take it to the next stage.
"This is what the provincial growth fund – and the other funds … are about – empowering people and communities to really make the most of opportunities, realise opportunities that perhaps they knew in the back of their mind could be there. They just didn't have the funding to do it.
"These guys have got the passion, the track record, the projects."
He said the way to ensure the Film Commission didn't have to turn down large-scale projects was to make sure New Zealand had the infrastructure and organisations like Waiariki Films had the "passion and the people and the capability and the confidence" to do so.
Economic and Regional Development Minister Stuart Nash, right, with Steambox Films trustee Piripi Curtis at a make up studio Waiariki Films on Wednesday. Photo / Felix Desmarais / LDR
Nash stopped short of committing more funding to Waiariki for stage three of their project, which would see an expanded film studio covering three locations in Rotorua, but said it was promising that Waiariki had a vision for its future.
He said funds like the Provincial Growth Fund allowed people to realise such visions.
"That's really empowering, not only for communities but our whole regional economy."
In a statement on this morning , Nash said the investments were even more important in response to the economic shock of the pandemic.
He said there was another $2b of investment in the pipeline, as Kānoa paid funds already allocated to projects once they met agreed milestones.
Nash said, while the $2b achievement was impressive, it was only half the story.
"On top of that, the Regional Strategic Partnership Fund unveiled earlier this year is providing another $200 million as 'seed funding' for the regions."
National Party Tourism and Economic Development spokesman and Rotorua MP Todd McClay said while there had been some "reasonable" Provincial Growth Fund projects locally, others were, in his view, generally "haphazard, with scattergun spending".
"Local people will be disappointed the Minister didn't make a significant announcement to help the tourism industry locally, which is on its knees.
"Local tourism operators are doing it hard. They need Stuart Nash to step up as Tourism Minister to give them assurances and tell them what the plan is."
He said if the business plan for a film studio in Rotorua stacked up it could have potential and could be an asset, but government policy, on employment and MIQ, for example, was a deterrent to productions such as the Lord of the Rings TV series.
"Rotorua has a lot to offer and it would be great to see something like [Waiariki Films] be successful."
Rotorua MP Todd McClay. Photo / File
Steambox Collective trustee Piripi Curtis said the Government had a lot of pressure on it to target funding but he felt positive about future funding for expansion.
"At least [the Government] know our story. He's been here and seen it."
He believed Rotorua was on track to be a new centre of filmmaking in Aotearoa.
"I feel like we've got a lot going for us."
He said a huge advantage was how quickly crews could travel between locations without worrying about traffic delays.
"It could be, if we get this right, one of our big industries of Rotorua. We've got forestry, tourism and this could be up there. These big productions bring in $150m - $200m. Our long-term vision is, if we get to the stage where we've got the facilities to house those big productions … just amazing."
He said the film industry had positive impacts on the wider economy also, as it drew on a wide variety of industries for support – from bus drivers to scaffolders, electricians, builders and catering.
"Hirepool has got a massive job out of us."
Film Bay of Plenty trustee Anton Steel said there had been "immense support" for the film studio from the Kānoa team.
"We've done a lot to help build the industry with projects that have come through, and build the local crew base. We think those are very valuable factors alongside just establishing the studio. We've put a lot of groundwork into making sure this is a very robust and balanced project."
