28 Mar 2021

NZ On Air is funding more ambitious productions

From Standing Room Only, 12:16 pm on 28 March 2021
Amie Mills

Amie Mills Photo: supplied

NZ On Air has been one of the distributors of the massive, post-Covid-19 government spending, first providing the industry a lifeline when lockdowns halted many TV productions, and now getting behind a wide range of new shows.

Just days ago applications opened for the 2 million dollar Premium Development Fund - Ara ki Te Puna Kairangi - offering seed funding grants of up to $120,000 towards ambitious productions with significant international appeal.

Over the past few weeks NZ On Air has also announced successful applications for a new Māori supernatural anthology series, five projects promoting te reo Māori and several Pan-Asian documentaries.

But for every successful application, others miss out.  The public funding agency received many applications across its Scripted, Factual, Platforms and Industry Development streams, seeking up over $20m in funding.  It approved half of the applications, for nearer $6 million.  

Lynn Freeman talks with Amie Mills, NZ on Air's Head of Funding.