Otago could benefit from a new strategic alliance announced by the film industry this week.
Regional Film Offices of New Zealand have joined with the Economic Development Agencies of New Zealand in a bid to aid film production in New Zealand.
''It's a pooling of our resources. It's about information exchange and co-ordinating everything we do,'' Film Otago Southland executive manager and RFONZ board member K. J. Jennings said from Queenstown yesterday.
''We're a small and remote country and it's important we're complementary to each other and work together.
''New Zealand's got a great brand, internationally, and we want to build on that.
''The New Zealand offering is the sum of the parts from within our regions.''
The national RFONZ body works with regional film offices to develop strategies to promote the New Zealand screen industry and make it more accessible to film-makers.
The new partnership with EDANZ would work with stakeholders to stimulate screen production and assist key locations.
''We want more film and commercial and television work here,'' Mr Jennings said.
''Our core business in Otago and Southland is TV commercials.''
New Zealand Film Commission chief executive Dave Gibson said the move could only benefit the New Zealand film industry.
''We welcome the news and the co-ordination role it brings.''
The seven-member RFONZ board includes Mr Jennings and Dunedin City Council business development adviser Ross Grey.
''We already get quite a bit of [film] activity in Queenstown,'' Mr Grey said yesterday.
''We're hoping this will help foster more activity in Dunedin and utilise our streetscapes.''
