NZ Government revises screen rebate to attract more international productions

The New Zealand Government has overhauled its International Screen Production Rebate, slashing the minimum feature spend from $NZ15 million to just $NZ4 million in a bid to stay globally competitive.

The shake up follows industry feedback and rising international competition, with officials hoping the new settings will help keep New Zealand a “serious contender” for global productions.

The International Screen Production Rebate offers a 20 per cent cash incentive for productions, with a 5 per cent ‘uplift’ for projects that meet certain criteria. The new feature threshold now aligns with that for TV and other non-theatrical projects.

In an effort to attract more mid-budget productions, qualifying spend for the 5 per cent uplift has been reduced from $NZ30 million to $NZ20 million, while PDV-only projects are now also eligible.

Further, the cap on above-the-line costs such as director, producer, principal cast and screenwriter fees has also been removed.

The changes announced today aim to improve New Zealand’s attractiveness amid a recent downturn in international production and are based on industry feedback. The hope is to give the country an edge in competition with other territories like Australia, whose 30 per cent federal Location Offset (minimum spend $15 million) can then be combined with state-based rebates of up to 10 per cent, as well as the UK, Ireland and Canada.

“Global competition for large-scale screen productions has intensified, and the settings we inherited were putting New Zealand at risk of missing out,” said Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis.

“These updates modernise the rebate to attract a broader range of productions, create more consistent work for local crews and businesses, and encourage greater foreign investment in our creative industries.

“These changes ensure New Zealand remains a serious contender in an increasingly competitive global screen industry.

“They will help diversify our screen economy, build stronger partnerships in growing markets across Asia and the Middle East, and keep Kiwi talent in steady work while attracting new investment, skills and technology.”

The announcements were welcomed by the New Zealand Film Commission, with CEO Annie Murray stating it should strengthen New Zealand’s competitive position.

“One of the advantages of the rebate is it’s a straightforward cash incentive (simple to claim and not tied to tax), with the New Zealand dollar offering excellent value for international productions,” she said.

“These benefits combined with the announced changes mean New Zealand is better positioned to compete with other territories offering incentives, demonstrating our ability to remain agile in a global screen production environment that is continually evolving.” 

Recently-launched industry body Screen NZ International (SNZI) hailed the changes as a “genuine effort” by the government to engage with the industry and bloster New Zealand’s ability to attract and retain international productions.

The organisation, which has been providing data and industry feedback to government, conducted a crew survey in July, receiving more than 900 responses. Its key findings were there was a significant reduction in production in 2025 compared with 2024 – more than 70 per cent. More than 80 per cent of crew had inconsistent work through the first half of the year, and did not have confirmed work opportunities for the rest of 2025.

“Our industry survey conducted in July together with other research and modelling highlighted a sharp decline in production activity and underscored the urgent need for change to improve New Zealand’s international competitiveness,” says SNZI executive chair Mel Turner.

“We thank Minister Willis and her team for listening to the industry and making decisive steps to ensure New Zealand remains a world-class destination for international screen productions.”

“These changes are an important step forward and SNZI will continue to advocate for measures that will further enhance New Zealand’s competitiveness and sustainability of our international production sector.

“We look forward to continuing to work with the Government, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and the New Zealand Film Commission and our industry partners to ensure screen rebate policy and other settings are assessed regularly to deliver long-term investment and benefit for New Zealanders and their businesses.”

Since 2020, 42 international live-action productions have received the international rebate, employing over 21,000 local cast and crew. Government modelling suggests every $NZ1 invested through the rebate delivers around $NZ2.40 in return to the wider economy.

The updated settings are supported by the additional $NZ577 million in funding the government announced in May, which brought the total allocation for the International Screen Production Rebate to $NZ1.09 billion.