You are viewing the archive: “New Zealand”

‘Avatar’ Sequels Moving To New Zealand?

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Wednesday February 1, 2012 @ 6:05pm PSTTags: James Cameron, New Zealand

Director James Cameron’s newly purchased farmland in New Zealand outside Wellington is fueling local speculation that he intends to make a significant portion of his two Avatar sequels in New Zealand. Reports say Cameron’s property is about 12 miles from the estate of fellow filmmaker Peter Jackson who’s currently at work on two-parter The Hobbit. Cameron’s property amounts to nearly 2,500 acres in the Wairarapa region about 50 miles northeast of Wellington, records show. The Avatar director owns two separate properties in the vicinity known for beef, sheep and dairy farming as well as vineyards. Cameron reportedly paid about $16.7 million. Records indicate Cameron and his Malibu-based family plan to “reside indefinitely” in New Zealand.

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Cinedigm Seals Digital Cinema Deal For Australia, New Zealand

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Tuesday January 17, 2012 @ 10:42am PSTTags: Australia, Cinedigm Digital Cinema Corp, New Zealand

Woodland Hills, CA, January 17, 2012 Cinedigm Digital Cinema Corp. (NASDAQ: CIDM) and ICAA, the Independent Cinemas Association of Australia, jointly announced today an agreement for Cinedigm to become the digital cinema integrator for independent cinemas in Australia and New Zealand.

ICAA signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Cinedigm to provide Virtual Print Fee (“VPF”) Contracts, VPF Administration, Theatre Management Systems (TMS) and other support resources, as well as assist ICAA and its members with the deployment of digital systems and service and compliance support services. ICAA will take on a number of local functions as regards the coordination of deployment and service, working with local installers and technical personnel. The arrangement is subject to the negotiation and execution of a definitive agreement between Cinedigm and ICAA and its members.

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Hot Video: Latest ‘The Hobbit’ Production Diary Looks At Cast, Crew Logistics

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Monday December 26, 2011 @ 12:29pm PSTTags: New Zealand, Peter Jackson, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Peter Jackson and others describe the massive undertaking of transporting equipment, sets, cast and crew as well as providing shelter, food and water to remote locations in New Zealand.

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‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey’ World Premiere Set For New Zealand

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Friday October 28, 2011 @ 10:26am PDTTags: New Zealand, Peter Jackson, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is set to premiere in Wellington in late November 2012, director Sir Peter Jackson and Prime Minister John Key announced today at the Hobbiton set in Waikato. Wellington previously hosted the world premiere of

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Global Showbiz Briefs: The Netherlands, New Zealand, Mexico, UK

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Tuesday September 13, 2011 @ 3:10am PDTTags: BAFTA Awards, European Film Awards, Latin America, Netflix, New Zealand, Paramount, Star Wars, Stephen Fry, Titanic, Top Gun

3D Conversion Of Paramount’s ‘Top Gun’ In The Works
Another blockbuster is getting the 3D conversion treatment, it seems. Top Gun, Tony Scott’s iconic 1986 film starring Tom Cruise, is being re-formatted for a possible 2012 release by Paramount. That was the word from Legend3D CEO Rob Hummel, speaking today at the International Broadcasting Convention in Amsterdam, where he presented a 4-minute clip in the new format. “I think Top Gun lends itself to 3D due to the aerial flight,” Hummel said. “You can have fun with 3D by bringing things off the screen if they are not attached to the edge of the screen.” Hummel said that the studio wanted to get Scott’s approval before proceeding, while Paramount said there had been no talk of a release date. If the redo of the blockbuster does materialize, it will be on top of 3D conversions of The Lion King, set for release later this month, Star Wars: The Phantom Menace and Titanic.

Vicki Jackways To Represent New Zealand In Hollywood
 New Zealand is reaching out to Hollywood in a bid to lure more film shoots and facilitate U.S. co-productions. Film New Zealand and Park Road Post Production are teaming on an initiative that will see Park Road’s marketing chief Vicki Jackways working to heighten New Zealand’s Hollywood presence next year when she comes to L.A. in a semi-permanent capacity. New Zealand is on Hollywood’s location map and has an established effects and post-production infrastructure. It famously served as Middle Earth for The Lord of the Rings trilogy. “Thanks to the talents and entrepreneurship of our screen industry across the country, and the backing of successive governments, New Zealand has built a remarkable reputation as a film-making culture. Los Angeles-based representation is an important next step in taking full advantage of this reputation.”
Netflix CEO: Two Years Until We See Profit In Mexico
Netflix CEO Reed Hastings estimated today that it will take two years before his firm sees any returns from Mexico. “We are going to lose money for a while … it will take a lot of subscribers to get to profitability,” he said at a Mexico City news conference to mark the launch, part of a previously announced Latin American expansion. He declined to say how many subscribers it would take to get into the black but expressed confidence that the bandwidth commonly available in Mexico, markedly lower than that common to the U.S., would be viable. Netflix will charge $8 for a monthly subscription in Mexico. Local broadcasters TV Azteca and will make some of their content available through Netflix in Mexico, he said.
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Paladin Acquires New Zealand Pic ‘Boy’

By MIKE FLEMING JR | Monday August 15, 2011 @ 10:25am PDTTags: Boy, Film Acquisition, Mark Urman, New Zealand, Paladin, Taika Waititi
Mike Fleming

Mark Urman’s Paladin made a U.S. distribution deal for Boy, the Taika Waititi-directed film that became a sleeper hit on its home turf in New Zealand. Set in 1984, the film focuses on an 11-year-old (James Rolleston) who … Read More »

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UPDATE: ‘Fast Five’ Still No. 1 Down Under While ‘Thor 3D’ Still Bigger Than ‘Iron Man 1′

By NIKKI FINKE, Editor in Chief | Friday April 22, 2011 @ 1:45pm PDTTags: Australia, Fast Five, Korea, New Zealand, Thor





UPDATE 4 PM: It’s a big start to Summer 2011, with both the Marvel/Disney actioner Thor 3D distributed by Paramount and Universal’s Fast … Read More »

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New Zealand Passes “Hobbit” Deal: Opposition MPs Call It “Day Of Shame”

By TIM ADLER in London | Friday October 29, 2010 @ 2:36am PDTTags: Movie Deals, Movies, New Zealand, New Zealand Government The Hobbit, The Hobbit Finance, The Hobbit New Zealand, The Hobbit New Zealand Tax Rebate, The Hobbit Non-Union, Warner Bros New Zealand



The New Zealand parliament has passed emergency legislation ensuring that the 2 back-to-back Hobbit films get made in the country. The legislation bypassed usual parliamentary committees, prompting New Zealand MPs to call it a “day of shame.” One held up a … Read More »

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Rallying For ‘The Hobbit’ To Stay In Kiwi

By MIKE FLEMING JR | Saturday October 23, 2010 @ 11:10am PDTTags: Movies, New Zealand, New Zealand John Key, New Zealand Movie TV Production, The Hobbit, The Hobbit Filming Location, The Hobbit New Zealand, The Hobbit Production, Warner Bros New Zealand
Mike Fleming

New Zealanders are leaving nothing to chance when Warner Bros executives arrive early this week. Prime Minister John Key and other politicians  are trying to salvage The Hobbit situation so the shoot stays in New Zealand. But the studio is eyeing … Read More »

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Aussie Fund Closes $17M Tax Break Facility

By TIM ADLER in London | Monday July 5, 2010 @ 5:42am PDTTags: Fulcrum Media Finance, Movie Finance, New Zealand, UK Tax Credit

Australian-flagAustralian pension fund Super Media has arranged a A$20 million facility for Fulcrum Media Finance, the Australian film and TV financier. The attraction from Super Media’s point of view is that the money will just be used to cash-flow the Australian … Read More »

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