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.