1 April Shorts Newsletter

Keeping you up to date on how NZ On Air is responding to Covid-19

maia the brave

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Rapid response RFP

We are very conscious of the profound impact the current lockdown restrictions are having on our creative sector. And we also know that some of you are raring to go with some excellent ideas for projects that could be produced from the confinement of your bubbles.

So we've reached down the back of the couch and set up a modest fund for a lightning fast RFP round. The RFP is calling for Scripted or Factual projects that can be made now, in lockdown. We're looking for fast turnaround, innovative ideas. Our intent with this RFP is to both source some new content for New Zealanders who are stuck at home, but also to provide some much needed paid work for creatives, also stuck at home!

Full details are in the RFP document here on our website. Proposals must be submitted via our online application portal by 4pm next Monday 6 April. We will be making decisions by 14 April and fast-tracking contracts so that successful projects can get straight into the creating.

Free content - come and get it!

One area of Covid-19’s impact is the delivery of scheduled local content to local broadcasters. NZ On Air has been thinking of ways it can help, and ensure audiences see more local content on air. So we have produced a list of funded projects for which our Extended Platform Rights apply.

This is a list of (mostly screen) projects which at some stage (if not right now) will be available for other local platforms to broadcast/host, as per our Production Funding Agreements with each production company.

Producers have the right to charge at a reasonable rate for their time in delivering to these local broadcasters. Producers must also ensure that their Primary Platform’s exclusive rights are maintained (these may be anywhere from 2 weeks of exclusive use through to 1 year, depending on the contract).

Maia The Brave

Current round overview

Current round overview

Our funding team is currently assessing applications to the May round. In this round we have applications for:

  • 23 Factual content projects
  • 11 HEIHEI returning series projects
  • Annual platform operating grants

Due to the current environment, we will fast-track decisions on the Factual content and advise successful applicants in the week of 20 April. We understand that you need funding certainty, and also to have creative pursuits to keep yourselves busy with.

All other funding decisions will be advised in the usual way following the Board (virtual) meeting on May 6.

Other measures to help

We are taking a measured approach to the current challenges:

  • Immediate, short-term actions such as the Rapid Response RFP whilst managing the relatively small amount of funds remaining this financial year to assist the completion of previously approved content
  • Medium-term certainty -by maintaining BAU funding rounds so the industry can spring back into work as soon as the Alert level is lowered.
  • Gathering information and advising the government on what longer-term funding and interventions will be needed to help our sectors recover.

Please keep communicating with us via all the usual channels so that we know what your needs are and how we may be able to help. Funding is obviously always the constraint, but the more we know about the challenges and issues, the better we can target our funds to the right places.

We will come out with a survey, likely next week, of all funded production companies. This will be additional to and different from the Screen Sector Covid-19 Action Group survey currently circulating. The NZ On Air survey will provide a formal way for funded production companies to give us information that will help us plan ahead.

Just a reminder that all our Covid-19 related news updates and relevant information is on our website here.

keep calm

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