The Development of Film in New Zealand

The Development of Film in New Zealand

Introduction

When I first saw this topic I thought I would have an easy job to talk about the development of film in New Zealand. How much could there be on the subject? As I researched further into this area I discovered there was a lot behind the development of film in Aotearoa, which has lead to the industry as we know it. I think that when you look at film development in this country you have to split it up into several factors, the history, the filmmakers and their films.

The History

Film began in New Zealand in 1896 with the first public screening of moving pictures, but it was to be two years later before film was actually produced here. (Sowry, 1984). The film footage was shot by A.H. Whitehouse and showed the opening of the Auckland Exhibition in 1898. “The few film makers working in New Zealand before 1920 concentrated on shooting news films…Very few dramatic films were made” (Sowry, 1984, p. 3). It wasn’t until 1914 ...