Hollywood migrates to New Zealand

 In another place, I mused about the possibility of Radio 3 making up for the lack of live music broadcasts by relaying concerts from New Zealand. As we should all know by now, NZ led by Jacinda Ardern and her expert advisers has not seen a Covid-19 epidemic. Consequently, it has been possible for live performances for a full concert hall audience to return in the depths of the antipodean winter. Classic FM has a link to a YouTube of that first celebratory concert.

Hollywood has latched on to the possibilities of low-level virus precautions in state-of-the-art production facilities. Radio New Zealand reports that "more than 200 film and TV production workers will have arrived in New Zealand by the end of the year, despite border restrictions.".  

The New Zealand Film Commission said the productions would do many shoots on location, which would help spread the benefits around the country. But head of international screen attraction Philippa Mossman said it was not just about the money.
"We speak a lot in economic terms but it's also very uplifting I think in hope for everybody to see this exciting activity going on and see New Zealand reflected back on those screens when those productions are finally released into the world."
[...]
The policy had its critics, though.

Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway accepted it must be hard for those who could not get back into the country at the moment to see these crews given a green light.

"I just want to acknowledge that it is a very, very difficult situation for thousands of temporary visa holders who have been asked to make that sacrifice in the interests of keeping the virus out of New Zealand and maintaining that status we have held for quite some time." 

 Lees-Galloway said the exemptions were made with the economy in mind. "The film crews that are coming here, it's not just them that will be working. They are creating jobs for people here in New Zealand - New Zealand citizens and residents plus potentially some people who hold work visas that are here in New Zealand as well. So people who meet those criteria are able to come because they offer that significant impact for New Zealand."

Me, I am hoping against hope that The Brokenwood Mysteries will continue in production.