Getting the Dosh

Discussing funding scenarios in preparation for a meeting with NZFC. One of the bizarre things is that it's sometimes easier to get the finance for a higher budget film than a lower one. In New Zealand, for example, SPIF funding (which is an automatic 40% rebate of NZ spend) is only triggered at a spend level of $4m.

We're hoping to get from the upcoming meeting an indication of whether it's worthwhile going for production funding at the NZFC's June meeting. The deadline for that would be late May, around six weeks away - just before I head off to the UK to meet with the producers and director over there. Given that I'm the one charged with the screeds of paperwork for any application, it feels something of a potential burden.

Meanwhile, the UK producers have a meeting with a substantial film investment company in London on Thursday evening. So things are delicately poised - as usual waiting for other people's decisions. No good being a control freak if you want to be involved in features...