Author name: Mark It

There hasn’t been a major feature film shot in Hawke’s Bay since Geoff Murphy’s 1983 film Utu used our landscapes. But the region is now poised to become a real player in New Zealand’s film scene, with studio proposed, and new short…

The cast and crew from The Lord of the Rings filmed key battle scenes around locations where it was feared unexploded military munitions remained. A new book written by a close confidante of Sir Ian McKellen – who travelled to…

The entertainment industry in L.A. has endured a tough couple of years, with the strikes, layoffs and the production slowdown leading to headlines like “Hollywood Is Ditching Hollywood.” Despite the gloom, studio facilities are pushing ahead with expansion plans. Construction…

When Sean Baker was about to release his acclaimed “Anora,” he pondered the harsh reality of putting out an art-house movie — even a much-anticipated one — in 2024. “Sometimes I tweet about my film,” the writer-director told The Times…

Despite some modest gains, Hollywood is still a boys club for directors, according to the latest report from USC Annenberg’s Inclusion Initiative published on Wednesday. The report found that, out of the 112 directors who were behind the top 100…

A slow-down in TV commissioning has led to a “crisis” behind the cameras, with growing numbers of freelance crews leaving the industry altogether. Despite the success of Christmas TV shows like Gavin and Stacey, the union Bectu said half of…

As the global film industry continues to bounce back from Covid-19 and the Hollywood strikes of 2023, reo Māori films found success at Aotearoa’s box office this year. Read on…

Robin Scholes receives a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit and Matthew Metcalfe receives a Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit. Well done and deserved.…

There’s no doubt and there’re no secrets that Hollywood is in its biggest crisis ever, and the film industry is taking hits. Pandemic+ strikes+ AI have smashed the filmmaking industry. Our opinion: Premium presentations like IMAX and Sphere can save…

Grange Hill and Hollyoaks creator Sir Phil Redmond has said that modern broadcasting lacks courage, and suggested that TV watchdog rules should be broken more often. The man behind the iconic soaps said gritty programming was important, and that there…