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This story was originally published on The Spinoff. What’s all this then?  This morning the Ministry for Culture and Heritage released its draft proposed changes to media and screen industry legislation in Aotearoa. “We now live in a time where…

Well, it’s happening. If you have a “basic” Netflix plan (previously the cheapest option at $10.99 per month) you’re about to be hit with ads for the first time – or hit up for more money if you want to…

After picking up an Annie Award earlier in the week, Weta added the top VES award – for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature – to its haul for Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. Weta’s work on…

In November, a new type of content studio, Promise, was launched. Backed by high-profile investors, including producer Peter Chernin, Promise announced at its outset that it aimed to produce film and TV series by incorporating generative artificial intelligence tools into…

Last year I published a study which showed that sex on screen has declined by almost 40% over the past quarter-century. At the time, I was asked whether we could see a comparable decline in levels of romance or if…

Thousands of people have gathered at Auckland’s Civic Theatre for the New Zealand premiere of the much awaited film, Tinā. Directed by Miki Magasiva, the film was set in the immediate aftermath of the Christchurch Earthquake in 2011, and focused…

Aotearoa has a proud tradition of road trips, from the iconic Goodbye Pork Pie to Frickin Dangerous Bro On the Road and NZ Today. Now, it’s time for two women to take the wheel in a groundbreaking new comedy docuseries…

This documentary captures a key moment in the rebirth of Kiwi cinema: director Roger Donaldson and his small crew shooting breakthrough 1977 film Sleeping Dogs. A trip to the Cannes Film Festival had inspired Donaldson and mate Ian Mune to…

Luke Cook moved from Sydney to Los Angeles 18 years ago, when he was just 20, looking to break into acting. It’s a familiar story: kid chases dream in Hollywood, hustles for work, and eventually suffers well-meaning but depressing questions…

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman shot down Elon Musk’s reported offer to buy the company behind ChatGPT, escalating a battle with the X owner over the AI firm’s for-profit pivot that could shape Hollywood’s adoption of the technology. “No thank you…

People now watch so many programs at so many different times in so many different ways that measuring viewership has become a hot debate in the industry. Last month, the Golden Globes drew 10.1 million viewers. No, wait, maybe 9.3…