新西兰简介(英文).doc

About New ZealandLocationNew Zealand (Aotearoa) is a South Pacific country located midway between the Equator and the South Pole, and is approximately 1600 kilometres (994 miles) east of Australia.New Zealand is made up of two main islands, the North Island and the South Island, and numerous smaller offshore islands.The total area is 268,680 sq. km (103,740 sq. miles). It is approximately two-thirds the size of California, and is equivalent in size to Japan, Coloradoor Great Britain.The coastline is 15,135 km (9,405 miles).PeopleThe population of just over 4 million is predominantly of European (mainly British) and Polynesian descent. The indigenous Maori (tangata whenua) population is around 15% of the total.Eighty-five percent of the population lives in urban areas.New Zealand is home to a diversity of cultures including Polynesian, Maori, ethnic Asian, and black African. These coexist alongside a number of European cultures including Italian, Greek and Eastern European.LanguageEnglish, Maori and New Zealand Sign Languageare the official languages, although English is the common language of everyday use.GovernmentNew Zealand is an independent parliamentary democracy within the British Commonwealth. The capital city and seat of government is Wellington.Time ZonesNew Zealand is one of the first countries in the world to greet the new day, because the International Date Line lies to its east. The entire country operates within a single time zone, UTC/GMT+12 hours.Subject to daylight saving, New Zealand is: 20 hours ahead of Los Angeles 17 hours ahead of New York 12 hours ahead of London 2 hours ahead of SydneyDaylight SavingDaylight saving in New Zealand runs fromthe last Sunday in September until the first Sunday in April.New Zealand time adjusted for daylight saving time is GMT+ 13 hours.The time in New Zealand right now is displayedat the top right of this page.Public Holidays New Zealand observes 11 public (or statutory) holidays. Waitangi Day and Anzac Day are fixed dates, and the holiday entitlement attached to them never transfers to another day. Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Years Day and the day after New Years Day, though their dates are fixed, transfer their holiday entitlement to the first available weekday when those days fall on a weekend. Statutory Holiday2011 Observance2012 ObservanceNew Years Day 1 January Saturday 1 January or Monday 3 JanuarySunday 1 January or Tuesday 3 JanuaryDay after New Years Day2 JanuarySunday 2 January or Tuesday 4 JanuaryMonday 2 January Waitangi DaySunday 6 FebruaryMonday6 FebruaryGood FridayFriday 22 AprilFriday6 AprilEaster MondayMonday 25 AprilMonday9 AprilANZAC DayMonday 25 AprilWednesday 25 AprilQueens BirthdayMonday6 JuneMonday4 JuneLabour DayMonday 24 OctoberMonday 22 OctoberChristmas Day 25 DecemberSaturday 25 December or Tuesday 27 DecemberTuesday 25 DecemberBoxing Day 26 DecemberMonday 26 December Wednesday 26 DecemberThe 11th statutory holiday is the Provincial Anniversary Day of the province in which an employee works. Provincial Anniversary Days are usually observed on the Monday nearest the actual day, and are observed only within that province. For actual dates/observances for Provincial Anniversary holidays, visit the Department of Labours website: t.nz.There is no legal requirement for producers and contractors to observe statutory public holidays, although it is common practice to observe Christmas Day, New Years Day, Waitangi Day, Easter Friday, Easter Monday and Labour Day by scheduling these days off or negotiating penalty payments for work on these days. Primary and Secondary School HolidaysThe school year is divided into 4 terms (semesters) with the major school holiday break of 6 weeks during the summer months of December and January. The other three school holiday breaks are of 2 weeks each, and are scheduled around: mid April early July late September/early October.For precise dates for school terms and school holidays, visit the Ministry of Educations website.Film Friendly New ZealandOur Government and local bodies support filmmakers in New Zealand by ensuring a co-ordinated and straightforward approach to compliance issues like permitting, immigration and taxation. This means compliance is not a significant budget item. With the proliferation of filming in New Zealand, local regional authorities and district councils offer their full support to the film industry and many have implemented film friendly policies in conjunction with Film New Zealand.What exactly is Film Friendly?Gaining Film Friendly status is formal recognition that local authorities have the necessary processes and policies in place to meet screen production industry needs as they arise, without compromising the councils statutory obligations.Requirements from councils and thescreen productionindustry are detailed in theLocal Government Filming Protocol (PDF, 1.03MB). Councils may respond to meeting Film Friendly requirements in different ways depending on the scale and relevant importance ofscreen productionactivity in that location.Film Friendly also means working collectively to provide a supportive environment for the screen production sector.What are its benefits, for both councils and production companies? Screen productionactivity is recognised as a significant economic contributor in many regions of New Zealand. In fact, many projects may involve activity over multiple council boundaries. The ability to have consistent and transparent treatment forscreen productionactivity throughout the country is considered desirable for promoting the continued growth of this industry in New Zealand.By practicing Film Friendly, councils benefit from repeat economic activity, higher profile as a desirable production location, ease of consent and permission processing, and the ability to leverage off successful films shot in that location.For production companies, Film Friendly provides an easy point of contact in the area to help facilitate requirements within councils jurisdiction and a greater degree of certainty regarding the companies obligations.How do councils sign up to it? To become Film Friendly a council will need to demonstrate that it understands and agrees to progress in adopting film friendly processes and policies as outlined in the Protocol. The signing of a simple agreement between the council and Film New Zealand on behalf of the screen production industry recognises each partys commitment to film friendly requirements. Film New Zealand then issues a certificate of film friendliness and publishes the councils name with a web link below. Local Government New Zealand can provide the necessary guidance and contact point to gaining Film Friendly status.Does it cost councils to become Film Friendly?There is no fee associated with becoming or remaining Film Friendly. Internal costs associated with adopting and supporting film friendly activity will need to assessed by each council.For more information about becoming film friendly please contact Carla Kregcisz at Local Government New Zealand.Film Friendly Councils Auckland City Council Buller District Council Carterton District Council Central Otago District Council Christchurch City Council Dunedin City Council Far North District Council Franklin District Council Hamilton City Council Hastings District Council Hauraki District Council Horowhenua District Council Hutt City Council Manukau City Council Masterton District Council Napier City Council New Plymouth District Council North Shore City Council Palmerston North City Council Papakura District Council Porirua City Council Queenstown Lakes District Council Rotorua District Council Rodney District Council Ruapehu District Council Selwyn District Council South Taranaki District Council South Wairarapa District Council Stratford District Council Taupo District Council Timaru District Council Upper Hutt City Council Wairoa District Council Waitakere City Council Waitaki District Council Wanganui District Council Wellington City Council For a full list of local and regional council contacts, visit Local Government New Zealand. Film Industry HistoryThe American Film Institute has called the New Zealand film industry one of the wonders of the world. an unparalleled success story. Certainly the number of New Zealand filmmakers who have gained the worlds attention is well beyond what the countrys small population and distance from major metropolitan cultural centres mightbe expected to have delivered. Their successes have been founded on the tradition of versatility and innovation which has shaped the industry from its earliest days. Those industry values have been maintained, not merely out of necessity, but because of the strong value New Zealanders place on working that way.BeginningsThe first films were shown in New Zealand as early as 1896, but the industrys first phase began in 1913 when three films based on Maori stories, and directed by Gaston Melies, appeared Loved by a Maori Chieftainess, Hinemoa and How Chief Te Ponga Won His Bride. In the following 30 years some 28 films were produced, including The Birth of New Zealand (1922), Rewis Last Stand (1925) and Down on the Farm (1935).The end of the silent period saw a fall-off in feature production, and the industrys next phase was launched with the establishment of the National Film Unit in 1941. The government-founded unit specialised in documentaries about New Zealand. Perhaps more importantly, as a location of training and experiment, the unit became a significant factor in the technical advancement of New Zealand filmmaking. Though the next 30 years would see only three local features made, the unit would spawn a number of independent production companies and, as a major training ground for new filmmakers, it set and maintained high-quality production standards.To the Present DayThe current phase in New Zealands filmmaking began in the 1970s with a revolution in film production. In the 30 years since Roger Donaldsons Sleeping Dogs (1977) more than 350 feature films have been produced. Donaldson was one of the first to begin working on Hollywood features after the success of his second film Smash Palace (1982). His most recent New Zealand-made film, The Worlds Fastest Indian, was released in 2005. Vincent Ward, who was the first New Zealander to win selection for the Cannes Film Festival competition with Vigil (1984) and then The Navigator (1988), has worked in the US.His two most recent films, River Queen (2005) and Rain of the Children (2008), are a return to New Zealand subject matter. Geoff Murphy Utu (1983), The Quiet Earth (1984) has spent many years working in the US but has also returned to New Zealand with Spooked (2004). New Zealander Jane Campion shared the 1993 Palme dOr at Cannes for The Piano, which went on to bring in three Academy Awards the first New Zealand film to be so honoured.Lee Tamahoris Once Were Warriors (1994) introduced the world to the grittier life of urban New Zealand and launched Tamahoris career as an international director.New Zealand continued to produce successful directors including Christine Jeffs with Rain (2001) followed by Sylvia (2003), and Niki Caro with Whale Rider (2002) and North Country (2005). Perhaps the highpoint of the industrys production came with Peter Jacksons The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-2003). Those three films, with state-of-the-art film and effects technology realised at Jacksons facilities in Wellington, were the ultimate proof of New Zealand films technical and production capacity at every level.In this decade new young New Zealand filmmakers are establishing reputations, pursuing a broad range of themes and genres.Some like Jonathan King with Black Sheep (2007), Chris Graham with The Ferryman (2007) and Peter Burger with The Tattooist (2007) have enthusiastically embraced supernatural horror. Science fiction and horror also combined in Glenn Standrings Perfect Creature (2007), a highly original retelling of the vampire myth set in an alternate version of the 1960s. Others like Taika Waititi (nominated for a best short film Oscar in 2005 for Two Cars, One Night) have delighted in a Kiwi kind of quirkiness presented in the darkly charming Eagle vs Shark (2007). Meanwhile, Toa Fraser and Chris Graham, with No. 2 (2006) and Siones Wedding (2006) respectively, have explored Pacific themes with a real passion. And Robert Sarkies explored a tragic episode in New Zealands history with Out of the Blue (2006).The New Zealand film industry has also provided a showcase for New Zealand actors, many of whom have become sought after internationally. Sam Neills career was launched with Sleeping Dogs, and he has become one of New Zealands most successful actors. Anna Paquin was the first New Zealand actor to win an Oscar for her performance in The Piano, and Keisha Castle-Hughes was nominated for Whale Rider. Cliff Curtis, Rena Owen and Temuera Morrison have all had strong international careers since Once Were Warriors. More recently Melanie Lynskey, Martin Henderson, Daniel Gillies, Karl Urban, Lucy Lawless and Martin Csokas are among those to work throughout the world.International Film ProductionThe people who have created the dynamic New Zealand industry also introduced world filmmakers to one of the countrys most persistent characters New Zealands land and scenery. Ron Howard was one of the first Hollywood directors since the silent period to discover New Zealand as a location when he shot Willow (1988) in the Southern Alps. Expatriate New Zealanders, Lloyd Phillips and Martin Campbell, also shot their spectacular mountaineering film Vertical Limit in 1999 in the Southern Alps. New Zealand proved to be the perfect Middle-earth in Peter Jacksons The Lord of the Rings trilogy. In The Last Samurai (2004) Ed Zwick found the North Island provided scenery ideal for his vision of 19th century Japan. Three years later, in Akihiko Shiotas Dororo (2007), the setting was a fantasy land that culturally resembles old Japan but is in fact the wilder parts of New Zealands South Island.In 2003 Without a Paddle filmed throughout the lower North Island; and in 200405 LA-based expatriate Andrew Adamson returned to New Zealand with The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, using the spectacular backdrop of the Southern Alps to bring the film alive. At the same time, Peter Jackson created King Kong, his jungle and 1930s New York in and around the city of Wellington.In 2006 Roland Emmerich filmed part of the epic tale 10,000 BC (2008) in Wanaka; and New Zealand doubled as Alaska in the vampire saga 30 Days of Night (2007), directed by David Slade. Increasingly, fable, fantasy and fabulous effects have entered the filmmaking landscape in New Zealand, and the childrens fantasies Bridge to Terabithia (Gabor Csupo) and The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep (Jay Russell) were both made in New Zealand for release in 2007.New Zealand visual and physical effects production companies have also worked on an increasing number of international productions, including Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, Kingdom of Heaven, Van Helsing, Peter Pan, I Robot, The Legend of Zorro, X-Men 3, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Eragon and An Inconvenient Truth.Television Most television production companies in New Zealand have their own team of producers, writers, directors and production managers, and their experience covers a wide range of programme genres including drama and factual series, comedy, light entertainment and documentaries. New Zealand has experienced line producers, UPMs, supervising producers, service producers and production managers who have illustrious careers in servicing domestic and international drama and non-drama (film and television) projects. New Zealands first television production companies were set up in the late 1970s, and today production facilities include suites offering fully digital multi-media, computer animation and film/video post production. New Zealand television programmes sell in over 100 countries worldwide, and the countrys television production companies have exported entertainment, lifestyle and sport series and formats abroad. A number of production companies have also co-produced major television drama series with partners based in Canada, Britain, Australia and Sweden, to name but a few. Currently with Film Australia, December Films and Ferns TV, New Zealand production company South Pacific Pictures is producing Cook, a major documentary series based on Vanessa Collingridges book Cook Obsession and Betrayal in the New World. The international co-production, which has been shot in the UK, Canada, Tahiti, Australia and New Zealand, will open up the world of 18th-century sea travel for viewers through state-of-the-art CGI and dramatic reconstruction.A standout star in documentary production is Natural History New Zealand (NHNZ), which has filmed above and below every ocean and every continent. With offices in Dunedin, Beijing and Washington DC, NHNZ works closely alongside Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, Discovery Health, TLC, National Geographic Channel, PBS (US), NHK (Japan), France 5 and NDR (Germany). A special area of expertise is Antarctica, where NHNZ has been making documentaries for more than 20 years.AnimationGreat animation to tell great stories has been one of the most significant aspects in the history of New Zealand film and television in the past decade. A huge level of investment combined with extraor