Sparking fresh animation collaborations across Aotearoa

The Visual Effects Guild of Aotearoa New Zealand (VFXG), New Zealand Writers Guild (NZWG), and Directors & Editors Guild of Aotearoa (DEGANZ) partnering with New Zealand Film Commission Te Tumu Whakaata Taonga (NZFC), invite writers, directors, producers, and animators from across Aotearoa to take part in this dynamic matchmaking series.

We had a productive meeting this week with Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Paul Goldsmith at Cause and FX, joined by leaders from across Auckland’s VFX, animation, sound, and post-production community.

What an incredible showcase of post-production, animation, sound, and VFX at this year’s Big Screen Symposium!

Virtual Production isn’t just for mega-budget blockbusters. From indie features to TVCs and animation, creatives across Aotearoa are finding smart ways to integrate LED volumes and real-time environments into their projects—often with limited time and money.

This event brings together filmmakers, producers, VFX artists, animators, writers, DOPs, and technicians for an evening of real-world insights, hands-on experience, and networking.

Thanks for joining us in Tāmaki Makaurau! Next one is in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Saturday, July 26th.

We had a fantastic time hosting TEQ Talks – Tāmaki Makaurau. One participant shared that while they attend a lot of industry events, this one genuinely inspired him — and that’s exactly why we do this!

From large-scale battle scenes to subtle environmental world-building, the visual effects in Ka Whawhai Tonu played a vital role in immersing audiences in the film’s 19th-century setting. Join producer Toby Parkinson, director Mike Jonathan, VFX producer James Brookes, and 3D artist Chris Lyne from Cause and FX as they reveal the challenges and creative problem-solving that brought the visual world of this historical drama to life.

From the creative powerhouse behind The Barefoot Bandits, Pipi Mā, and Jandal Burn, Mukpuddy Animation lands at BSS 2025 to take us deep into the world of their latest whimsical creation: Badjelly.

Go behind the score of Ka Whawhai Tonu in an exclusive masterclass with composers Tiki Taane and Arli Liberman, joined by director Mike Jonathan.

We’re thrilled to announce that VFXG and SMSG have officially partnered with the Big Screen Symposium (BSS) to ensure post-production professionals are front and centre in this year’s event.

Great to see such strong turnout from the local industry at the recent Masters of Motion event in Wellington! With over 90 creatives from across CG, VFX, FX, motion design, and animation, it was a fantastic evening of networking, specialist Q&As, and big-picture industry discussions.

While the U.S. has ramped up tariffs on imports from multiple countries, New Zealand has taken a deliberate, non-retaliatory stance—and that could be a strategic win for our screen sector. Furthermore, the tariffs seem to be more about leverage in future trade negotiations, not long-term policy.

A massive shoutout to the talented 3D Animation and VFX students behind Interception, whose sci-fi comedy short has just been named a semi-finalist at the FilmHaus Festival as this is one step away from the Grand Prize.

New Zealand’s VFX and animation sector generated $460 million in 2023/24, maintaining near-identical revenues to the previous year despite major disruptions from Hollywood strikes and increasing international competition. The data comes from the first-ever VFX Guild survey, completed by 66% of local businesses—marking a milestone in measuring the VFX and animation industry's scale, resilience, and export strength.

Our recent Pub Nights in Wellington and Auckland showed the value of getting the community together in person. Both gatherings drew a healthy mix of VFX, animation, sound and music professionals who swapped ideas, compared workflows and forged new connections over drinks and chips.

NZFC has announced two big moves to boost New Zealand animation, revealed by Chief Executive Annie Murray at the Wellington Animation Film Festival (WAFF) in March.

The upcoming release of Forgive Us All underscores the robust collaborations within New Zealand's visual effects (VFX) sector.

The VFX Guild recently attended the New Zealand premiere of A Minecraft Movie, a live-action/animation hybrid that brings the iconic game's blocky universe to the big screen. Filmed with support from the NZ Screen Production Rebate, the film showcases the exceptional talent and capabilities of our local VFX and wider screen industry.

Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage has launched a consultation on a Media Reform programme aimed at modernizing New Zealand’s regulation and content funding landscape. These proposals could have a significant impact on the screen sector, including VFX and animation.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us for The Art of Direction and Visual Development with Virginie Bourdin at Miramar Creative Centre! It was an incredible evening filled with insights, inspiration, and engaging discussions on creative direction, working with iconic franchises like "Alien" and "Barbie," and the evolving role of AI in visual storytelling.