NZ On Air Funds New Documentaries

NZ On Air has allocated funding to two new documentary series in its latest announcement of funding allocations.

The Colour of War -The ANZAC Story features stories told by New Zealand and Australian servicemen from World War I through to Vietnam.

The series will feature previously unseen colour footage of New Zealand and Australian soldiers at war. It is not a battlefield story however, and emphasis is placed on the personal impact of war by using actors to read the diaries and letters of service personnel and civilians.

"This is an important series for New Zealanders as it covers a major part of our history and places our country in a wider global context. Its production will ensure that the significant part played by our soldiers in the ANZAC story will be explored and acknowledged,” said Ms Tyndall.

War features to a lesser degree in Secret New Zealand, a factual series that exposes little known incidents from New Zealand's recent past which were covered up or kept secret at the time.

Stories include revelations from the files of government departments, police, the armed forces and big business.

"This is a glimpse into a shadowy side of New Zealand many of us didn't know existed, “ said Ms Tyndall.

"It is a chance to learn about our history through the unravelling of secret stories in an informative and entertaining journey through New Zealand's past,“ she said.

Secret New Zealand will be made by the producers of the highly popular Epitaph and Shipwreck series and will use a similar formula, mixing documentary footage, archive material, interviews and dramatisations to piece together what really happened and why it was covered up.

NZ On Air has allocated $437,166 to Greenstone Pictures to produce seven half hour programmes of Secret New Zealand to be screened on TV One.

The Colour of War –The ANZAC Story is a co-production between TV One, Channel 9 (Australia) and Trans World International. NZ On Air has allocated $500,000 to Trans World International to produce four one-hour programmes to screen on TV One.

The Colour of War – The ANZAC Story $500,000
4 x 1 hour documentary series
Broadcaster: TV One
Producer: Paul Rudd, Trans World International

Secret New Zealand $437,166
7 x ½ hour documentary series
Broadcaster: TV One
Producer: Nigel Snowden, Greenstone Pictures

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