Economic Impact Report Into Netflix's Sweet Tooth Highlights The Value Of NZ Screen Production Grant

The New Zealand screen producers' guild, SPADA, says a new report into the Netflix series Sweet Tooth's economic contribution to New Zealand highlights the valuable impact international productions working here have on our economy.

The report was commissioned by the Motion Picture Association (MPA) and the Australia-New Zealand Screen Association (ANZSA) and conducted by Oxford Economics. It is being launched this evening at a function at Parliament.

The report found that series one of Sweet Tooth, filmed in New Zealand in 2020, generated $66 million to NZ GDP, and stimulated 1,180 jobs, with New Zealanders making up 95% of the crew and 80% of the cast.

SPADA President Irene Gardiner said it was really gratifying to see the study's finding of a nearly $7 return for every tax dollar spent via the NZ Screen Production Grant (NZSPG – International).

"This matches up pretty much exactly with what the New Zealand Film Commission-commissioned Olsberg report found last year.

"Reports like these highlight the value of the NZSPG and how well it works delivering back to the New Zealand economy.

Gardiner said that, as well as their positive economic impact, international productions shooting and doing post-production work in New Zealand also helped the local production sector. "They're an incredible training ground, with some great specialist expertise to be learned, they create infrastructure for us, and they give our crews and actors continuity of work.

Gardiner said there had been a softening in the numbers of international productions working here in recent times.

"We appreciate the challenges we all face in the current economic climate, but - as the Sweet Tooth study shows - the SPG investment really does deliver an excellent return back to New Zealanders so it’s important it remains competitive internationally."

Sweet Tooth was produced by Warner Bros Television for Netflix and filmed in New Zealand in Auckland, Waikato and Otago. Series two, also filmed in NZ, will screen later this month.

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