Written by on Jan 28, 2013. Posted in Production News

Producer praises New Zealand production industry ahead of Avatar sequels shoot

The producer of James Cameron’s science-fiction epic Avatar has said the quality of New Zealand’s production industry is the main appeal drawing the franchise back to the country. Two sequels are to be filmed back-to-back using performance-capture technology.

Jon Landau praised the New Zealand Prime Minister, John Key, for visiting Los Angeles in October last year to meet filmmakers and producers in person. Speaking to the New Zealand Herald, Landau also pointed out that while the first Avatar was partly filmed in Wellington, the nature of performance-capture meant these scenes were entirely studio-based.

“We didn't come here for the location,” Landau told the outlet: “We came here because of the industry and the support it gets from the Government. Avatar - we didn't film on location at all. We're coming back to New Zealand to film [the] Avatar [sequels] because of the people.”

Landau also described New Zealand’s filming incentives as “a big factor” in keeping the Avatar franchise. James Cameron and Peter Jackson have both called for the New Zealand Government to stay flexible on filming incentives and a review of the national programme is expected in the next few months.