Filming in the Otago & Southland Region
Your turnkey, film-friendly destination.
Southern New Zealand is home to cinematic locations, world-class crew and equipment, and film-friendly communities. We've been making film and television productions here for over thirty years.
Production hubs in Queenstown and Dunedin are complemented by internationally renown locations a short distance away - Fiordland and Mount Aspiring National Parks, the gold rush towns of Central Otago, the Catlins Coast, Oamaru's Victorian Whitestone Precinct and more.
A key strength of our region is opposite seasons to the Northern hemisphere—snow in July and sunflowers in February for that international scheduling edge. Our resident crew base is uniquely placed to service all of your production needs, even when filming in rugged remote locations.
Recent features, including THE POWER OF THE DOG, MULAN, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - FALLOUT, A WRINKLE IN TIME, and ALIEN - COVENANT, continue to build on the legacy of the legendary HOBBIT and LORD OF THE RINGS trilogies. TV series like SWEET TOOTH, THE LETTER FOR THE KING, ONE LANE BRIDGE, UNDER THE VINES, STRAIGHT FORWARD and TOP OF THE LAKE have brought our region to small screens around the world. And brands such as Samsung, Subaru, Yamaha, Audi, Corona Beer, Red Bull and many more nurture our international TV commercial market.
Film Otago Southland is a not-for-profit Trust that supports and promotes screen production in the region in collaboration with the Queenstown and Dunedin film offices. Together, we're here to smooth the road to your next production in New Zealand's filmmaking heartland. Get in touch today to find out how we can help.
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Queenstown has been an established screen production centre for over forty years, with high-calibre crew, world-class equipment and an international airport at its doorstep. The region is also favoured by filmmakers for its epic mountains, lakes, snowfields, glaciers and valleys.
Dunedin is a film-friendly city with breathtaking scenery and distinctive, old-world charm. A location for several high profile features, filmmakers come for unique wildlife, coastal and inland scenery, and the widest selection of Victorian buildings in NZ.
From national parks to period townscapes, Southland delivers accessible diversity. The World Heritage Area of Fiordland presents a landscape of ancient rainforests and granite peaks. Its capital Invercargill offers period backdrops and is home to the Southern Institute of Technology's thriving Screen Arts courses.
The inland area of Central Otago is home to rugged vistas and charming townships. It offers a unique landscape of tussocky fields against a backdrop of snowy mountains. The region also has a rich 'Gold Rush' heritage, which has been retained in old-world towns like Cromwell and Clyde.
Waitaki offers 150km of beautiful coastline, unique geological attractions, valleys and farmland. A regular starring location is the town of Oamaru, which is known for its Victorian Whitestone district and Steampunk culture.
Rural meets coastal in the diverse region of Clutha. The area is home to the famous seascapes of The Catlins, as well as miles of unspoiled winding coastal roads. The region also offers rural backdrops and leafy forests.
Queenstown has been an established screen production centre for over forty years, with high-calibre crew, world-class equipment and an international airport at its doorstep. The region is also favoured by filmmakers for its epic mountains, lakes, snowfields, glaciers and valleys.
Learn MoreDunedin is a film-friendly city with breathtaking scenery and distinctive, old-world charm. A location for several high profile features, filmmakers come for unique wildlife, coastal and inland scenery, and the widest selection of Victorian buildings in NZ.
Learn MoreFrom national parks to period townscapes, Southland delivers accessible diversity. The World Heritage Area of Fiordland presents a landscape of ancient rainforests and granite peaks. Its capital Invercargill offers period backdrops and is home to the Southern Institute of Technology's thriving Screen Arts courses.
Learn MoreThe inland area of Central Otago is home to rugged vistas and charming townships. It offers a unique landscape of tussocky fields against a backdrop of snowy mountains. The region also has a rich 'Gold Rush' heritage, which has been retained in old-world towns like Cromwell and Clyde.
Learn MoreWaitaki offers 150km of beautiful coastline, unique geological attractions, valleys and farmland. A regular starring location is the town of Oamaru, which is known for its Victorian Whitestone district and Steampunk culture.
Learn MoreRural meets coastal in the diverse region of Clutha. The area is home to the famous seascapes of The Catlins, as well as miles of unspoiled winding coastal roads. The region also offers rural backdrops and leafy forests.
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