South Pacific Pictures

South Pacific Pictures is a New Zealand film and television production company based in Auckland. Its work spans long-running television drama, serial entertainment, miniseries, telemovies, feature films and animated programming. The company is particularly associated with Shortland Street, the long-running half-hour soap opera made for TVNZ, which became its largest and most durable television property. The business began in 1988 during a major restructuring of Television New Zealand. TVNZ dissolved its internal Drama Department and established South Pacific Pictures as a dedicated production subsidiary and strategic business unit. The new company was intended to develop and produce high-quality drama for TVNZ channels while giving the broadcaster a more focused production structure. John Barnett, who led the former internal drama operation, became the company's founder and chief executive. South Pacific Pictures subsequently moved beyond its original role as a broadcaster-owned drama unit. In 1998, TVNZ sold the company through a management buyout led by Barnett, creating an independent production business. The transaction also brought in outside strategic and investment participants, including British entertainment group Chrysalis through its television arm Chrysalis Visual Entertainment and New Zealand media and investment company Force Corporation. Chrysalis later increased its interest and became the majority owner, with the company operating within the Chrysalis television group for a period. The company developed a substantial feature-film profile alongside its television activities. Its credits include What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?, the 1998 sequel to Once Were Warriors; Whale Rider, the 2002 film directed by Niki Caro that received an Academy Award nomination; and Sione's Wedding, released in 2006. These projects helped give the company visibility outside New Zealand and demonstrated its ability to package locally rooted stories for international audiences. South Pacific Pictures expanded its production infrastructure and partnerships during the 2000s. In May 2000 it moved from Browns Bay to a purpose-built studio complex in Henderson, West Auckland. In 2001 it partnered with Australia's Beyond International to establish Beyond New Zealand, a joint-venture distribution operation intended to connect New Zealand producers with the international television marketplace. In 2004 it joined producer and presenter Quinton Hita in establishing Kura Productions, a venture focused on Māori-language programming for Māori Television and other New Zealand broadcasters. The company has also participated in animation and children's-content production through its relationship with SLR Productions, an Australian partner. That collaboration supported animated series and specials including I Got a Rocket, Dex Hamilton: Alien Entomologist, Gasp!, The DaVincibles, Guess How Much I Love You, The Skinner Boys, Space Nova and related projects. South Pacific Pictures has also held a 50 percent interest in Satellite Media, according to reference material associated with the company. South Pacific Pictures' business model combines commissioned television production, owned or controlled intellectual property, feature-film development, co-production and international distribution relationships. Its catalogue ranges from domestically important continuing drama to export-oriented children's animation. The company remains an established New Zealand production brand, although detailed information about its current ownership, executive team, financial position and latest production slate is not established in the supplied sources.

South Pacific Pictures was created in 1988 as part of Television New Zealand's corporate restructuring. TVNZ disbanded its internal Drama Department and converted its core drama-production operation into a separate subsidiary called South Pacific Pictures. The new unit was designed to develop and produce drama for TVNZ's domestic channels. John Barnett, who had led the former internal drama operation, became the founding chief executive. During its first phase, the company functioned as an in-house production arm, but its structure changed substantially in the 1990s. In 1998, TVNZ sold the business in a management buyout led by Barnett. South Pacific Pictures consequently became an independent production company rather than a wholly broadcaster-owned studio. The transaction included external participation: Chrysalis Visual Entertainment, the television arm of British entertainment group Chrysalis, acquired a minority stake, while New Zealand media and investment company Force Corporation also took a minority interest. The arrangement gave Chrysalis an entry into the New Zealand production market and provided a pathway for international distribution of South Pacific Pictures programming. The company strengthened its production base in May 2000 by moving from Browns Bay to a purpose-built studio complex in Henderson, in West Auckland. The following year it entered a distribution partnership with Australian company Beyond International. The resulting joint venture, Beyond New Zealand, was intended to serve as an Auckland-based gateway for New Zealand producers seeking access to international television buyers. Barnett was associated with the management of the new venture. Ownership changed again in the early 2000s. Chrysalis, whose television business was renamed Chrysalis TV Group, increased its holding in South Pacific Pictures to 60 percent in 2001. The increase involved the acquisition of remaining interests held by Force Corporation and Barnett's production company Endeavour Productions. During this period South Pacific Pictures operated as a subsidiary of the British television group while continuing to develop New Zealand-originated programming. Alongside television, the company built a feature-film record. The 1998 film What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? continued the story of Once Were Warriors. In 2002, South Pacific Pictures produced Whale Rider, a New Zealand-set feature that achieved substantial international recognition and received an Academy Award nomination. The company later released Sione's Wedding in 2006, extending its feature-film activity into a commercially oriented comedy project. South Pacific Pictures also broadened the cultural and linguistic range of its work. In June 2004, it partnered with producer and presenter Quinton Hita to establish Kura Productions. The venture was created to develop Māori-language programming for Māori Television and other New Zealand broadcasters, with South Pacific Pictures contributing development support. This expanded the company's role beyond mainstream English-language drama and connected it with the growth of Māori broadcasting. The company developed further international and family-oriented activity through a joint venture with Australian SLR Productions. The resulting catalogue included animated series and specials such as I Got a Rocket, Dex Hamilton: Alien Entomologist, Gasp!, The DaVincibles, Guess How Much I Love You, The Skinner Boys, Space Nova and other children's properties. South Pacific Pictures has also been associated with Satellite Media, in which it held a 50 percent interest according to the supplied reference material. Across its history, the company's core identity has remained that of a New Zealand producer with both domestic broadcasting relationships and international ambitions. Shortland Street is its most prominent continuing television property, while its feature films, Māori-language collaborations and animation partnerships have diversified the business. The supplied sources do not establish the company's current ownership structure, current chief executive, financial results or complete present-day production slate.

• 2006

  Sione's Wedding is released

  [1]South Pacific Picturesen.wikipedia.org

  The company releases the New Zealand feature-film comedy Sione's Wedding.

• 2004

  Kura Productions is established

  [1]South Pacific Picturesen.wikipedia.org

  South Pacific Pictures and Quinton Hita create a venture dedicated to Māori-language programming for Māori Television and other broadcasters.

• 2002

  Whale Rider gains international recognition

  [1]South Pacific Picturesen.wikipedia.org

  South Pacific Pictures produces Whale Rider, a feature film that receives an Academy Award nomination.

• 2001

  Beyond New Zealand joint venture is formed

  [1]South Pacific Picturesen.wikipedia.org

  The company partners with Beyond International to establish a New Zealand-based production and distribution venture focused on international access.

• 2001

  Chrysalis increases its ownership

  [1]South Pacific Picturesen.wikipedia.org

  Chrysalis TV Group raises its interest in South Pacific Pictures to 60 percent by acquiring additional shares.

• 2000

  Move to Henderson studio complex

  [1]South Pacific Picturesen.wikipedia.org

  South Pacific Pictures relocates from Browns Bay to a purpose-built studio complex in Henderson, West Auckland.

• 1998

  Management buyout creates an independent company

  [1]South Pacific Picturesen.wikipedia.org

  TVNZ sells South Pacific Pictures through a management buyout led by John Barnett. Chrysalis Visual Entertainment and Force Corporation take minority interests.

• 1998

  What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? is released

  [1]South Pacific Picturesen.wikipedia.org

  The company produces the feature-film sequel to Once Were Warriors.

• 1988

  South Pacific Pictures is established within TVNZ

  [1]South Pacific Picturesen.wikipedia.org

  Television New Zealand creates the company as a dedicated drama-production subsidiary during a major internal restructuring. John Barnett becomes founder and chief executive.

A leading New Zealand screen-production company combining locally significant television drama with feature films, Māori-language programming and internationally oriented children's and animation projects.

• Television drama and soap opera

  Shortland Street

  A half-hour continuing drama and soap opera produced for TVNZ. It is identified in reference material as South Pacific Pictures' largest television property and has been central to the company's identity in New Zealand television.

• Feature film · 2002

  Whale Rider

  A 2002 New Zealand feature film produced by South Pacific Pictures and directed by Niki Caro. The film brought international attention to a story rooted in Māori culture and received an Academy Award nomination.

• Feature film · 1998

  What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?

  A 1998 feature film produced as a sequel to Once Were Warriors. It represents an early major example of the company's feature-film work alongside its television production.

• Feature film · 2006

  Sione's Wedding

  A feature-film comedy released in 2006. The project broadened South Pacific Pictures' cinema portfolio beyond serious drama and literary or culturally focused films.

• Māori-language television · 2004

  Kura Productions programming

  Programming developed through South Pacific Pictures' joint venture with Quinton Hita. Kura Productions was established to create Māori-language content for Māori Television and other New Zealand broadcasters.

• Animated children's programming · 2006

  SLR Productions animation catalogue

  A group of animation and children's properties developed through South Pacific Pictures' relationship with Australian company SLR Productions. Listed titles include I Got a Rocket, Dex Hamilton: Alien Entomologist, Gasp!, The DaVincibles, Guess How Much I Love You, The Skinner Boys and Space Nova.

• 2004

  Expansion into Māori-language productionStrategy

  Background

  New Zealand's Māori broadcasting sector created demand for locally developed Māori-language programming.

  Action taken

  South Pacific Pictures partnered with Quinton Hita to establish Kura Productions and provided development support.

  Aftermath

  The partnership expanded the company's production activities into Māori-language content for Māori Television and other broadcasters.

  Source

• 2001

  Chrysalis increases its stake to a majority positionM&A

  Background

  Chrysalis TV Group sought to expand its position in the New Zealand production business after initially holding a minority stake.

  Action taken

  Chrysalis increased its ownership to 60 percent by acquiring remaining shares from Force Corporation and Endeavour Productions.

  Aftermath

  South Pacific Pictures operated as a subsidiary of the Chrysalis television group.

  Source

• 2001

  Creation of Beyond New ZealandStrategy

  Background

  South Pacific Pictures sought a stronger route for New Zealand producers and programming to reach international television buyers.

  Action taken

  The company formed a joint venture with Beyond International to provide production and distribution services from Auckland.

  Aftermath

  The venture was positioned as an international marketplace gateway for New Zealand television production.

  Source

• 1998

  Transition from broadcaster subsidiary to independent producerStrategy

  Background

  TVNZ's restructuring had originally created South Pacific Pictures as an in-house drama unit, but the company was later sold through a management buyout.

  Action taken

  John Barnett led the buyout, while Chrysalis Visual Entertainment and Force Corporation acquired minority positions.

  Aftermath

  South Pacific Pictures became an independent production company and gained an ownership and distribution relationship with Chrysalis.

  Source

1. 1South Pacific Picturesen.wikipedia.org