Local comedy is getting a boost in 2023, with six new and
returning series receiving up to $5.8m funding in NZ On
Air’s latest Scripted funding round.
A fresh
Scripted comedy series for TVNZ+, The Queen, The Club,
The Boy, The Girl And Everything In Between follows the
journey of a son reconciling his relationship with his
father, who just happens to be the most famous drag queen in
the country.
Screening on Prime and Whakaata Māori,
Broken Backs And Mountains is a new dark comedy
series that explores the “ups, downs, tears and tantrums,
joys and losses” of living with a disability.
A new
sketch comedy show written 100% by wāhine Māori, Only
In Aotearoa 3: Wāhine Edition will feature emerging and
established comedians on both sides of the camera and will
premiere on Whakaata Māori, Māori+ and
Prime.
Volunteer journalist Guy Williams will return
for the fourth series of New Zealand Today on Three
and ThreeNow, as will coverage of five local events in the
2023 New Zealand Comedy Festival.
Five new
comedians will compete to claim the title of Taskmaster in
the fourth series of Taskmaster NZ for TVNZ 2 and
TVNZ+.
“We’re delighted to support three brand new
projects that will deploy humour to mine themes such as
resilience, prejudice and discrimination, as well as three
returning audience favourites that will continue to showcase
our brilliant comedic talents from across the motu,” said
NZ On Air Head of Funding Amie Mills.
Three feature
films have also been supported for up to $700,000 in NZ On
Air’s latest Scripted funding round.
Acclaimed
director of Scarfies and Out Of The Blue,
Robert Sarkies will helm a new as-yet untitled feature film
for Three, ThreeNow and theatrical release.
Following
the success of Lion King Reo Māori and Frozen Reo
Māori, two new Disney films will be reimagined for
audiences in Aotearoa, supporting the development of Te Reo
Māori language revitalisation, music composition, Māori
screen performance, production, and
post-production.
Funding details
Note:
Projects intended for the new ANZPM (TVNZ and RNZ platforms)
are funded up to end of June 2023.
Broken
Backs and Mountains, 6 x 22 mins, Great Southern
Television for Prime and Whakaata Māori, up to
$1,980,000.
Only In Aotearoa 3: Wāhine
Edition, 6 x 22 mins, Kura Productions for Whakaata
Māori, Māori +, and Prime, up to
$1,134,000.
New Zealand Today 4, 8 x
22 mins, Kevin and Co for Three and ThreeNow, up to
$972,997.
Taskmaster 4, 10 x 44 mins,
Kevin and Co for TVNZ 2 and TVNZ +, up to
$882,119.
The Queen, The Club, The Boy,
The Girl And Everything In Between, 6 x 22 mins, Lucky
Legs Media for TVNZ+, up to
$629,120.
Feature Animation Series 2,
2 x 105 mins, Matewa Media for Whakaata Māori and Māori+,
up to $500,000.
New Zealand Comedy
Festival Partnership 2023, 5 x 60 mins, Three – Local
Production for Three and ThreeNow, up to
$265,377.
Untitled Robert Sarkies
Project, 1 x 100 mins, POP Film for Three and ThreeNow,
up to
$200,000.