April 2025 Newsletter

With regard to the platform contributions, we have to strike the right balance. Platform contributions help to ensure the platform has ‘skin in the game’ but also help our funds stretch a little further. It is also an expectation of international partners looking to enter into co-productions. However, we are aware of the difficult commercial realities that broadcasters and platforms face. We have undertaken a pragmatic revision of our Platform contribution policy and will be talking to platforms about this over coming weeks. The policy will be published once those engagements have concluded.

In this round we have funded a range of content, which you can read more about below. Our approach with content for rangatahi and tamariki continues to prioritise digital-first content. Comprehensive research into the Children’s audience is shortly to begin, which will update and further develop our thinking in this space. In both the Scripted and Non-fiction areas we are excited by the breadth of content funded, mixing returning favourites with new and ambitious shows.

Finally our content is making headlines, and winning audiences and acclaim both here and overseas. We hope you find the time to enjoy some great local TV, music, podcasts and games over the coming Easter and ANZAC period.

Ngā mihi

Cam

Our next funding round, Tahi, is the first of the 25/26 financial year.
Round Tahi Applicant Information available: Wed 23 April
Applicant Information webinar: Thurs 24 April 3-4pm
Applications open: Thurs 1 May, 2025 9:00 am
Applications close: Thurs 22 May, 2025 4:00 pm
Decisions due: Fri 1 August, 2025

Register for the webinar by emailing funding@nzonair.govt.nz

Round Toru had total contestable funding available of $22.6m. We invited projects catering to both priority and general audiences, with practical distribution plans to ensure content reaches the intended audience.

We received 125 applications seeking funding of $54m, so there was a 47% success rate.

NZ Music Month 2025
It is the 25th anniversary of NZ Music Month this May. There are a whole host of activities and events planned for Music Month. To check them out, head to https://www.nzmusicmonth.co.nz/.

Kicking off Music Month is the Yami Summit in Wanaka. There is also a range of Going Local seminars around the motu and, closing out the month, is NZ Music T-Shirt Day on Friday 30 May which raises funds for the charity MusicHelps. To learn more or to donate, head to https://www.nzmusictshirtday.org.nz/.

Music Awards
The Taite Music Awards were held on Tuesday 15 April and there was a stellar list of finalists! The 2025 winner is Mokotron.
NZ On Air is proud to support, for the fourth year in a row, the NZ On Air Outstanding Music Journalism Award 2025 with the finalists being Karl Puschmann (Antenna Media), Rosa Nevison, Sam Elliot and Flynn Robson (Newzician Magazine) and Chris Schulz (Boiler Room). Congratulations to winner Chris Schulz.

The Aotearoa Music Awards will be held in the last week of Music Month – and it is their 60th anniversary. NZ On Air is proud to be the naming sponsor for the Album of the Year, Radio Airplay, and Best Video awards. Massive congratulations to all of the nominees. You can view them here - https://aotearoamusicawards.co.nz/.

2025 GDSR

The 2025 Game Development Sector Rebate (GDSR) round is officially underway, with 42 studios registered—including nine first-time applicants—highlighting the ongoing growth and momentum of New Zealand’s thriving games industry.

The 2025 GDSR round is the first to launch through NZ On Air’s new funding portal, designed to streamline the registration and application process. With user experience at its core, the portal makes applying for the rebate easier, faster and more intuitive for studios of all sizes. Registrations opened in early February, followed by applications on 1 April—and with the round now in full swing, NZ On Air will soon begin assessing submissions as the next phase of the process gets underway.

Timeline

Applications open – Tuesday 1 April

Applications close – Friday 9 May

Decisions due – July.

Studio News

In broader industry news, local game developers have been making waves globally. Whanganui-a-Tara studio PikPok’s Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days made an impressive debut, launching at number seven on Steam—a leading digital platform for PC games with over 132 million monthly active users.

As part of our systems upgrade we have moved to a new email database for our releases and newsletters such as this one. Very soon we will turn off the old system.

If you have not done so already and want to continue to receive news from NZ On Air, you will need to go into our new communications centre and complete your details.

You can do that here.

If you drop off the database you'll stop receiving these updates when we turn the old system off in a few weeks. But don't worry - you can sign up again any time by going to the Subscribe button at the bottom of our website homepage.

You can also go back to this link any time and change your details.

Scripted

Settling, 6 x 23’, South Pacific Pictures for viewing on Three and ThreeNow, up to $3,150,000.

NZ Spy, 6 x 22’, Kevin and Co for viewing on TVNZ 2 and TVNZ+, up to $1,998,000.

Good Bones, 6 x 22’, Luminous Beast for viewing on Sky Open, Neon and Sky Go, up to $1,480,000.

A Remarkable Place To Die 2, 5 x 90 mins, Screentime NZ for viewing on TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+, up to $500,000.

Non-fiction

New
Stalked, 3 x 44' Workparty for viewing on Sky Open, Sky Go and Neon, up to $728,681.

Mozzies, 12 x 12', Faultline Films for viewing on Māori+, Whakaata Māori, NZ Herald, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, up to $595,907.

Coastal Wonders Of The South Pacific, 6 x 44', Imagination Television for viewing on TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+, up to $497,794.

Skin Deep, 6 x 15', Aotearoa Media Collective for viewing on Whakaata Māori, Māori+ and YouTube, up to $333,396.

Triple Threat (working title), 8 x 22', NHNZ Worldwide for viewing on Sky Open, NZR+ and YouTube, up to $327,282.

The Internet’s Guide To Mental Health, 8 x 4’, Viva La Dirt League Productions for viewing on YouTube, VivaPlus, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, up to $257,194.

The Elephant, 12 x 25’, Herd Productions for viewing on NZ Herald as well as AirNZ in-flight entertainment, and social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Spotify and TikTok, up to $249,800.

Tane Tarlton’s Ocean Adventures, 8 x 23’, Magnetic Pictures for viewing on ThreeNow and Three, up to $240,000.

The Whales, Rats & Kauri, 7 x 13’, Kimihia Films for viewing on RNZ, Rialto Channel, TP+ and Waatea Digital, up to $235,210.

Quarantine Nation, 8 x 45', Te Pūrongo Productions podcast series for Stuff, Instagram, Spotify and YouTube, up to $184,026.

Returning
My Family Mystery 2, 6 x 44’, Warner Bros. International Television Production NZ for viewing on TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+, up to $1,040,820.

Guy Montgomery's Guy-Mont Spelling Bee 3, 8 x 44', Kevin and Co for Three, ThreeNow, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, up to $731,051.

NZ Wars: Stories Of Waerenga-a-Hika, 1 x 44’, Aotearoa Media Collective for viewing on RNZ, TVNZ 1, TVNZ+, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, up to $693,015.

First Responders 3, 8 x 44', Screentime NZ for viewing on Three, ThreeNow and YouTube, up to $500,000.

Untold Pacific History 3, 3 x 22’, Tikilounge Productions for viewing on RNZ and The Coconet TV, up to $283,741.

The Good Sex Project 3, 10 x 50' and 4 x 40’, Popsock Media podcast series for RNZ, Facebook, Instagram, Spotify and TikTok, up to $263,951.

Mānawatia a Matariki 2025, 1 x 240’, Kahawai Productions for viewing on TVNZ 1, TVNZ+, RNZ, Sky Open, Stuff, Three, ThreeNow and Whakaata Māori, up to $250,000.

Juggernaut II: The Story Of The Fourth National Government, 6 x 45', The Spinoff podcast series for The Spinoff, Facebook, Instagram, Spotify, TikTok and YouTube, up to $216,009.

No Such Thing As Normal 3, 12 x 33' for Team Uniform podcast series for NZ Herald, up to $99,506.

Toitū Te Whenua 2, 8 x 12’, Allied Press for viewing on odt.co.nz, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, up to $35,000.

Rangatahi/Tamariki

Scripted 

Please Don't Break Anything - The First Night, 5 x 7', Kevin and Co for viewing on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, up to $687,477.

The School Repeaters, 6 x 10', The Niu Wav for viewing on The Coconet TV, Pacific Media Network, RNZ, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, up to $673,574.

Non-fiction

Bling, Hype & Heartbreak, 3 x 22', Tavake for viewing on TVNZ+, up to $473,537.

60 Seconds, 80 x 1’ and 40 x 3', The Spinoff for viewing on The Spinoff, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, up to $446,502.

The Gender Agenda 2, 5 x 10', Rumbletoon for viewing on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook, up to $395,665.

On the Brink, 6 x 10', Fire Fire for viewing on YouTube and TikTok, up to $199,955.

Tamariki/Children

Be With Zee, 52 x 5’ 30”, Oddly Quiet for viewing on TVNZ+ and YouTube Kids, up to $2,500,000.

The Last Moa, 10 x 5’ and 10 x 1’, Vinewood for viewing on Sky Open, Sky Go, Neon and YouTube Kids, up to $685,997.

Music With Michal 2, 20 x 6’, 80’ YouTube Shorts, 200’ podcasts, 600’ livestreams, Music with Michal for viewing on YouTube Kids and RNZ, up to $399,220.

How Was Your Day?, (Game) Mad Carnival Entertainment for HEIHEI and Steam, up to $103,100.

Kupu, (Game) Arctic Arcade for HEIHEI, Apple App Store, and Google Play Store, up to $45,000.

Adu Puli - Goat vs Tiger, (Game) Whoopee Interactive for HEIHEI, Steam and itch.io, up to $24,480.

Discoverability (Non-Music)

Doc Edge Industry 2025, Doc Edge, up to $35,000.

Doc Edge Awards 2025, Doc Edge, up to $15,000.

NZ Web Fest 2025, NZ Web Fest, up to $10,000.

1-Minute AI Film Festival, AI Forum New Zealand, up to $10,000.

Yami SouNZ Summit 2025, Lake Wanaka SouNZ Incorporated, up to $6,000.

Industry support (non-Music)

Greenlit 2025, Greenlit Inc, up to $25,000.

WeCreate 2025, WeCreate Inc, up to $10,000.

Development Music

Amped Music Project 2025, Dunedin Fringe Arts Trust, up to $10,000.

Fan Camp Pan-Asian & Rangatahi, The Little Family Foundation, up to $11,612.

Going Local 2025, Independent Music NZ (IMNZ), up to $2,000.

National Songwriting & Peace Song Competition 2025, Play It Strange Trust, $20,000.

Back To Basics 2025, Music Managers Forum, up to $5,000.

Music

New Music Project

Alayna - The Heavenly Feminine, up to $55,000

Paige, paigesspace, up to $44,000

Mermaidens, Glossy!, up to $55,000

Three Houses Down, Album 3, up to $55,000

Delaney Davidson, Baby Heavy Weight, up to $55,000

Lilbubblegum, Multi-single Project, up to $55,000

Reiki Ruawai, Album, up to $55,000

Mikey Mayz, Around The Sun, up to $55,000

Teo Glacier, In Another Life, up to $55,000

MOHI, The Flowers That Grow From Concrete Pavements, up to $34,000

Muroki, Album, up to $55,000

Hori Shaw, Buckle Up, up to $40,000

Dick Move, LP III, up to $55,000

Kiki Rockwell, Changeling In The Birch Tree, up to $55,000

New Music Project Kids

Itty Bitty Beats, Songs For Early Learning, up to $55,000

Miss Nicky Says, Pepeha, up to $54,988

The KaRs, He Kākano: The Seeds Of Resilience, up to $55,000

New Music Pasifika (each receive up to $11,000)

10A, Dara Nickel, Trust Issues

ELENA, Love Again

La Coco, Linger

Lehali, Her Name Is Kanaky

LILA, Yes And Yes

Livingstone Efu feat. Lani Alo, Finauga

Luana Gordon, Waiting For You

MITI, Wasting More Time On You

Moso feat. DKPoet, Viti

MOZIE, Here We Go Again

Myshaan feat. Kennyon Brown, Pacific Beauty

Pati AF, Be Like Me

Pope Rz feat. Son Of O, Toxic (Like Dat)

Rizvan, ITIZWATITIZ

SAAZ, ILY

Signature Choir - feat. Josh Tatofi, Key Of G

Summer Vee, Break Through

Tia, Beach Not A Bay

Tyrun x Caru, airpoints

Vitinia, FLY

Waiata Takitahi (each receive up to $15,000)

Lee Stuart, Best

Allana Goldsmith, Ohia

Arahi, Mai Tawhiti

Aro, Te Karanga

Come on Up, Life

Hidz, E Te Tau

Hori Shaw, I Know A Place

IA, He Piko He Tuna feat. Rei

Jordyn with a Why & Chase Woods, dancing gets to....

KOMMI, Whakakapia feat. Marlon Williams

Mirage, Before The Night

NLC, ko au ko au

Swizl Jager, Driver

The Mentalist Collective, E Rere

New Music Single (each receive up to $11,000)

A.R.T, It's On You

Blake, Ransom

Bridges, Drive

Christabel, Contrarian!

Church, N 2 Minds

DARTZ, Moving To Melbourne

Dateline, Drama

Elipsa, Best To Do It

Emerson, Tip Of My Tongue

Fables, Sundown

Abby Christo, Boy Bye

Alba Rose, poison

Arahi, I Wish You Moved To The City With Me

Averie, honeycomb

Bella Rafflyn, Corduroy Boy

Brooke x Starce, Takin' Off

Crystal Chen, Can't Help It

Dead Favours, Ghosts

DeepState, Rain

Em, Love To Be

Emily C. Browning, Goldfish

Gareth Thomas, Lilly Knows Electricity

Gracie Moller, Cute Aggression

Hyan, Locked In (feat. Emile & Young Gho$t)

Israel Starr & The Mighty Asterix, Special Selection

Jude Kelly, Medusa

Kédu Carlö, Trust My Intuition

KRISTN, Me & You

Kyla Greening, Poly Boy Smooth

Len Blake, Alone

Lepani, Feel It

Made You Look, Sweater

MAYJUN, Secret

Mirage, Steal My Heart

MOKOMOKAI, THE ONE

Nauti, 5 Star General

PANIA, Pity Party

Phoebe Vic, It's My Pleasure

Romi Wrights, Shine Your Light

Sub-Tribe, HONEY

The Mons Whaler, Acolyte

WHO SHOT SCOTT, PACK STEEL

Gracie Moller, Clashing Teeth

Guardian Singles, Crushed Ice

Hanbee, summer hearts

Ha the Unclear, Cumberland Street

Hemi Hemingway, Wings Of Desire

Mim Jensen, Safe In Body

Parallel Park, Empty House

Phoebe Rings, Fading Star

Racing, Mystery Love

Sanoi, Willys Heartbreak Hotel feat. PARK RD

Soft Bait, Long Line

Stan Walker, LOVE SICK

Steffany Beck, Country Strong

T.G. Shand, The Deadpan Break

The Bats, Loline

Tom Scott, 'Til Then

Troy Kingi, Isn't How I Remember feat. SWIDT

Tusekah, Always

Wet Denim, Lonely For A While

Xuzz, I Don't Get It