You used to almost have to wait for permission to get your Big Television Project made, reliant as you were on the TV Channels giving you a prime-time slot. But now there are increasing number of options, particularly for imaginative projects. You can go on-line with your web-series. You can get your project On Demand, with a view to being promoted to actual channels. And, speaking of channels, Maori TV is open to lots of interesting shows.
Joining us to discuss getting television made and getting it an audience are independent TV producers Desray Armstrong (films like Stray and TV series Wellington Paranormal), Kerry Warkia (Auckland Daze, Find me a Maori Bride and Nia's Extraordinary Life) and Julian Arahanga (actor turned producer of the year's most arresting project Colonial Combat).
All their projects are likely to be seen - mostly in on demand platforms next year. The obvious exception: Desray's second series of Wellington Paranormal which is a sitter for a prime-time slot.
The downside of all this is audience numbers. On Demand has so many titles that yours may easily get lost in them. And Maori Television may be well loved in principle, but its audience numbers are going down not up.
And yet producers and programme makers seem surprisingly up-beat. Sure, the climate isn't perfect, but when was it ever? And right now, they're putting together some exciting and innovative projects with the idea that if you build it audiences will come.
