Economic trends in the screen sector

Comprehensive economic data on the screen sector builds and strengthens our understanding of the economic contribution of the sector to New Zealand, and plays a valuable role informing policymakers and the sector.

Economic trends in the screen sector: Firms & employment

Screen has been recognised as a growing sector with potential to contribute to New Zealand's GDP, employment and economic diversification. This report is a first step in our development of improved monitoring of the sector and its contribution to New Zealand.

'Economic trends in the screen sector: Firms and employment', completed in December 2021, covers firms and employment trends from 2000 to 2020.

Read the full report

Report highlights

Firm characteristics

  • The number of firms has increased at an annual average rate of 8.3% between 2015 and 2020. The vast majority of these are sole traders or contractors.
  • The New Zealand screen sector is structured increasingly around temporary working arrangements and project-based contracts.

Employment and Skills

  • It is estimated that around 13,900 people are working in the screen sector; either self-employed or as waged and salaried employees.
  • Most new employees in the screen sector are contractors or self-employed, working mainly in the post-production sub-sector in Wellington.
employees sub sector

Download the screen sector data 2021

Screen sector data 2021 [XLSX, 171 KB]

Last updated: 27 January 2022