Seven countries buy N.Z. film

Press, 5 November 1979, Page 4

Seven countries buy N.Z. film

PA Wellington A Wellington man has sold a 10-minute film to seven countries, giving it a projected audience of millions, but only about 20 New Zealanders have ever seen it. David Gibson made an educational documentary film, “High-country Children of New Zealand,” in five days. Encyclopaedia Britannica in the United States has paid $13,000 for it, and will show it on television and in American schools. France, which has bought only one other New Zealand film, paid $2500 for Mr Gibson’s film.

Other buyers have been Britain’s ITV network, Italy, Sweden, Denmark, and the Netherlands and Mr Gibson said that he was in the final stages of negotiation for its sale to the Australian Broad-

casting Commission. “High-country Children,” in slightly more than 10 minutes, shows the daily life of sheep station children, from mustering to Correspondence School work.

Mr Gibson said that he tailored it to the advice of film-buyers at the Cannes television market last year. He kept it short, and suitable for primary schools and television. New Zealand’s film industry was preoccupied with making “the great New Zealand feature film,” but was ignoring the potential of much more basic material, Mr Gibson said.

“I hate to sound boring, but the success of ‘Highcountry Children’ can mainly be attributed to market research,” he said. “Instead of making something and then trying to sell it, I found out what would sell first.’.’ .