Chrysalis increases NZ interests

The UK's Chrysalis TV Group has sizeably upped its interests in New Zealand, after a shareholder rejig at the Auckland-based drama production outfit South Pacific Pictures.

Chrysalis previously had a 33.33% stake in the outfit, as did two local co-shareholders Force Corporation and Endeavour Productions.

Force has now sold its stake entirely, resulting in Chrysalis' stake rising to 60% and the remainder split between SPP's md John Barnett and Endeavour, a firm controlled by Barnett.

SPP's current productions include primetime work for all of NZ's free-to-air terrestrials: the daily hospital drama Shortland Street for TV2; plus Mercy Peak, Mataku and Being Eve. It is also in production on an $8m feature film, Whale Rider.