The New Zealand Film and Television School

The school was founded as a charitable trust by a group of local filmmakers including Robin Laing, Alun Bollinger and John Reid.

[1] It began classes on 31 August 2000 (with a formal opening ceremony taking place in May 2001)[2] and was originally based in the suburb of Newtown.

[3][4] Its set-up costs were partly funded by the Wellington City Council;[3] mayor Mark Blumsky said that it would ensure that film production in Wellington continued following the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

[9][10][11] In 2006 the school collaborated with acting students from Toi Whakaari to create short films which were screened at the City Gallery.

[14][15] In 2018 the film course became part of Whitirea based at its new Te Auaha campus on Dixon Street.