A Wellington-made children's television series may be set to become a Chinese feature film – but Kiwi audiences may be lost in translation.
A contingent of Chinese businessmen is being wined and dined last week by Sir Richard Taylor's Pukeko Pictures company to secure a movie deal based on the WotWots television programme.
The series would be the first movie to be made under a co-production treaty signed with China last year, which Prime Minister John Key suggested held "significant benefits" for the film industry.
But translation issues could make it difficult for Kiwi audiences to get a look-in, according to Pukeko Pictures chief executive Andrew Smith.
The movie would be produced primarily for a Chinese audience – in both language and culture – but the company was investigating ways for other versions to be made.
"We're not actually 100 per cent sure how that would work at this stage," Mr Smith said.
Nine senior executives – from China's Guandong Zhujiang Film and Media Corporation, SASA Cinema, Guangzhou Exchange Services Group, Asian Road Club and Grand Entertainment – were considering this and other projects while being treated to cocktail parties and a trip to the South Island.
"We hope it's the beginning of not just the first project with Pukeko, but many more projects for New Zealand," Mr Smith said.
The contingent was being hosted by New Zealand film bodies, including the Film Commission, Film New Zealand and Grow Wellington.
The screen and digital sector in Wellington grew by 2.2 per cent in 2011, compared with national growth of 1.2 per cent, and generated $218 million for the economy.