Maori regard the land as their homeland with every area of New Zealand under tribal guardianship. It is therefore courteous for filmmakers to seek the blessing of the local tribe for major projects, whether they directly involve Maori or not. For films with Maori content or those that require significant participation of the Maori community, it is important to present the project to the tribe on the marae. A local Maori elder can arrange for the filmmakers to visit the marae, or the New Zealand Film Commission can refer filmmakers to a Maori liaison person who will advise visitors on marae procedures and local customs. It is recommended that the delegation is led by high-ranking people on the production and that up to two days is allowed for the visit.

Filmmakers wanting to access certain key locations in and around Auckland now have a comprehensive set of guidelines for gaining permission and working on those sites, thanks to discussions between Film Auckland and Ngati Whatua o Orakei after the latter raised concerns about the increasing demand for filming within its tribal area.

See this article from Onfilm magazine's October 2009 issue for more information on the guidelines.