And more ''one-off'' television dramas are in the pipeline, Firsthand Productions producer Richard Thomas says.
The company has hired a Suitcase Outside Broadcast unit, which can literally fit inside a suitcase, from Vidpro in Christchurch.
Traditionally, television shows were shot with large cameras attached to a high quality broadcasting unit stored inside a large bus, which was usually parked outside the film set, he said.
Firsthand Productions staff spent yesterday morning practising with the new equipment and would begin shooting their first drama - in collaboration with Natural History New Zealand - at Plato Restaurant next month.
The drama, titled Waiting Room, was written by Plato co-owner Rebecca Tansley and is centred around the restaurant's snooker table.
The snooker room was a metaphor for purgatory, he said.
''This is a remarkable day. It's the first time in New Zealand that the latest small digital cameras are combined with a mixing unit the size of a suitcase, rather than have a huge bus outside doing the same thing.''
Mr Thomas said the unit would allow the company to make more Dunedin-made shows for New Zealand television because it could be used in almost any location and was less expensive to operate.
''We're producing outside broadcast drama for less than half the price it would normally cost.
''If we can make it for half the price, it means we can do more of it in New Zealand.
''We are going to be able to produce truly local television drama. Up until now, most of it has been produced in Wellington or Auckland.''
Although the gear was smaller, Mr Thomas said the picture would still be world class broadcast quality.
The company plans to shoot similar dramas in Invercargill, Christchurch, Napier and Gisborne.
