From Peter Jackson to Taika Waititi : New Zealand Originated Genre Films and TV Series

New Zealand has a history of providing genre film/TV series to the world, such as Bad Taste, Braindead, Xena, Hercules, Almighty Johnsons, more recently What We Do In the Shadows, Wellington Paranormal, and Mega Time Squad. What makes New Zealand genre films/series unique? What are some of the notable productions from the past, and what filmmakers should we look for in the future?