The New Zealand actor’s union has accepted an invitation to meet with the Screen Production and Development Association (SPADA). The meeting is likely to take place Thursday or Friday of this week according to SPADA chief executive Penelope Borland:
“I also rang Equity today and said to them did they realise how grave this situation was and we need to resolve this and meet. We’re hoping that we will hear from Equity what their issues have been and to work out a way forward. We’ve been wanting to meet with them for quite some time.”
She also urged the actor’s union to call off their boycott of “The Hobbit” production as the situation is now in the “11th Hour.” On the other side of the issue, in a statement on the Actors Equity New Zealand site, President Jennifer Ward-Lealand is calling for calm on the issue”
Over the last few weeks there has been a high level of interest and emotion in the issues surrounding the engagement of performers on the production. “We have chosen, in a deliberate decision, to avoid the media fray on this. Negative comments don’t serve the primary objective of seeing the production made in New Zealand.”
Communication is key in this situation and it looks like the wheels are turning for that to happen. The end of the week will hopefully bring good news from all sides of the issue. With all the news coming so fast and furious, don’t take your eyes off of TheOneRing.net for long! Thanks to message board member ranger123 for finding the tv.co.nz article.
