Ataahua, one of our Kiwi connections, just posted on our Hobbit discussion board that Helen Kelly, president of the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions (CTU) has just been interviewed on Newstalk ZB. Highlights:
The move offshore is financially-driven, not actor-driven
“The issue is that countries are offering double the tax breaks (of New Zealand). Warners are in the process of doing as much damage as they can (to the NZ film industry) to get what they want. “New Zealand can compete on films if the tax system is right. We have to have the right financial conditions to compete.” She said New Zealand competes on talent and skills and we shouldn’t have to accept lower overseas conditions to be competitive.
A resolution was close
“We’re working with SPADA. Warners is fully aware that we’re within an inch of resolving this but they’re deciding to go this way. “The union is the way to unionise the film industry, and what is the problem with this? We have manufacturing and call centres going offshore, and are you suggesting that our actors shouldn’t be unionised?”
PJ’s role in the dispute
“Peter Jackson is a spoilt brat, and saying that in this country I know is sacriligious. He organised a meeting last night through Weta Workshop and wound those technicians up with false information. The were played like a fiddle and took the bait. He shared information that we’re forbidden from sharing (and said) it’s the performers’ request to meet that has hurt The Hobbit. It is the fault of Three Foot Seven to move the movie to film The Hobbit.”
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Bobafett sends in this recent message from Gerry Brownlee, Minister for Economic Developement in New Zealand. 14 Octorber 2010 Media Statement: The Screen Production and Developement Assosiation (SPADA), Actors’ Equity, and Council of Trade Unions representatives met today, in a meeting facilitated by Minister for Economic Developement Gerry Browlee. It was a useful and productive discussion. Thepartiesw have agreed to work together to udate the conditions of engagement for performers in the New Zealand screen production industry. The parties believe this process will help to ensure New Zealand remains an attractive screen production environment. No further comment will be made.
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To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Entertainment Weekly, we gathered 12 classic TV and movie casts for the ULTIMATE POP culture get-together. Classic Casts include: Back to the Future, Roots, Lord of the Rings, Pretty in Pink, Will & Grace, Alias, Northern Exposure, The Muppet Show, The West Wing, Gilmore Girls, Married with Children, and Scream.
What do you think about when you think about The Lord of the Rings? A few guesses: Gandalf staring down a fiery Balrog and proclaiming, “You shall not pass!” Legolas firing arrows as he surfs on his shield down the trunk of an Oliphaunt. Sam carrying Frodo to the top of Mount Doom, though he himself barely has the energy to stand. (Sam, if you really think about it, is the coolest character in the movies.) Aragorn being crowned king, then turning to Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin, who have lowered their heads reverently, and telling them, “My friends, you bow to no one.” (Aragorn, if you really think about it, is the coolest character in the movies.) Continue reading “EW Presents: ‘The Reunions’”
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From tvnz.co.nz: A meeting has been held today in Wellington between the warring Hobbit movie factions. The minister for economic development, Gerry Brownlee, facilitated the meeting between representatives of the Screen Production and Development Association (SPADA), Actors’ Equity, and Council of Trade Unions. Brownlee said it was a useful and productive discussion. He said the parties have agreed to work together to update the conditions of engagement for performers in the New Zealand screen production industry. The parties believe this process will help to ensure New Zealand remains an attractive screen production environment. Brownlee said no further comment will be made.
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With Calisuri posting the statement from Phillipa Boyens and Wingnut Films, it might be helpful to get an overview of what is going on in New Zealand.
A group of 90 actors met in Wellington Monday to discuss the boycott of the pair of potential “Hobbit” movies. Also present at the beginning of the meeting were non-actors from the New Zealand film industry including Boyens who clearly is the member of Peter Jackson’s team that will be the front on the labor battle in New Zealand. Continue reading “Overview of actor’s dispute developments”
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Things have quieted down a bit in the world’s media, but nothing has been settled yet on the two-part “Hobbit” production and a dispute with actors. What has changed is that both sides have gone mostly quiet in the press while government officials from both New Zealand and Australia have stepped in to comment or mediate. Meanwhile, Sam Neil says the whole thing could be resolved over a cup of tea.
But could ‘The Hobbit’ really leave New Zealand? Could it really walk away from the landscapes and the people who were the heart and soul of the LOTR trilogy? Isn’t this all a bluff in negotiations that everybody knows will be resolved? A spy close to the production tells us the possibility is absolutely real. The studios, after finally getting all the ducks in a row, want to greenlight and shoot these films and they are willing to leave New Zealand if they must. Canada believes it, so does Scotland and ironically, so does Australia. TORn is lacking a translator for most Eastern European languages but Romania and its neighbors also seem like a possibility. (I would throw Utah in the hat too!)
And the online petition we reported on, initiated by film industry pros in New Zealand, has at least has been noticed. In an interview “Hobbit” co-writer and co-producer Phillipa Boyens said,
“I tell you one thing that’s been amazing and that’s the support and it has I think personally made a huge difference, is the New Zealand industry has started to rally around to save this and they have the online petition . . . that’s been fantastic and Pete’s been reading that and taking heart from it.”
Keen eyes will discover many familiar names on the petition list, including a “confirmed” Elijah Wood. As always, TORn will bring you the latest news as it gets reported.
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