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| New Zealand (Photo credit: erjkprunczýk) |
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"Prime Minister John Key is urging New Zealanders to embrace the global premiere of Sir Peter Jackson's The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey in Wellington on Wednesday.
"Let's celebrate. It's been a tough few years economically for New Zealand and the rest of world," Mr Key said on TVNZ's Breakfast programme.
Wingnut Films spokesman Matthew Dravitzki said the film was looking sensational.
He also said Canadian filmmaker James Cameron, who is moving to New Zealand, would make an appearance on Wednesday.
Mr Key did not accept the suggestion that the government was beholden to large US film studios.
He said every country making movies outside the US had subsidies.
"It's a bit circular. Yes, you pay a subsidy that is 15 per cent of the qualifying expenditure but of course we're charging 15 per cent GST so it is not quite as bad at it looks."
He said the government did not change a lot with respect to subsidies for The Hobbit films but it did clarify law on defining contractors after the issue was raised in a lawsuit.
Mr Key, who also holds the tourism portfolio, will introduce executives from Warners Brother and MGM at a pre-opening event.
New Zealand taxpayers lent a $67.1 million helping hand via tax rebates for the making of The Hobbit in the first two years of actual production, according to its financial statements.
The movie, produced by Warner Bros Entertainment subsidiary 3 Foot 7, reaped $46.9 million from New Zealand's large budget screen production grant in the 12 months ended March 31, according to statements lodged with the Companies Office.
That added to the $20.2 million tax rebate it received in 2011, the first year it got the subsidy."
Just who is benefitting from the Peter Jackson film projects? Not the average New Zealander. Ho hum!
"Let's celebrate. It's been a tough few years economically for New Zealand and the rest of world," Mr Key said on TVNZ's Breakfast programme.
Wingnut Films spokesman Matthew Dravitzki said the film was looking sensational.
He also said Canadian filmmaker James Cameron, who is moving to New Zealand, would make an appearance on Wednesday.
Mr Key did not accept the suggestion that the government was beholden to large US film studios.
He said every country making movies outside the US had subsidies.
"It's a bit circular. Yes, you pay a subsidy that is 15 per cent of the qualifying expenditure but of course we're charging 15 per cent GST so it is not quite as bad at it looks."
He said the government did not change a lot with respect to subsidies for The Hobbit films but it did clarify law on defining contractors after the issue was raised in a lawsuit.
Mr Key, who also holds the tourism portfolio, will introduce executives from Warners Brother and MGM at a pre-opening event.
New Zealand taxpayers lent a $67.1 million helping hand via tax rebates for the making of The Hobbit in the first two years of actual production, according to its financial statements.
The movie, produced by Warner Bros Entertainment subsidiary 3 Foot 7, reaped $46.9 million from New Zealand's large budget screen production grant in the 12 months ended March 31, according to statements lodged with the Companies Office.
That added to the $20.2 million tax rebate it received in 2011, the first year it got the subsidy."
Just who is benefitting from the Peter Jackson film projects? Not the average New Zealander. Ho hum!
©AAP 2012
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