Hobbit films will be made in NZ - but at what cost to this country?

Image via Wikipedia

The Hobbit films are to be made in New Zealand - but at what cost to New Zealand?



Prime Minister John Key made the announcement on Wednesday night, following two days of talks with Warner Bros executives in Wellington.



Mr Key said an agreement had been reached with the US studio which is financing the two films. They will be directed by Sir Peter Jackson.



The Government says it will introduce legislation in Parliament on Thursday to clarify the employment situation of independent contractors and employees as it relates to the film production industry in New Zealand.  Now NZ legislation is to be influenced from outside NZ. Will China be next to influence change in other areas?



Warner Bros had warned its concerns over industrial relations issues in New Zealand could see it move the project to another country.



"The industrial issues that have arisen over the past several weeks have highlighted a significant set of concerns for the way in which the international film industry operates," Mr Key said.



"We will be moving to ensure that New Zealand law in this area is settled to give film producers like Warner Bros the confidence they need to produce their films in this country."



Mr Key confirmed the Government will widen the qualifying criteria for its Large Budget Screen Production Fund "to improve New Zealand's competitiveness as a film destination for large budget films."



The Hobbit films will receive an extra tax rebate of $US7.5 million each, depending on box office takings, he said.



The Government will also offset $US10 million of the films' promotion by Warner Bros as part of a strategic partnership to publicise New Zealand.



One of the films will have its world premiere in New Zealand.


KR says:


Peter Jackson's credibilty has been changed for ever in this country. Since  I have lost all  respect for him I will refuse to refer him as Sir, in much the same way as I refuse to refer to Roger Douglas as Sir, too! Jackson's claims that a 'gun was held to his head' is exaggerated claptrap.

There is no doubting Jackson's brilliance as a film-maker, but he has nailed his political affiliation to the rightwing National Party mast. The National Government won't be in power for too  much longer Mr Jackson; it could well be  next year as there are signs that the tide is going out for them. Really, it all depends on Phil Goff's performance as opposition leader in coming months. He would  never change legislation as Key has done to allow employees to become contractors in a New Zealand context. That is something I'm certain about.







Acknowledgements: © 2010, Radio New Zealand

Related articles

• N.Z. Won't Pay Unlimited Checks for Hobbit, Says Key (businessweek.com)
• Hobbit studios demand tax breaks from N.Z. (cbc.ca)
• ArtsBeat: After Talks, No Decision on Location for 'Hobbit' Films (artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com)
• Jackson says unions 'held gun to his head' over Hobbit (showbizandstyle.inquirer.net)
• New Zealand Will Lose If 'Hobbit' Bidding War Erupts, Key Says (businessweek.com)

The Hobbit and Peter Jackson's credibility

Image via WikipediaThe Hobbit, and Peter Jackson's credibility...


Peter Jackson has staged some epic, humdinger battles on-screen, but the battle royale taking place off-screen over The Hobbit — with actors’ unions feuding with the production and Warner Bros. threatening to relocate filming out of New Zealand — clearly has left him deeply exasperated. In an interview with a New Zealand television reporter (see part of the interview embedded below), the director vents his frustration at the ongoing labor dispute, which is just the latest in a series of difficult hurdles he has had to overcome to bring The Hobbit to the screen.



Appearing with co-writer Philippa Boyens on a soundstage built for The Hobbit, he frets that the unions’ boycott — which he says had “no validity” — has done great harm to the reputation of the New Zealand film industry, so much so that he doesn’t know how he can persuade Warner Bros. that it should spend hundreds of millions of dollars to make the two Hobbit films there. “I don’t know what to say,” he says. “This is where I’m out of my depth … I can talk my way around the movie. But to tell the studio why investing $500 million in our country is a good idea when they’ve just seen the disgusting, frivolous action that’s happened … I literally don’t know what to say to them.” Taking aim at Helen Kelly, the president of the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions, who has been critical of his handling of the dispute, Jackson’s anger boils over: “How dare you. You are choosing an Australian union over the workers of our country. Stuff her. I don’t care what the hell she says.”



At the same time, Jackson insists he is neither anti-union (“I’m a paid-up member of four different unions”) nor anti-actor (“They can be a little self-centered, some of them,” he says, “but we have had a huge show of support, too.”) With the brinksmanship on both sides reaching a climax, Jackson says he doesn’t know at this point whether the film will stay in New Zealand or not. “Is the movie going to come or go? We don’t know,” he says. “The damage has been done.”



It’s been a long, tough slog just to get this movie to the starting line. Obviously, yesterday’s casting news lifted the spirits of Hobbit-watchers, but given how crucial the strange and beautiful New Zealandness of New Zealand is to Jackson’s vision of Middle-earth, does this ongoing wrangling worry you? Watch the video below (there’s also additional footage from the Jackson interview here) and share your thoughts.


KR says:

`` Peter Jackson can not walk on or make wine from water!Should pull his head in, keep out of the politics and stick to what he does extremely well - making movies.  He wants to be the benign dictator  who fires all the shots - some are missing the mark and destroying his credibility. I see another America's Cup scenario developing. The Americas Cup was going to be the greatest thing since sliced bread for our economy. The Americas Cup is now history as far as New Zealand is concerned. Many of his films are bizarre anyway. Just be careful Sir Peter Jackson that you don't end up like  Russell Coutts and become an exile from your own country.

Related articles

• "Fall-out from the actors’ boycott: finger-pointing and rallies" and related posts (kristinthompson.net)
• "Video Interview: Peter Jackson Speaks Frankly & Vents About The Hobbit Staying in New Zealand" and related posts (heyuguys.co.uk)
• Peter Jackson vents his frustration over the bitter 'Hobbit' labor dispute: 'I'm out of my depth.' (popwatch.ew.com)
• Watch Peter Jackson and Philippa Boyens Talk About Labor Issues on 'The Hobbit' (slashfilm.com)
• Video Of Peter Jackson and Philipa Boyens Talking about THE HOBBIT Union Issues (geektyrant.com)