The Hobbit film arrangements could see all employment law and conditions undermined...

Image via WikipediaThe whole Hobbit film charade was a union beat-up. Peter Jackson was looking after his own backside and blamed the rather naive union leaders for the whole controversy. The unions didn't create the situation, but gave the NZ government somebody to blame They will learn from it.. And Jackson has no credibility any more as a person, apart from his obvious film making abilities.


The Hollywood heavies from Warner Brothers films  had a bottom line: They wanted higher subsidies for the two Hobbit films and some guarantees that there would not be any union disruption; there are no guarantees for the future.


The Avator films were coming here regardless of the Hobbit controversy. The whole thing was an emotional  beat-up and New Zealand and its people the losers.


It has been claimed  that the cost of the Hobbit films could be higher than the extra $15 million in subsidies. signed away recently, and kiwi workers could be the real losers here.

The door has been opened for a radical rewrite of of our employment laws that will see workers rights stripped away even further than in the past - contracting work could start to be the norm in other industries too.  A distinct class of workers has been defined - the real relationship between 'masters and servants'.

The Employers and Manufacturers Association wants the new law that was rushed through under urgency extended to all sectors. If this was ever done workers in this country would have all their rights and benefits stripped away from them: Holiday pay, sick pay and the protection of employment laws

As contractors you would have to provide all your own tools and equipment, rent your desks, computers, pay for your own telephones etc.


The Warner Brothers hitmen wanted certainty in the industry here. Something they can't guarantee back home in the US . But at present under existing law, the Inland Revenue Department, the employees themselves and other government departments can challenge any bogus arrangements.


It has been said that we must protect the existing master - servant foundation of our employment laws, because it is based on facts, not convenience. And also protects existing working conditions. Even the Employment Contracts Act of 1991 couldn't undermine employment law, just amend it.



But Peter Jackson supports the undermining of our employments laws to enable him to make a few million dollars more from his film making. He should be run out of New Zealand under permanent exile. What did he do to earn his knighthood? Now you know why Helen Clark and the previous Labour -led government abolished these colonial rewards. Peter Jackson and the ratbags from Warner Brothers films deserve each other!

Related articles

• "New Zealand Parliament Passes Hobbit Bill" and related posts (theonering.net)
• The Hobbit hullabaloo | Toby Manhire (guardian.co.uk)
• "Wingnut Films Releases Statement From Sir Peter Jackson And Fran Walsh" and related posts (theonering.net)
• ArtsBeat: After Talks, No Decision on Location for 'Hobbit' Films (artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com)
• "New Zealand is still Middle-earth: A summary of the Hobbit crisis" and related posts (davidbordwell.net)
• Labor Bill Promised for 'Hobbit' Films Is Passed (artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com)
• The Hobbit To Be Filmed In New Zealand After All (entertainment.slashdot.org)

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)

NZ Actors equity union hits back at Peter Jackson...

Image via Wikipedia

NZ Actors Equity union hits back at Peter Jackson...





The NZ Actors Equity union has hit back at Sir Peter Jackson’s claim their actions are threatening the continued filming of The Hobbit in New Zealand.



“The union is simply seeking an opportunity to sit down calmly with the producers to find a suitable solution,” says President Jennifer Ward-Lealand.



The union has taken advice from a barrister specialising in competition law and say:



“There’s no legal impediment to negotiating fair wages and terms for actors taken on as employees.



“Nothing in the Act prohibits us from having some meaningful engagement with the producers on non-price terms for actors taken on as independent contractors, such as rolling credits to acknowledge New Zealand actors' input into the movie.



“Nor does the Act prohibit us from discussing pricing in general terms with the producers to enable us to help our independent contractor members in their individual negotiations with producers. The union accepts that these could only be recommended prices - nothing more.”



In his earlier press release Jackson said the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance’s “demand that producers on the film enter into collective bargaining with NZ Equity/MEAA” was illegal under New Zealand law.



The stoush erupted when the Australian actor’s union, the MEAA, asked actors to boycott filming of The Hobbit until a standard employment agreement was reached. The union was concerned actors on the film were being employed on inferior non-union contracts.



Jackson says the union's actions could jeopardise the New Zealand movie industry, resulting in a long - term big budget movie drought. He has also threatened to move production of The Hobbit to Eastern Europe.



Ward-Lealand says the union just wants to secure a meeting with the production team for The Hobbit.



“I can assure the producers that our requirements are entirely reasonable. Many relate to basic conditions of engagement with no cost implications at all, and the overall impact of our demands is likely to be miniscule for a production of this scale.



“As we’ve been unable to secure a meeting with the production, Sir Peter does not yet have any idea of what we’re seeking,” she says.



However, Jackson says the Screen Production and Development Association (Spada) has tried to meet with the MEAA for 18 months without success.



Yesterday The Hobbit’s producers made several requests to attend a Wellington union meeting, at which some actors voted against the union’s proposals, but were refused entry shortly before it started.



It is not usual policy for management or owners to attend union meetings.



This dispute is undoubtably having some affect on Jackson's standing and mana within New Zealand.



Acknowledgements: 3 News /Reuters