The Hobbit battle continues to intensify with emotions running high as questions remain unanswered about where it will be filmed and the fate of the New Zealand film industry.
Last Saturday the movie was given the go-ahead with shooting to begin in February. Academy award-winner Sir Peter Jackson will be directing the two-part film, projected to cost around NZ$660 million ($US500), according to www.stuff.co.nz.
NZ Actors’ Equity claims Jackson will not negotiate minimum work conditions for actors, a role the director says belongs to the New Zealand producers’ association.
Jackson warned against a multi-million dollar production like The Hobbit being targeted and made an industry precedent as that could see small film-makers go under, according to AFP.
“If The Hobbit goes ... look forward to a long dry big budget movie drought in this country,” Jackson told the news agency.
Indeed, the possibility of irreparable damage to the New Zealand film industry has also been raised by Prime Minister John Key who would like unions to give producers more leeway.
“This is a $3 billion($US2.3 billion) industry,” he said, according to AFP. “It employs a lot of people. It’s great for New Zealand. If you can’t make The Hobbit here, frankly, what movies are you going to make here?”
If the dispute continues unresolved, filming of the The Hobbit could move to several overseas locations including Australia, Scotland or Eastern Europe.
“We want to see this film produced in New Zealand,” said Simon Whipp, Director of the Actors’ Equity Section of the Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance, of which NZ Equity is a branch.
He said last week that a high media profile would be counterproductive and would “only serve the interests of those who seek to lure the production from New Zealand,” according to the NZ Actor’s Equity website.
The union believes calm and reasoned negotiations with the film producers on terms and conditions for the engagement of actors would be more productive.
Last Saturday the movie was given the go-ahead with shooting to begin in February. Academy award-winner Sir Peter Jackson will be directing the two-part film, projected to cost around NZ$660 million ($US500), according to www.stuff.co.nz.
NZ Actors’ Equity claims Jackson will not negotiate minimum work conditions for actors, a role the director says belongs to the New Zealand producers’ association.
Jackson warned against a multi-million dollar production like The Hobbit being targeted and made an industry precedent as that could see small film-makers go under, according to AFP.
“If The Hobbit goes ... look forward to a long dry big budget movie drought in this country,” Jackson told the news agency.
Indeed, the possibility of irreparable damage to the New Zealand film industry has also been raised by Prime Minister John Key who would like unions to give producers more leeway.
“This is a $3 billion($US2.3 billion) industry,” he said, according to AFP. “It employs a lot of people. It’s great for New Zealand. If you can’t make The Hobbit here, frankly, what movies are you going to make here?”
If the dispute continues unresolved, filming of the The Hobbit could move to several overseas locations including Australia, Scotland or Eastern Europe.
“We want to see this film produced in New Zealand,” said Simon Whipp, Director of the Actors’ Equity Section of the Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance, of which NZ Equity is a branch.
He said last week that a high media profile would be counterproductive and would “only serve the interests of those who seek to lure the production from New Zealand,” according to the NZ Actor’s Equity website.
The union believes calm and reasoned negotiations with the film producers on terms and conditions for the engagement of actors would be more productive.
