Posted on 10/20/2010 12:48:08 PM PDT by Kaosinla
An update: Seems the NZ government is getting concerned:
WELLINGTON, New Zealand—The prospect of losing a two-part, US$500 million “Lord of the Rings” prequel has prompted New Zealand Prime Minister John Key to act.
Just four months before principal photography was due to begin, director Peter Jackson warned Thursday that Time Warner Inc.’s New Line Cinema will move production of the “The Hobbit”—beset by labor uncertainly—out of the country. New Zealand Actors’ Equity union, which had called on actors around the world to refuse to work on the film, appeared to back down after Mr. Jackson’s warning, with Actors’ Equity organizer Frances Walsh declaring “industrial issues” no longer a barrier.
Peter Jackson’s ‘The Lord of the Rings’ trilogy really put New Zealand on the film-production map.
.
“The damage has already been done,” said a spokesman for Mr. Jackson’s company, Wingnut Films.
Economic and Development Minister Gerry Brownlee agreed. “Sending a message internationally that this was an environment where you have unstable employment relations is absolutely disastrous.”
So Mr. Key has stepped up; he and members of his government want to meet with Warner executives here to discuss what can be done to make sure New Zealand doesn’t lose the blockbuster. According to New Line spokeswoman Candice McDonough, the California-based company hasn’t decided where to make the film; she declined to comment on whether production executives would meet with Mr. Key.
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[more at link]
It's like a flat cornbread.
I can hope they work it out to stay in NZ... just for the scenery, not for the actions of the actor's union.
I mean.... Hobbiton is there. And I'd imagine, work was ongoing to bring it back to what it was for Fellowship.
It'd be a shame to use another location that would perhaps be not quite as right.
I was never fond of unions, but I really hate them now. Yes Hair, Hobbitton has not only been replanted and refurbished, it has been expanded.
D&D geek here, too. Married with 3 kids, a house, and a dog. Assistant coach of my son's little league team. Productive member of society.
But I like Cheetos, I admit. Can't have them as I'm low-carbing, but I do like them.
So true! And those mountains, Gandalf; they are just stunning!
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