Muse: Hooray for Wellywood (Really!)
187 Responses
First ←Older Page 1 … 4 5 6 7 8 Newer→ Last
-
recordari, in reply to
have riled Hollywood insiders.
Best we don't rile the Hollywood Insiders. It's the Illuminati, don't you know?
-
giovanni tiso, in reply to
Well, it got noticed in America. How proud the airport bosses must be.
Fitzgerald said a few days ago that the airport's legal advice is that they can go ahead regardless, which drew a rather testy response from the Hollywood chamber of commerce. So, to sum up: what Wellingtonians think doesn't count because the sign is aimed at visitors. What the owners of the sign we're plagiarising doesn't count because we think we ought to be able to get away with it. The airport board's consultation model is quite the beacon.
-
Latest in Dompost has airport being bloody-minded.
Wellington Airport says it is considering feedback about its controversial Wellywood sign, but will go ahead with it anyway.
...Wellington Airport chief executive Steve Fitzgerald said the airport had been in discussion with several councillors and senior council staff this week.
"We have listened and are aware of the range of views and were surprised by the apparent need for a motion."
However I just heard Bob Jones in the background preparing to make that a bloody nose. Wouldn't be the first time.
-
Steve Barnes, in reply to
“We have listened and are aware of the range of views and were surprised by the apparent need for a motion.”
Does that mean they are Shitting themselves?
;-) -
Islander, in reply to
Yes!
What I think whenever I hear that odd term! -
We still love the poo jokes ;-)
-
andin, in reply to
Hollywood Insiders
Nah, their just pissed cause a plane loaded with their favourite after dinner treat from Colombia seems to have landed in Wellington by mistake.
-
I always liked the nuclear-free Wellington sign - now in the Wellington Museum of City and Sea, it was rescued from a skip before being displayed, hence why it is snapped in half. It was located next to the main road beside the runway so you were in no doubt that it was directed at tourists and was on airport-owned land
-
And, Harold says this
-
Yes Jessica, that's the epithet we want the world to see and remember!
Despite personally being 99.9% against "New Zealand's Eiffel Tower", with all this highly publicized controversy, it'd make an interesting tale for would-be tour guides to dish out along with the intimation that more or less everyone in the country holds an opinion on the piece.
"Most people hate it"
It could thus serve as the perfect ice breaker for any visitor wanting to strike up conversation with the locals who (it has been said) are quite an insular bunch.
-
Ironically, I would massively prefer a giant garden gnome on the top of the hill.
I hope if it does get built (and I can't really raise myself to care either way), that rather than destroying it, the trend is to add things to it - a gnome, a big hat on an "O", massive y-fronts on the "Y". Way better use of idle time than this planking thing that is the trend this week.
People are actually trying to do something or not. Wouldn’t it be nice to see a bit more of this attitude with regard the country as a whole and the direction we are going there. Further up someone mentioned being an example of democracy if the protesters influenced a change of mind. Yes I think that would be refreshing.
I see it as the opposite. If the only thing which gets people up in arms is a sign which, when it comes down to it, has no real effects on anyone, rather than the umpteen things that are seriously wrong and which people could devote themselves to being up in arms about, then participatory demoracy isn't looking too good. I don't hold any hope that this will lead to larger numbers of people suddenly caring about all the other issues.
The airport is perfectly entitled to brand itself – when they say they’re wild at heart a) nobody cares and b) it doesn’t reflect on the rest of the city.
Maybe it's because they're wild at heart, that they felt able to put up the Wellywood sign despire that fact that almost everyone in the city didn't want it?
-
giovanni tiso, in reply to
Maybe it's because they're wild at heart, that they felt able to put up the Wellywood sign despire that fact that almost everyone in the city didn't want it?
Ah, so by Wild at Heart they mean Arseholes. It's so obvious when you explain it like that.
-
Steve Parks, in reply to
I think the biggest irritant for me – besides the idea that the airport gets to brand the whole city, and without consultation, which is appalling – is that when it became clear that everyone hated it, they opened the floor to suggestions for other signs. As if the hill couldn’t possibly survive without of any number of stupid-arse huge-lettered monikers.
Of course there are more egregious things to worry about in the country, possibly worthier of our outrage, but that people reacted to that particular act of imposition by a corporate board of a message designed to define who we are makes me not sorry at all. Kinda proud actually.
Yep.
But if we must have a sign there, I like Tau Henare’s suggestion:
KIA ORA
-
…a corporate artwork that purports to say something about Wellington as a whole?
Is it purporting that though?
Steve Fitzgerald said:
Everyone benefits from increasing tourism for Wellington. …
We remain open to ideas for future projects to further raise Wellington’s international profile.
And (emphasis added):
"When we judged them against the things we were trying to achieve – to celebrate the film industry, making it clear it was in Wellington, and making it globally relevant – Wellywood was the clear No1”.
A Hollywood-style sign saying Miramar was a “reasonably distant No2”.
So yes, it seems to me this is about branding Wellington and not Miramar. (I wouldn’t be surprised if Fitzgerald has not mentioned Miramar in any of his public statements on this issue.)*
[*Edit: notwithstanding addressing a question put to him mentioning Miramar.]
-
linger, in reply to
When McDonald’s opened in the cathedral square in Milan, it was allowed to but couldn’t use its ordinary signage, on account of the fact that it was too loud and brand-y. I assume this has happened elsewhere as well.
Yes -- there's another example in Freiburg (where the McD is sited on the city's original main gate). I was relieved they hadn't painted the gate arch yellow.
-
Steve Barnes, in reply to
Ah, so by Wild at Heart they mean Arseholes. It’s so obvious when you explain it like that.
And there I was thinking "Wild at Heart" was a reference to landing there, scary sometimes, well, most of the time actually.
ETA And. The thought of turning round and coming back the other way so the terrified passengers on the other side of the rattling plane can see how that sign is blowing in the gale force winds could put me off visiting Wellington forever.
Still, saves having to build a roller-coaster.
;-) -
@Andin: If I can avoid slandering people, could you please avoid making dodgy insinuations about the recreational proclivities of people who might be feeling more than usually tetchy (and litigious) at the moment?
@Gio. You might want to be a little more precise in your use of terms like "plagiarise". Would also note that the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce is rather prone to making legal threats, but as I understand it they're on rather shaky legal ground here if they want to get beyond rather bog-standard sabre-ratting. Sill, nice to know there are some evil Yankee arses we should kiss after all. To be entirely self-interested, perhaps the HCC would like to give intellectual property/trademark specialists A.J. Park and ask for my sister -- she'd love the work. :)
-
giovanni tiso, in reply to
Would also note that the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce is rather prone to making legal threats, but as I understand it they're on rather shaky legal ground here if they want to get beyond rather bog-standard sabre-ratting.
Are you an expert on the litigation record of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce now? It must be handy for the weekly pub quiz. But yes, sure, for "plagiarise" the well-disposed person may feel free to read "ever-so-creatively appropriate". Whatevs.
-
Sacha, in reply to
Still, saves having to build a roller-coaster
I'm imagining a horizontal bungy across the approach path, for jaded thrill-seekers.
-
Sacha, in reply to
You might want to be a little more precise in your use of terms like "plagiarise".
I think we're all familiar enough with what it means to copy someone else's idea rather than have a new one of our own. It won't come down to legal arguments but to the airport company realising that this is poisoning the value of their expensively-crafted community goodwill - and then councillors and others having a quiet word with Infratil behind the scenes to find some face-saving alternative.
-
Craig Ranapia, in reply to
Are you an expert on the litigation record of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce now?
Of course not – after turning off Safe Search and looking for pictures of phallic garden ornaments the interwebz broke. Now, I’m NOT claiming any bloody expertise in a legal bog like trademark/intellectual property law. (If I was, you'd be running up quite a tab.) What I’m suggesting is that it might be wise not to presume the HCC has a slam-dunk case because you very obviously think the other side are a pack of douche-orcs.
-
giovanni tiso, in reply to
What I’m suggesting is that it might be wise not to presume the HCC has a slam-dunk case because you very obviously think the other side are a pack of douche-orcs.
I'm not interested nor indeed qualified to quantify the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce's chances to prevent Wellington Airport from ripping off their sign. I'm just interested in calling this particular spade a spade.
-
Ngaire BookieMonster, in reply to
*frivolous aside*
(the d is silent).
For me, thanks to these four small words, it's now referred to as "Wellywoo", and will be forever and ever.
Amen, Wellywoo. -
Leaping back a bunch of pages, can I just add my name to the list of those enamoured with the new Sherlock. Loved it! So much so in fact that I ordered the DVD set from Amazon UK the other night (free shipping! Hooray!). I found it completely delightful.
Back to the Wellywood sign.
While initially I didn’t much mind either way – I wasn’t horrified by it like many people were – I find that the attitude of TPTB at Wellington Airport has really turned me against the idea.
It’s the whole “We’re considering your feedback – but we’re going to go ahead with it anyway” attitude. Like, in what way are you even pretending to “consider feedback” if you’re planning to ignore all negative feedback and do it anyway?
That, and the fact that, as mattgeeknz (hi Matt!) mentioned earlier in the thread – it doesn’t just have an affect on those living nearby. Physically it can be seen for miles – from many places around Welli – but even more than that – the word “Wellywood” itself encompasses all of us who live here, whether we like it or not. As there are so many people who don’t like it, I think Wellington Airport need to take that into account and act accordingly. Otherwise, who died and made them king?
-
Tim Hannah, in reply to
It won’t come down to legal arguments but to the airport company realising that this is poisoning the value of their expensively-crafted community goodwill – and then councillors and others having a quiet word with Infratil behind the scenes to find some face-saving alternative.
Thing is, that's what most people thought was happening last year. The whole "we'll consider your feedback and alternatives" was so obviously a face saving gesture. Except apparently it wasn't.
Post your response…
This topic is closed.