Posts by Sacha
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dripping, politically correct sanctimony
Heh. Tom, if only you could bring that less foamy Sanctuary persona here.
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It was only a matter of time before a fake Twitter account materialised, which might help take the edge off .
actorsequitypr
We have agreed to call off the embargo. As long as Sir Pete has a shave. -
Comments from crowd members about what happened outside the Matterhorn (h/t Jack Elder).
This is a lie - I was there - A group of workers waited outside to ask Mr Whipp why he had focused on the Hobbit and not other films and let our voice be heard - this was asked by one person (The camera man). These questions were asked by one person while the rest of us remained silent - There was no interest in Robyn in fact I only knew she was there when she pipped up for us to leave Mr Whipp alone at the end of the incident. The camera Man asked him questions until we got to Manners Mall...
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I've yet to hear of any health problems associated with not post-rinsing dishes. Although a flatmate had a nice party trick of rinsing into a pot and then boiling it dry to reveal the vile residue. Failed to persuade the rest of us.
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clearly articulating the clawbacks under threat
I'm still waiting to hear what they are
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due to their union's failure to focus and let the public in on really key points: that conditions are not good in their industry, that those conditions need addressing
In both education and film disputes, communication of what those key conditions are has been appallingly inept. It's surely no surprise that corporate media, big business or a right-wing government will come up with an opposing storyline. Being prepared would have been prudent.
Instead we've heard some inflammatory rhetoric and off-the-cuff confused reasoning from many quarters. Livelihoods are at stake so passion makes sense.
I'm not at all clear of the exact linkage between Peter Jackson, Weta and the stirring statement that we now hear was written (badly) some time earlier than yesterday. We've already discussed on other threads the muddy agendas in the union's behaviour to date. However, I can see how other parties going public if there was an agreement to work together first would be infuriating.
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Key joins the fray. From Newztalk ZB:
The Prime Minister, John Key, says the Government has not been lobbied for better tax incentives by The Hobbit's producers. He says he understands the union's actions and potential industrial disputes are the main bugbear, not tax breaks.
He says he'd like to be able to give Warner Brothers assurances when they're here next week because losing the films would be a tragedy for the country and the industry. "We need to recognise it's the actions of the unions that's taken us to the position we now find ourselves in which is the Hobbit movies may not be made in New Zealand".
And from Stuff:
Key said New Zealand did not need to sell itself as the place “with the biggest subsidies in the world for films to be made here".
"Our understanding is the major impediment to The Hobbit films being made in New Zealand is the actions of the union not tax incentives," he said.
"The film grants scheme in place to support the making of The Hobbit is generous. It's no question that other countries around the world have higher schemes but there needs to be some balance.
"New Zealand is a very good place to make movies… I think we have a strong position but industrial action from the unions and the threat of industrial action have substantially undermined the confidence Warner Brothers have in New Zealand. The Government needs to talk to them about that confidence."
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Herald reports Helen Kelly's interview with Radio NZ:
Ms Kelly said other countries had offered a deal that was double New Zealand's 15 per cent tax rebate for films.
"There is a theory that this whole thing has been blown up, that the genuine request by performers to negotiate the terms and conditions has been used to put pressure on the Government to change the terms in which this film will be made in New Zealand," she said.
"It's an international corporation bullying our government to match conditions that are available in other countries."
And from the same story:
NZ Equity member Robyn Malcolm said she wondered how asking for better conditions could have derailed a multi-million movie in New Zealand.
"I feel there is an enormous amount of inflammatory and dramatic language" and the dispute could have been solved by a mature conversation about a month ago," she said.
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Gordon Campbell has more on government incentives and the impact of the MGM takeover deals on the table, including timing.
Again, why isn’t the government at least thinking about raising our production rebates, to keep us in this very lucrative game?
If such a response truly isn’t being considered by the Key government, this must mean either (a) The Hobbit production is already in the bag for New Zealand, thanks mainly to Jackson or (b) the location shoot is as good as lost, and the government will be more than happy to blame the unions for it.
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How is the outcome of the MGM deal likely to impact on The Hobbit calculations? As mentioned, the Spyglass option means that MGM would shed its marketing and distribution arms, and there would be considerable costs downstream in contracting out those roles to say, Warners, their co-partner on The Hobbit.
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Those are among the extra costs that the Warners/MGM bean counters will be running through their calculators, and they will be stacking them up against the higher production subsidies available elsewhere in the world. I can’t see how any final decision on these matters – or on The Hobbit – can be made at Warners before the MGM creditors finally choose their poison, come October 29. -
What is this, France?
The catholic church..