NZ may lose 'Hobbit' filming over actor dispute

I thought this was all resolved. Other sites quote it as being in pre-production already.

Peter Jackson is nothing more than a NZ$450 million net worth bully, throwing his fat arse around. Hopefully Gandolf will smash him with his staff. Don't others deserve to be paid fairly, as you fly around in your Gulfstream jet that you bought last year?

Apparently only certain people are meant to benefit continuously from the sales of the film. This is a key problem in capitalism: the rich make the rules and when you try to get your fair share, rather than just take what they give you, they pull the rug out from under you.

Why shouldn't every single person involved get a share of future profits, especially the actors? Its their faces you will be seeing for years to come. What makes their work cheaper and to be set at a fixed wage? Ultimately, people will go see this movie and buy the DVDs as much for their work as Jacksons. And the investors? What did they do put provide capital?? They sit on their butts and collect forever while the actors who do the real work get a lump sum and are told to F off?

I want this movie to be made and I want to see it, but not enough to see the rich rob people again.

This is a key problem in capitalism: the rich make the rules and when you try to get your fair share, rather than just take what they give you, they pull the rug out from under you.

If you believe that then don't watch the movie or the vid. Simple as that. Or start your own film business. It ain't capitalism that will stop you from doing that...

The Ring flicks are boring anyways. They would be better done by Americans

yeah give it to Mel Gibson lol

whatever way you put it,,,NZ is the best place to film in (just coz im a kiwi and well bro it is better aye ) ha ha

@ Tim,,,,hmm the Last Samurai was also filmed in NZ,,,by Americans,,,and it was an ok,,,,film ,,, smile

Unthinkable to think that these moronic short sighted union leaders will stop these movies (and others) being made in New Zealand. Peter Jackson is not fat anymore and is a genius. Hope this all works out OK

what being fat or not has to do w/ it?

well that means a LOT in the US lol

Tim, what a meaningless response to my post. Me not watching the movie won't fix this situation. Me opening my own studio won't fix this situation. Maybe you could just try to explain to me why ownership should net more than actual work? Maybe you could answer that instead of trying to flank it.

certainly the world could do without more greedy politics

talking2U why is this a problem of capitalism? Investors deserve what is coming to them, why? Because they are the ones who put up their money and risk losing all. They are ultimately the losers when what they invested in flops, and therefore they deserve to be compensated when it goes the other way. People who work for the "man" have the security of a pay check and the peace of mind of not having any of their own capital at risk.

why is this a problem of capitalism? Investors deserve what is coming to them,

Everybody deserves a piece of the profits. If the profits keep coming year after year, everyone who made that possible deserve a piece, investors, actors, cameramen, all of them. It is a problem of capitalism that that is not happening. It is a problem I believe can be solved without changing the system much. It is a problem of capitalism, but not an inherent one.

And come on. Investors in this project would not lose much to just shut up and accept the claim, or cut a deal. They are just stubbornly demanding that they more than their fair share.

talking2U is on the right track. And let's be clear about this. If it flops and there are losses, everyone involved should also have their share of liability, refunding part or all of their "share" and even getting other jobs to pay back the losses if necessary.

TimRussert said: The Ring flicks are boring anyways. They would be better done by Americans

Interesting since it was Americans that made the 1977 animated version of The Hobbit and the 1978 version of TLOTR and both were pretty horrible. Jackson's films were wildly popular and part of the reason was that they did not have that Hollywood stink on them.

Anyway, hard to tell if you are just trying to get a rise or if you imagine yourself some sort of patriot for such a misguided statement.

throwing his fat arse around.

he hasn't been fat for about 4 or 5 years. the rest of your post was also wrong

I'm willing to bet there is more to this than meets the eye.

Apparently only certain people are meant to benefit continuously from the sales of the film. This is a key problem in capitalism: the rich make the rules and when you try to get your fair share, rather than just take what they give you, they pull the rug out from under you.

And you know where these monies are coming from? From the not so rich movie lovers!

talking2U is on the right track. And let's be clear about this. If it flops and there are losses, everyone involved should also have their share of liability, refunding part or all of their "share" and even getting other jobs to pay back the losses if necessary.

If you want to share in the profits, you should be willing to share in the losses. However, I don't think that is what talking2U has in mind.

Somewhere, somehow, some kiwi actors and movie workers started to think they are the all blacks of the movie world. Never believe your own press.

Somewhere, somehow, some kiwi actors and movie workers started to think they are the all blacks of the movie world. Never believe your own press.

More like the Australian union, the MEAA, promising some lofty kickbacks to a few Kiwi signatories. I can't understand why the handful of NZ actors are signing with this union from Australia who have effectively killed off overseas film production in Australia. I don't think they understand the implications at large here. The entire NZ film production industry stands to lose here.

The MEAA aren't a legally recognized bargaining entity in NZ and haven't even filed their earnings in NZ for the last three years according to NZ tax laws. It just sounds like typical union tactics. "If we can't have it, they can't have it."

There is a huge chance Warner Brothers will pull production offshore now. If they do, I can't see many movies being made in NZ again.

^^ I'm Austrlian, Leeroy, and I couldn't agree with you more. It's pretty disgraceful behaviour from the foreign unions.

Negotiations were concluded today and The Hobbit will be filmed in NZ after all.