Film

Helen Kelly: The Hobbit Dispute

Taken from Scoop News, by Helen Kelly - CTU President.

Helen Kelly, President of the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions provides a comprehensive account of one of last year's most contentious industrial disputes.

"Much has been written and said about the 2010 dispute between Warners and Actors Equity NZ. The CTU also has its story and this article is intended to tell the story from that point of view. It includes reference to a series of emails that were exchanged during the dispute. It refers to other documents that have been independently sighted by the media (links provided) but, to protect people involved, need to remain unpublished.

"Fundamentally this was simply a situation where a group of workers sought to have a say on the setting of their terms and conditions. This was not just in relation to the Hobbit - but to all screen productions made in New Zealand. This desire is independent of all the legal questions about employment status, status of the union and all other considerations - that is simply what it was, regardless of all the barriers that were subsequently put in their way."

Read the full article HERE.

Hobbits give way to dragons with new movie deal

Taken from NZ Herald, by Lincoln Tan.

The Lord of the Rings and Avatar may have put New Zealand on the world map, but the future of Kiwi-made films could be more like My Wedding and Other Secrets.

The romantic East-West culture clash comedy by local Chinese film-maker Roseanne Liang, about a New Zealand-born Chinese woman who falls in love and secretly marries a European man, opened last month as the first locally made film to screen both in English and Chinese, and with Chinese subtitles.

This will be the shape of movies to come, says Film Auckland executive manager Michael Brook as a growing number of Kiwi film-makers turn to China in the hope of making it big.

New Zealand signed a film co-production agreement with China last year aimed at boosting the film industry in both countries and at least half a dozen local film-makers are at various stages of obtaining funding or approval for a co-produced movie, according to Mr Brook.

There are huge gains to obtaining official co-production status because China's strict quota allows only 20 foreign films a year to be distributed commercially there, but a co-produced film would circumvent that.

Part of the requirement in getting that status was that at least a third of the cast must be Chinese and a theme that would interest viewers in both countries, Mr Brook said.

"Inevitably more movies will be like Karate Kid, which was partly funded by China, and less like Lord of the Rings as the Chinese become a more significant market."

China is poised to become the second-biggest movie market behind the United States, possibly breaking the 10 billion yuan ($2.1 billion) in box office takings in the next three years.

Film Auckland president Pete Rive said he started to "seriously consider" China as a potential partner after he led a delegation there in 2007.

"China is the fastest-growing industry on the planet ... we have seen film-makers from all over the world flocking to China because their box office grew 62 per cent from 2009 to 2010," Mr Rive said.

"I believe there is going to be a very exciting string of co-productions with China as we can deliver international movies with Chinese sensibilities ... the co-production treaty gives us a privileged position with China that not even Hollywood enjoys."

Paul Carran is a film producer who is hoping his production will secure a co-production deal.

His feature Dragon, Taniwha, about a Maori artist and a Chinese scientist in a quest for a solution to the intrusion of the dragon, Taniwha, has been in the making for four years.

"I forsee a shift where our creative film-making deals will be made in the future, and it may be early days yet, but the consistent efforts of the few will benefit the many in the New Zealand industry in the future," he said.

"Clearly the co-production treaty ... is an important building block for this to occur."

Jim He, chairman of the Pacific Culture and Arts Exchange, said, "Nobody thought much of the Chinese market a few years ago, but all that has now changed."

Mr He, who has been organising New Zealand film festivals in China since 2002, says My Wedding and Other Secrets is generating high levels of interest there.

"The Chinese can identify with the elements that the film portrays and how it brings the two cultures together," he said.

"The movie will be screened at the Shanghai International Film Festival and also received a nomination for the Golden Rooster Film awards."

Mr He said it was "common sense" for films to carry Chinese subtitles to capture a global audience and market share "because the Chinese are now everywhere".

SkyCity Cinemas began regular screening of Chinese blockbuster films when it started Cinema Asia in 2008, and that has continued under Event Cinemas' new management.

Like the annual Chinese Lantern Festival, which the organisers say has been steadily attracting more non-Chinese, the appetite for Chinese movies among the mainstream New Zealanders is also growing - going by the assessment of South African immigrant Ben du Preez.

Cinema operators say they do not keep a record of the ethnicity of patrons but Mr du Preez, who has been a regular patron at Cinema Asia since he started dating his Chinese girlfriend two years ago, says he has noticed "more white faces" at the cinemas.

"I guess once you start watching a Chinese movie, it kind of just gets you hooked," he says.

"I used to think that Chinese films are only the arthouse type, but what's coming out of Chinawood now are just incredible, and they can easily rival any from Hollywood."

China-made movies such as Aftershock, a tear-jerker about the 1976 Tangshan earthquake, and The Founding of a Republic, a Chinese Government-commissioned film, have all been successes at the local box office.

The Founding of a Republic event beat all other movies in the week it opened in November 2009, occupying top spot in Queen St, St Lukes and Highland Park.

Digital effects star of Wellington film industry

Taken from The Dominion Post.

Wellington's film industry is increasingly reliant on big-budget productions such as Avatar and The Hobbit as the New Zealand industry becomes more dependent on post-production work.

The annual screen industry survey from Statistics New Zealand shows the amount of revenue from post-production work, and particularly digital effects, is growing, while revenue from production work is falling.

In 2008 post-production made up 25 per cent of the industry, but that has now risen to 40 per cent, and is worth $584 million.

More detailed analysis of the regional film industries is expected to be published next month, but Statistics New Zealand spokesman Hamish Hill said Wellington always had more noticeable ebbs and flows depending on large-budget films, whereas Auckland was more reliant on steadier television work.

From 2008 till 2010, revenue from North America fell $234 million to $247 million. Expenditure in Wellington fell 62 per cent from 2009 to 2010, down $200 million.

But while those figures fell, the amount of revenue from post-production work boomed, largely because of digital graphics, animation and effects, which made up 80 per cent of all post-production activity in New Zealand, and were worth $470 million.

Film New Zealand chief executive Gisella Carr said the survey painted a positive picture for New Zealand's screen industry, because it had held steady despite the recession.

The industry recorded revenue of $2.8 billion last year, up 2 per cent from 2009.

New Zealand had established itself as a post-production hub. Big projects would always affect the figures, but it was pleasing to see the bottom line holding strong.

Hobbit Filming Finally Under Way

Taken from The Hollywood Reporter, by Pip Bulbeck.

Filming on Peter Jackson's long-awaited adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit gets under way Monday in Wellington, New Zealand, with everyone involved "raring to go", Jackson's assistant Matt Dravitski told New Zealand media.

The start of filming on the two $500 million Hobbit films - prequels to The Lord of the Rings - comes after setbacks that have included disputes over distribution rights to the films; financial difficulties of studios MGM and New Line; the departure of Guillermo Del Toro as director; industrial action brought about by NZ Actors Equity, which threatened to move the shoot from New Zealand; and Jackson's hospitalization in February for a perforated stomach ulcer.

Martin Freeman, who stars in the title role as Bilbo Baggins, joked about the so-called "curse of The Hobbit" last month: "There are some bad bits of luck associated with it [but] we're ready to go - just as soon as 2015 comes around."

The company of 13 dwarves, Baggins and the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) have been in Wellington for the last two months preparing for the films.

The Hobbit, to be made as two 3D films, follows the journey of Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which was conquered by the dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of 13 dwarves led by the legendary Thorin Oakenshield. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers and ultimately Baggins' meeting with Gollum, where he gains possession of Gollum's "precious" ring - the simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-Earth.

Joining Baggins on the quest are the Dwarves, played by Richard Armitge (Thorin Oakenshield), Ken Stott (Balin), Graham McTavish (Dwalin), William Kircher (Bifur), James Nesbitt (Bofur), Stephen Hunter (Bombur), Rob Kazinsky (Fili), Aidan Turner (Kili), Peter Hambleton (Gloin), John Callen (Oin), Jed Brophy (Nori), Mark Hadlow (Dori) and Adam Brown (Ori).

Warner Bros on Monday confirmed Cate Blanchett (Galadriel), Andy Serkis (Gollum) and Elijah Wood (Frodo) will reprise their roles from Lord of the Rings. NZ actors Jeffery Thomas and Mike Mizrahi also join the cast as Dwarf Kings Thror and Thrain, respectively.

Filming, under the eye of director of photography Andrew Lesnie, will take place at Wellington Stone Street Studios, the village of Matamata and at other undisclosed locations around New Zealand.

The two films are said to be worth more than $1 billion to the NZ economy. The New Zealand government is providing incentives and tax breaks worth around $100 million to the shoot.

Also working on the films are production designer Dan Hennah, conceptual designers Alan Lee and John Howe, composer Howard Shore and makeup and hair designer Peter King. Costumes are designed by Ann Maskrey and Richard Taylor.

Taylor is also overseeing the design and production of weaponry, armour and prosthetics, which are once again being made by Weta Workshop. Weta Digital takes on the visual effects for both films, led by the film's visual effects supervisor, Joe Letteri. Postproduction will take place at Park Road Post Production in Wellington.

The Hobbit is produced by Jackson and Fran Walsh, alongside Carolynne Cunningham. Executive producers are Ken Kamins and Zane Weiner, with Philippa Boyens as co-producer.

The Hobbit films are co-produced by New Line Cinema and MGM, with New Line managing production. Warner Bros Pictures is handling worldwide theatrical distribution, with select international territories as well as all international television licensing being handled by MGM.

The two films are planned for release in late 2012 and 2013 respectively.

Kiwi actors ready to role-play

Taken from Sunday Star Times, by Kim Knight.

Atleast half the 75 main character roles in the two Hobbit movies could go to overseas actors.

Documents obtained under the Official Information Act show Sir Peter Jackson's production company has permission to bring in 40 internationals for speaking parts.

Shooting on the two-year project begins in Wellington tomorrow week.

The Sunday Star-Times understands only 33 of the main roles - defined as those with any dialogue - have been assigned so far, with 16 spots going to Kiwis. Britain's Martin Freeman will play The Hobbit's hero Bilbo Baggins, and big-name stars Sir Ian McKellen and Cate Blanchett are back to play Gandalf and Galadriel, respectively. Local actors on the project include Mark Hadlow and Jed Brophy.

Jackson's production company 3Foot7 applied to the Department of Labour for "approval in principle" for work visas for 40 overseas actors in November after a highly public dispute with Actors Equity, which recommended its members boycott the movies.

The boycott was withdrawn a week before the films' American backers, Warner Bros, travelled here to meet Prime Minister John Key, who promised government support, including tax breaks and employment law changes.

Documentation shows Actors Equity subsequently objected to the approval in principle - granted on the same day a call for comments from the union closed. An $8400 processing fee was also waived.

"Equity is astounded that a request for 40 roles has been made at all, and in particular, made without any evidence whatsoever which would go to proving that New Zealand performers are not available for these roles," the union said in its submission to the Labour Department.

"The production company has not supplied Equity with documentation by which we can assess whether they have made any effort whatsoever to engage local performers for these 40 roles, and so satisfy immigration policy."

Actors Equity said at the time of the application, immigration policy stated companies had to provide "adequate evidence" that the applicant was of international distinction or merit, or particular ethnic significance, or essential to the production; and that "appropriate consideration" had been given to employing available locals, and that no local jobs were at risk, unless wider benefits outweighed the loss of job opportunities.

Work and Income comment was sought on the approval. An email released to the Star-Times shows it supported the application, saying a search of its database, "confirmed that we have 103 people registered nationally that indicate they are seeking employment as actors. Twelve have indicated they have an excess of five years' experience in the industry".

Graham Dunster, Auckland-based actors' agent, said last week he didn't think it would be difficult to find 40 - or 75 - good actors in New Zealand.

"The more this sort of thing happens, the more actors have little choice but to leave New Zealand and work overseas or simply give up being an actor."

Frances Walsh, Actors Equity industrial organiser, said the union estimated up to 95% of the country's performers were out of work at any given time. "It's a high skill and high unemployment terrain." However, she said few would be on the dole.

In the 2006 census, 588 people identified themselves as performers. At the height of The Hobbit dispute, Actors Equity had 625 members.

The Star-Times understands around 600 auditions - some of them involving one actor going for multiple roles - were conducted locally, and New Zealanders were considered for all lead roles that were not reprisals of those established in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. In addition, an estimated 20,000 work days for local extras, stand-ins and doubles, would be generated by The Hobbit movies.

Casting sessions were conducted in London, Los Angeles, New York, Australia and New Zealand.

On a Second Honeymoon

Taken from NZ Herald.

Sione, Albert, Leilani, Tania and the gang have been doing their own thing for five years, but they will soon find themselves on the big screen again in a sequel to Sione's Wedding.

The film will start shooting next month, and the original cast, including David Fane, Oscar Kightley, Madeleine Sami, Robbie Magasiva and Teuila Blakely are all on board to resume their roles.

Simon Bennett (Spies and Lies, Outrageous Fortune) takes over from Chris Graham as the director. This is Bennett's first feature film.

Kightley, who co-wrote both the original and this sequel with Outrageous Fortune's James Griffin, says the follow up has been in the pipeline for some time, and it's exciting to see the wheels in motion.

"I thought it was pretty awesome just to do one. I never dreamed it would be possible to do a sequel," he says.

"We had no idea the first film would do so well. I knew it would do well, based on the script, but people loved it so much."

The climate would seem right for another local comedy at the moment - three local romantic comedies have been released this year and Taika Waititi's Boy is currently New Zealand's most popular local film. "I think the fact that our new most popular film is a comedy shows us that people like to go to movies that make them actually enjoy the experience.

"I don't know if New Zealanders are any more of less romantically inclined than other people but I do think that we enjoy a laugh."

Producer John Barnett of South Pacific Pictures says the success of the first film was encouragement enough to roll out another.

"From the time we released the film I thought, 'gosh, we have got to make a sequel'."

Sione's Wedding was New Zealand's third-highest grossing film before it was surpassed by The World's Fastest Indian and Boy. Now it holds fifth place on the table.

Barnett points out that since the film's release in 2006, many of the Sione's Wedding cast have been busy building their profile on shows like bro'Town, Naked Samoans, Shortland Street, comedies like the Jaquie Brown Diaries and Super City, and in local films.

"Everyone's back, it's five years on, are the boys any wiser? We are going to find out," he teases.

The film is due for release on January 19 next year.

The romantic side of Kiwi film-making

Taken from NZ Herald, TimeOut.

Valentine's Day was last week but this is the week to get romantic at the movies astwo Kiwi films are set to send hearts aflutter.

Rhys Darby's highly-anticipated new romantic comedy Love Birds, is out today, as is a self-funded local rom-com called Curry Munchers.

Event Cinemas stepped in to support the release of this latter, a film about Indian immigrants, having only seen a rough cut. It is released in seven New Zealand cinemas today and in two cinemas in Fiji this week.

Milt Barlow, the chief executive of Incubate, which is distributing the film says, "I just thought it was magic. There was just something about it that made me think it was a delightful movie."

He says that though it is a Kiwi-Indian film, it has a story that resonates with people from all communities.

"The general consensus is that people walk away going 'what a cutr little picture'."

The fim has attracted interest from markets such as Singapore, Dubai, South Africa and America, he says.

Jane Hastings, general manager at Event Cinemas, says, "While we eat, sleep and breathe all movies, there is nothing better than supporting New Zealand-produced content."

Curry Munchers stars local comedians Tarun Mohanbhai and Rajeev Varma as well as Ben Mitchell (T.K. from Shortland Street).

Barlow says it seems to be a coincidence that the film shares the same release date as Love Birds and hopes people see them not as a Kiwi films but as good films in their own right.

Meanwhile, Love Birds, directed by Paul Murphy of Second Hand Wedding, stars Golden Globe winning British actress Sally Hawkins and Flight of the Conchords' Rhys Darby. Elizabeth Trotman, general manager of Hoyts Distribution, says the company has high expectations for Love Birds because it's a quality picture.

"It's rare for romantic comedies to be made in New Zealand, especially with actors of this talent," she says.

They are confident about their marketing campaign, which involved preview screenings on Valentine's Day, and think word of mouth will work in their favour. The film is being sold in more than 30 countries including the key markets of Britain, Germany and Australia.

Darby is tipped as New Zealand's answer to Hugh Grant and though Trotman says he has not been deliberately marketed as such, she thinks members of the audience will think "he's a bit of all right". She thinks people will enjoy seeing Darby in a role quite different to those for which he is best known.

"He delivers a fantastic performance and he is looking very handsome."

Love Birds' target audience is the 18-35 bracket with a female skew but Trotman thinks Darby may also draw his blokey fans to the cinema. She says a soundtrack album is unlikely because so much of the music is Queen though the fact the band allowed a New Zealand film to use their music was rather "phenomenal".

Curry Munchers

a feature film by Aunanda Naaido
MAHAYANA FILMS
in cinemas 24 February 2011

Kiwi comedy about Sid (Aunanda Naaido) who migrated from India to New Zealand, searching for meaning in his life. His parents want him to focus on studying and becoming an engineer. But Sid has two new loves: food and girls. The struggle to keep all sides happy leads Sid to question who and what is most important in his new life. Will he go against his parents' wishes to get the local girl, Mary (Alison Titulaer) and pursue his new passion for the culinary?

featuring Aunanda Naaido, Alison Titulaer, Ben Mitchell, Tarun Mohanbhai, Rajeev Varma, Leela Patel, Ajay Vasisht, Dwayne Cameron, Bhavnesh Soni, Vidya Venugopalan and Jenny Li
directed by Cristobal Araus Lobos

Watch the trailer here.

Change to Film Industry out West

Taken from Sunday Star Times, by Rob Stock.

The studios where the TV success story Xena: Warrior Princess, and films including Whale Rider, In My Father's Den, and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe were made is to be put up for sale after the receivers were called in to its majority owner, Tony Tay Film Limited.

The move is a blow for the newly created Auckland Council, with the former Waitakere City Council - now part of the super city - the other major shareholder in Auckland Film Studios Ltd, originally the Henderson Valley Studios.

Waitakere's 44.4 percent stake passed to the Auckland Council but Tony Tay Film Ltd holds the controlling 55.6 percent share in the country's largest film studios.

City councillors were warned in a note on Thursday to brace for the announcement of the receivers being called in.

Tasked with trying to pay Tony Tay Film's creditors, the receivers will have various options, including an open sale of the firm's stake in the studios, but first must offer the shares to Auckland Council Investments Ltd, a holding company that owns the city's stake.

The council would not comment on whether it would consider spending ratepayer money to take over the studios, or risk having an unknown buyer come in with its own plans for the site.

Problems have been mounting for Auckland property developer Tay, whose Tony Tay Group was placed in liquidation last July, owing ANZ and ASB a combined $5.17 million.

At the time Waitakere mayor Bob Harvey, a champion of film-making in West Auckland, said Tay's issues would not affect the day-to-day running of the studios.

The facilities were a high-profile investment for the former Waitakere Council, which pushed for the development of a film industry "Way out West", believing such an industry could provide employment.

But just as the nation was watching Warner Bros pressure the government into changing employment law late last year to ensure The Hobbit would go ahead in New Zealand, crisis was brewing at the studios.

Walt Disney New Zealand pulled out of plans to film the next series of Legend of the Seeker there as a result of a worldwide cash-crisis in the film and television industries.

The Sunday Star Times broke the story of Disney pulling the plug on production at the studios, which appeared to be in trouble then, with the value of the 4.2ha property having fallen from $14.5m in March 2008 to $10.7m a year later.

The facility is New Zealand's largest studio complex, consisting of a world-class sound stage and former Apple and Pear Board coolstores converted for film use.

Once dubbed "Westy-wood", the initiative grew when the council partnered Enterprise Waitakere to develop a film cluster in the area, eventually paying $3.85m for the property and transferring ownership to the council-owned Waitakere Properties Ltd.

When new development capital was required, Tay and the council entered into a joint venture - Prime West Limited, subsequently renamed Auckland Film Studios.

Minister mislead us on Hobbit, says Labour

Taken from NZ Herald, by Derek Cheng.

The Labour Party is accussing a senior minister of being in contempt of Parliament, saying he misled the House when The Hobbit movie project was under threat of being moved overseas.

Labour MP Trevor Mallard has written to Speaker Lockwood Smith asking him to investigate Economic Development Minister Gerry Brownlee for his answers to questions at the time ministers were negotiating with Warner Bros executives.

Last year, the two movies were subjected to a boycott from several international actors' unions, including the Australian Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance and its New Zealand affiliate, Actors' Equity.

Warner Bros eventually decided to make the two Hobbit movies in New Zealand, having secured a change to employment laws and up to $34 million in additional tax breaks.

In his letter, Mr Mallard said Mr Brownlee made a statement on October 26 to the House which effectively said the boycott was the main cause of uncertainty over The Hobbit.

But this did not square with an email from Sir Peter Jackson to Mr Brownlee's office a week earlier, which said: "There is no connection between the blacklist (and its eventual retraction), and the choice of production base for The Hobbit.

"What Warners requires for The Hobbit is the certainty of a stable employment environment."

Parliament's standing orders give examples of contempt, including deliberately trying to mislead the House.

"It is not plausible for Mr Brownlee to argue that he was confused or mistaken when he made these misleading statements," Mr Mallard said.

"We now know that he received unequivocal advice from Sir Peter Jackson that the reason for Warner Bros reconsidering the filming location for The Hobbit had nothing to do with the action of the unions.

"The only credible explanation for these statements is that they were designed to deliberately mislead."

He asked Dr Smith to refer the matter of the privileges committee.

Sir Peter has said there is no contradiction between his email and his earlier statements that the boycott was "endangering thousands of New Zealand jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars of foreign income."

He said last month: "This is why Warner Bros lost all confidence in filming in New Zealand - because they had just witnessed how a tiny and capricious union, manipulated by an offshore agency, could bring a multimillion [dollar] production to its knees - for no legitimate reason."

The apparent inconsistency in Sir Peter's positions has been used to push the claim that Warner Bros and Sir Peter used the situation to lean on the Government and extract a law change and extra cash, even though the boycott had been lifted and unions had promised no more industrial action.

Sir Peter and a spokesman for Mr Brownlee have both said the Government did what was necessary to secure the films for New Zealand.