The Hobbit Movie

Michael Dorosh

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Re: The Hobbit Movie (stuff)

Bastard unions. They should make this illegal in the U.S., too.

All this union **** was great before the Internet but by now it's just extortion of the general population.
You'd cry a different tune once you've been taken advantage of by management.

Good for the union.
 

Palantir

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Re: The Hobbit Movie (stuff)

Things are heating up on the movie front with more news from the New York Times, something big should be announced soon.

1. Jackson will indeed be Director of The Hobbit:

"The first “Hobbit” film is expected to be released in mid-December 2012, the second a year later. Mr. Jackson has said he can direct the films only if those release dates can be met."

http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2010/10/01/38921-new-york-times-jackson-to-direct-the-hobbit/

2. The movie will be in 3D (like Avatar):
http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2010/10/01/38910-nyt-times-hobbit-will-be-in-3-d/

3. Petitions to drop the boycott:

"A group of New Zealand film industry workers has petitioned to have the boycott against “The Hobbit” dropped."

http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2010/10/01/38915-torn-interviews-nz-actor-as-kiwi-film-industry-petitions-to-have-hobbit-boycott-dropped/
 

Palantir

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Re: The Hobbit Movie (stuff)

The stuff is really flying now around the movie.
Looks like Jackson is starting to put the screws to the Nz guys.


Phillipa Boyens: "Other Countries now bidding for “The Hobbit”
"At least half a dozen countries, including Australia, are lobbying to win the right to film The Hobbit and Hollywood accountants are now doing the numbers of rival offers, the movie's co-producer and co-writer Phillipa Boyens says." Scotland, Ireland, Canada and Eastern European countries had entered the negotiations in a "feeding frenzy" inspired by the threat of union action. Some of offers, which come with big government rebates, would involve tens of millions of dollars in savings if the production moved elsewhere.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/film/4193178/Others-trying-to-steal-Hobbit-films


Then this one:

Hobbit announcement expected by Friday.
"Sir Peter Jackson met with Economic Development Minister Gerry Brownlee this morning to discuss the future of his Lord of the Rings prequel, The Hobbit."

Jackson: "I would be greatly concerned if the The Hobbit movies weren't made in New Zealand, this a $3 billion industry, it employs a lot of people, it's great for New Zealand it's a great way for marketing New Zealand. If you can't make The Hobbit here frankly what movies are you going to make here?"

http://www.3news.co.nz/Hobbit-announcement-expected-by-Friday/tabid/418/articleID/179556/Default.aspx


Money talks and I think the Nz group is going to collapse and give in based on the massive economic impact losing The Hobbit would have on future projects & the country. Kind of strange when you have governments getting involved over the making of a movie but then the mention of "Billions of dollars" usually gets their attention.
 

Redwolf

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Re: The Hobbit Movie (stuff)

Looks like Jackson is starting to put the screws to the Nz guys.
I just read that as "Looks like Jackson is starting to put the screws to the Nazgul".
 

Palantir

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Re: The Hobbit Movie (stuff)

I just read that as "Looks like Jackson is starting to put the screws to the Nazgul".
Means the same thing in this case. :)

If those Nz guys happen to win their boycott fight they will most certainly lose the popularity war.

Nz union- "We won, Yay, we get our mandatory 3 twenty-minute breaks an hour YAY YAY we won!!!! Now let’s get to work. Mr Jackson? Are you there? Anyone, anyone, is anyone there? Anyone else want to make a movie here, anyone, anyone, Bueller, Bueller?"

All those Nz union workers will be without a job permanently as every movie producer will be filming anywhere but Nz: but congratulations to them on their great victory I hope it feeds their families.
 

Palantir

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Re: The Hobbit Movie (stuff)

Looks like the movie won't be made in Nz (if at all).

From today’s nzherald.co.nz

"...And in a separate development, attempts by the Council of Trade Unions (CTU) to settle a dispute between Hobbit producers and actors' unions has failed, according to industry sources, as the apparent stalemate continues over the union's bid for a collective contract for Hobbit actors."

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=10679085

Nothing like being able to brag that, "we stood our ground vs. the evil Peter Jackson," while standing in the unemployment line.

I think I can hear the other countries vying for the movie cheering from my house.

Plus in other news:
MGM Crowns Spyglass Partners Gary Barber And Roger Birnbaum New CEOs.
http://www.deadline.com/2010/10/mgm-brass-in-new-york-preparing-for-bankruptcy-reckoning/

And their just announced "planned" bankruptcy is good news as well as they can restructure and get moving forward financially. MGM finally getting their act together can only help the movies get made.
 

Dr Zaius

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Re: The Hobbit Movie (stuff)

F***ing stupid union robots deserve to be unemployed. There are plenty of other places where the movie can be made.
 

Michael Dorosh

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Re: The Hobbit Movie (stuff)

Means the same thing in this case. :)

If those Nz guys happen to win their boycott fight they will most certainly lose the popularity war.
Doubtful, if it means keeping major film productions on NZ soil and giving a fair shake to NZ labourers. Having actually worked on a film set myself, if only briefly, I can tell you how long the hours are and how grim the conditions can be - rain, cold, extreme driving to get to positions, etc. No harm in having collective bargaining to protect the rights of those who work on industry sets. Really, they'd be crazy not to.
 

Palantir

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Re: The Hobbit Movie (stuff)

...how grim the conditions can be - rain, cold, extreme driving to get to positions, etc.
You mean that if I voluntarily take a "non-acting" job for a movie that means:
1. I may have to drive all the way to work.
2. It might rain while I'm working.
3. It might be cold where I have to work.
4. I may have to actually WORK.
5. I may have to work overtime to complete a time restricted "project."
:scream: :cry:

Then as a "union" worker I demand:
1. A bus to drive me to work & someone to drive the Union bus driver to work.
2. Another union guy to hold an umbrella for me so I don't get all soakie.
3. A space heater designated as mine & mine alone- carted around by another Union worker who has his own umbrella carrying union worker with another union worker carrying their space heaters.
4. Three- 15 minute breaks because the other 15 minutes of work are too exhausting for me.
5. Working extra demands x2 - x3 pay and a steak & lobster dinner onthe barbie to soothe my stressed nerves after making that extra money.

As I said, if those Nz union "shakedown artists" :pIMP: win their boycott vs. The Hobbit they can have a last party at the docks as they watch their livelihoods & industry sail away to friendlier locals. Considering that the LotR movies had already paid all their workers ABOVE union wage for nearly 6 years they have zip to boycott about. :angry:

If union workers want to complain about "grim conditions" let them get their a$$ in the military & server overseas for a couple of years, then I might give their concerns a listen to.
:salute:
 

Michael Dorosh

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Re: The Hobbit Movie (stuff)

You mean that if I voluntarily take a "non-acting" job for a movie that means:
1. I may have to drive all the way to work.
2. It might rain while I'm working.
3. It might be cold where I have to work.
4. I may have to actually WORK.
5. I may have to work overtime to complete a time restricted "project."
:scream: :cry:
Try 8 hours overtime on an 8 hour day, in driving rain, 7 days a week. That's certainly the conditions the extras were expected to endure, and had there been no union, I am sure the crew would have been expected to simply show up - or be fired. Unions exist for a reason.

Then as a "union" worker I demand:
1. A bus to drive me to work & someone to drive the Union bus driver to work.
2. Another union guy to hold an umbrella for me so I don't get all soakie.
3. A space heater designated as mine & mine alone- carted around by another Union worker who has his own umbrella carrying union worker with another union worker carrying their space heaters.
4. Three- 15 minute breaks because the other 15 minutes of work are too exhausting for me.
5. Working extra demands x2 - x3 pay and a steak & lobster dinner onthe barbie to soothe my stressed nerves after making that extra money.
I can't speak for the union at issue here, but I have a feeling you probably aren't familiar with the actual issues at dispute either. I'm almost positive that what you're talking about isn't real.
 

Palantir

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Re: The Hobbit Movie (stuff)

I was being facetious.

The union is pushing for: “to negotiate minimum wages and other working conditions for New Zealand actors who are currently not unionized.” So the union wants to tell the producers how they should treat non-union workers, how nice of them to look out for everyone that doesn’t want to be in a union…

Check this for details from the unions view.
http://www.alliance.org.au/documents/100922_hobbit_factsheet.pdf

I guess they've already forgotten what Jackson & LotR's did for their economy the first time.

I’d just tell the Nz union "sure, sure" and wave goodbye as I load up the studio & my movie and head for Europe.

View attachment 31409

Stupid is as stupid does
 

Palantir

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Re: The Hobbit Movie (stuff)

The pressure on NZ mounts. (my bolds)

Peter Jackson: 'Hobbit' decision in 'week or 2'

A report in the New Zealand Herald quotes a spokesman for director-producer Peter Jackson as saying, "Warner Brothers are running financial models about the costs of shooting in a variety of countries. We expect a decision is still a week or two away."

Jackson's spokesman told the Herald that the "Hobbit" situation remained unchanged following the meeting. This came despite a meeting today between union and management representatives, which a statement characterized as "a useful and productive discussion."


http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/asia/news/e3id48ea20039ae74bd15a7120f05bbebef

I think Jackson's just ready to start shooting the movie & has no loyalty for NZ anymore. I doubt if the meetings were really useful if Jackson said nothing has changed: he's just waiting to see where they can save the most money now & get filming quickly.
 

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Dr Zaius

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Re: The Hobbit Movie (stuff)

According to this the green light has been given, however, the labor issue remains. So I guess there is still a possibility the production may be moved somewhere else.

MGM and Warner Bros released a statement yesterday saying they are "exploring all alternative options."
 

Palantir

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Re: The Hobbit Movie (stuff)

They announced that the movies will be made in 3D.

There should be some further news soon on who the major actors are going to be.
 

Dr Zaius

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Re: The Hobbit Movie (stuff)

According the latest info on TheOneRing the Hobbit movie is going to stay in New Zealand.

TheOneRing.net said:
Mr.John Key has only minutes ago announced at a press conference in the Beehive theaterette that Sir Peter Jackson’s Hobbit films will indeed be filmed in New Zealand. Media outlets have yet to post links to any videos… but stay tuned to TORn for updates as more of the good news makes its way on to the interweb.
Now, let's just hope they remember to make a great movie. Sometimes that gets lost amid all the bickering over money.
 
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