Isn’t it good to see that other than manufacture a crisis at the Hobbit to bash the Union up with, humble taxpayer subsidized indie film maker Peter Jackson can afford a new $80m Gulfstream GVI G650?
It could be a new TV show, pimp my beneficiary.
Funny things beneficiaries. When you are at the high end like this you can’t get enough hero worship and movie openings in Wellington, when you are at the other end you get some weet-bix and milk for breakfast (but no lunch).
Talking of The Hobbit, so where are those jobs then? When the NZ bloody Herald is asking questions you know something has gone terribly wrong in the Shire…
Weta Digital’s record of five Academy Awards for best visual effects is a source of considerable pride for this country. New Zealanders, it is widely believed, are world-leaders in this sphere of film-making. But can that be so when the Wellington-based company has requested 526 temporary work visas for foreign workers? This wholesale hiring for the second film in The Hobbit series raises valid questions about whether the local workforce is gaining as much from Weta’s success as is imagined.
The subject is especially relevant given that the Government offered very generous tax breaks to Warner Bros and was prepared to ditch part of its workplace law to ensure The Hobbit was filmed here. A law change, championed by Sir Peter Jackson and passed under urgency, clarified when someone was a contractor and when they were an employee.
This meant, essentially, that local film crews would have to settle for less than they would earn in Hollywood for the greater good of the country.
…but I thought the laws we changed for Warner Bros were supposed to keep jobs here? Didn’t we specifically screw over these Union members so that the films stayed here and provided all these magical jobs?
Or did Key put so much political capital in bashing the Unions and keeping the film here that when he walked into that room with Warner Bros executives all he could say was ‘yes’? A bit like that shitty deal he cut with Sky City?
I wonder if Peter Jackson will give John Key a free ride in his new $80m Gulfstream GVI G650? Doesn’t Peter owe John one?
And let’s not overlook the two penthouse apartments he has for sale in NY at the moment for a cool $28m…yes, top end beneficiary alright.
At the very least, he’ll let Key sit in the pilot’s seat and make machine gun noises.
Have to wonder, who are the targets of those machine guns?
He would still have been the Director/Producer even if the Hobbit wasn’t made in NZ. How he spends his money is his business.
How he spends our money is also his business. I’m sure you extend this privacy right to all other state beneficiaries as well, Gosman.
How he managed to get so much of our money is very definitely our business. It doesn’t matter if he could have gone somewhere else. As my old aunty once said, if she had balls she’d be my uncle. She didn’t.
As I pointed out, whether the movie was made here or not would be largely irrelevant in terms of his income from the file. Why is this difficult for you to grasp?
Funny things beneficiaries. When you are at the high end like this you can’t get enough hero worship and movie openings in Wellington, when you are at the other end you get some weet-bix and milk for breakfast (but no lunch).
But no lunch – Strict observance to the prophet Friedman?
That bird is going to have a hefty bill to operate it, who’s going to foot that bill?
I wonder if Peter Jackson will give John Key a free ride in his new $80m Gulfstream GVI G650? Doesn’t Peter owe John one?
They’ll probably jet off to Hawaii this Christmas – spend the holidays in Key’s mansion.
Why does Peter Jackson owe John Key anything? Peter Jackson would not have suffered as a result of The Hobbit moving production to some other place. He would still be getting his whopping great Director and Producer fee as well as the cut of the Box office takings.
I frankly couldn’t care less about Peter Jackson or his career, but what bugs me like probably many with this whole Hobbit saga that seems more extensive off-screen than on is: the $67 million subsidy; the alleged benefit to the country of 3,000 jobs a figure that appears to have been plucked from the air; the alleged benefit to the country of more tourism (surely the high NZ dollar is a drawback for increased tourism); the kowtowing to Hollywood through the copyright file sharing infringement law and the Dotcom raid along with the consequences of the GCSB saga.
In summary this country through this government’s dealings likely didn’t reap any of the alleged benefits promised but ended up violating our liberties along with the money lost for the benefit of Hollywood corporates. If the industry could make well over a billion dollars from this first film why should’ve the public have to fund any of it? To hear Jackson doing well enough to buy a private jet is pretty aggravating since we are the victims of this government’s lousy dealing that caused us to sacrifice so much.
” If the industry could make well over a billion dollars from this first film why should’ve the public have to fund any of it?”
Completely agree. Now you’re think like a true free market right winger.
“…we are the victims of this government’s lousy dealing that caused us to sacrifice so much.”
Not really beyond a few extra million on tax rebates and tourism spend. Do you think tourism spending makes us vicitms?
Jackson doesn’t owe key anything but he can bloody well give back the 67 million so we can feed some hungry children not his ego – it really does come across as pathetic that what with all their ‘we’re so talented here at Weta only we can make the Hobbit a great film blah blah blah’ yet they can’t raise the funds themselves – Jackson is just another disgusting ego-maniacal little gnome
All you motivated people ! Go out there and make your money . Go on , if that’s what makes you happy . Fly about in your Gulf Stream . It won’t make your penis bigger or your vagina prettier but of you think it makes you flash , go right ahead . Just leave us normal people the fuck alone ! Why do you have to be so greedy , hurtful and just plain nasty to us ? Jackson could have been just as rich , johnky-stien could have been just as … ? I dunno , what ever it is that spins his little wheels but you don’t need to be mean to us Filmo’s or other NZ tax payers either . We Filmos work bloody hard and often in dangerous conditions with little sleep and we have no protection against the vagaries of market forces . We have to have the latest gear and we have to know how to use it and we’re only as good as our last job so fuck off ! Leave us alone to do that which we love to do ! Just give us a break for Christs sake ! Your arrogance and your greed is just plain embarrassing .
The Hobbit?
Give me Game of Thrones any day.
Peter Jackson has tried to recreate the magic of LOTR with the Hobbit, and it aint working. The world has moved on. The Hobbit’s record at the box office as well as its record at the Academy Awards (0), speaks for itself.
Yep NZ’s got nothing much to show for that 67 million except a crap movie no-one bothered to pay to see
Lord Jackson has blown his ass to put it bluntly. What individual human businessman really needs a a private jet or a restored pom imperialist Sopwith Camel WW1 “fighter” plane? Good grief retire the guy immeditately before he wrecks anymore treasured tomes, but James Cameron probably needs him as a millionaire guy pal or something in the Wairarapa.
My son is clearly an employee in the film industry catering sector but thanks to the Hobbit Enabling act is determined to be a bloody ‘contractor’.
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