Studios lash back at the unions boycotting The Hobbit
Yesterday, Peter Jackson issued a statement blasting the unions about recent the boycott of the film. Peter Jackson said one possibility is to move the production outside of New Zealand to Europe if no agreement could be reached.
The seven major actors unions announced the boycott Friday, blaming the refusal of producers to negotiate a union contract for New Zealand performers.
Official statement from Studios:
New Line, Warner Bros. Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures are concerned by the recent allegations of unfair treatment of actors in New Zealand and instructions from the performers' guilds to their membership to withhold services from the producers of "The Hobbit" in New Zealand. We are proud to have good relations with all of those performers' guilds and value their contribution to the motion pictures produced in their respective jurisdictions throughout the world. But we believe that in this case the allegations are baseless and unfair to Peter Jackson and his team in Wellington who have been tireless supporters of the New Zealand motion picture community.
To classify the production as "non-union" is inaccurate. The cast and crew are being engaged under collective bargaining agreements where applicable and we are mindful of the rights of those individuals pursuant to those agreements. And while we have previously worked with MEAA, an Australian union now seeking to represent actors in New Zealand, the fact remains that there cannot be any collective bargaining with MEAA on this New Zealand production, for to do so would expose the production to liability and sanctions under New Zealand law. This legal prohibition has been explained to MEAA. We are disappointed that MEAA has nonetheless continued to pursue this course of action.
Motion picture production requires the certainty that a production can reasonably proceed without disruption and it is our general policy to avoid filming in locations where there is potential for work force uncertainty or other forms of instability. As such, we are exploring all alternative options in order to protect our business interests.
To classify the production as "non-union" is inaccurate. The cast and crew are being engaged under collective bargaining agreements where applicable and we are mindful of the rights of those individuals pursuant to those agreements. And while we have previously worked with MEAA, an Australian union now seeking to represent actors in New Zealand, the fact remains that there cannot be any collective bargaining with MEAA on this New Zealand production, for to do so would expose the production to liability and sanctions under New Zealand law. This legal prohibition has been explained to MEAA. We are disappointed that MEAA has nonetheless continued to pursue this course of action.
Motion picture production requires the certainty that a production can reasonably proceed without disruption and it is our general policy to avoid filming in locations where there is potential for work force uncertainty or other forms of instability. As such, we are exploring all alternative options in order to protect our business interests.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey comes to theaters December 14th, 2012 and stars Cate Blanchett, Saoirse Ronan, Orlando Bloom, Elijah Wood, Martin Freeman, David Tennant, Ian McKellen, Christopher Lee. The film is directed by Peter Jackson.
Comments (18)
To leave a comment, please sign in or use
Facebook or Twitter
Cory Parkinson
For God's sake just stop the bickering, film in in NZ like the LotR films, and get the movie in theatres ASAP! And keep it as congrous to the first as possible--actors, sets, everything--I am a member of the LotR fandom, and I speak for a large portion of us when I say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it...much like what project castaway Guillermo del Toro said of Gollum's tech. And Jackson is directing...is that for sure? Because if it's not, it SHOULD be! Continuity is important. Christopher Nolan doesn't even use "2nd Units/Additional Units" for VFX/SFX/Stunts shots because he wants to be the overall designer of everything, and have consultants to help him with the technical stuff he may not be already equipped to handle...like a 2nd unit's job, as stated above. I love you guys, make no mistake, and I love everything about Tolkien and Middle-Earth, but please just move on with it all. NZ is the only option--it IS Middle Earth, so just get the CIA to do some crazy union bullying like they've done in Australia before and start principal photography already! Oh, and if Howard Shore needs a co-composer/collaborator of any sort, I'm free Mon-Sun 12am-12am...thats 24/7, basically. *steps off soap box* my props to Sir Ian, Hugo, Andy, and Cate for coming back to the project. If the Saw franchise could get the movies out every year on schedule consecutively, a movie which requires a lot of mechanical effects, and SFX makeup/prothetics, in addition to digital VFX, you guys should be able to muster a little better of a timeline. Oh, and get Christopher Lee on board...no matter how old he is, a private jet to NZ should be plenty accommodating. I know...I'm basically an invalid myself, and im barely even 21. Saruman would not bow down even as he lay stranded atop Orthanc...stubborn to his last, at least in the movie version. But he was stubborn to his last in the book too. So ha. Sir Christopher, I implore you, make this movie saga complete--come back to me. (So says Treebeard). Anyway, I couldn't think of anywhere to post this so I found this little plot. Sorry for all of you out there in cyberspace to have to read this long, convoluted, and sometimes even sarcastic (gasp!) oratory. I submit now to anyone else who'd like the floor.
2 years agoby @cory-parkinsonFlag
Worth5Bucks
wow, i just hope it can stay in New Zealand in the end. Its seems as if everything that could go wrong in this film has gone wrong in this film.
2 years agoby @mattbierwagenFlag
Robertswww
Glad to see New Line, Warner Bros. Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures standing behind Peter Jackson. Like I mentioned before, MEAA is going to turn-off studios from wanting to film in AU/NZ. Besides that, MEAA's proposed actions are illegal under NZ law, so there is no way to move forward with what the unions want. Get a clue unions, and support those film studios that provide you with work.
2 years agoby @robertswwwFlag
LuxoIII
Looks like these unions didn't do much research before making their accusations.
2 years agoby @brady1138Flag
The Narrator: The Better Man
Lol, Peter had more suave in his response.
2 years agoby @narratorFlag
WiseGuy
Im losing my patience..This isn't looking too good.
2 years agoby @zgcorleone072Flag
gandoff2169
This will be worked out one way or another by time it is greenlit. The unions and guilds that have supported the boycott will either step away, when they realize that the MEAA is asking more then the law allows, and have lied no dout. But the damage might be done for the local actors, and might still get moved...
2 years agoby @gandoff2169Flag
Diaigma
@Err - Madness? THIS . . . IS . . . MIDDLE-EARTH! ::kicks the unions into Mt Doom:: :P
2 years agoby @diaigmaFlag
Mutant
Since they're diking around Non - Union actors should be considered instead, and get the ball rolling.
2 years agoby @zenderFlag
Cheetoboy
This is just rediculous, What worse could happen? I hope they sort all this mess out, because we've been waiting for this movie way to long
2 years agoby @cheetoboyFlag
Kenny Saunders
How much trouble can a little hobbit really be?
2 years agoby @kennysaundersFlag
darthboromir
Stupid UNIONS!!!!!!
2 years agoby @darthboromirFlag
Cineprog
They should get this production sorted out it's turning into a real mess.
2 years agoby @cineprogFlag
DoubleR0522
@edwood i agree
2 years agoby @doubler0522Flag
Err
madness.
2 years agoby @err2005Flag
ed_wood
This is all just such a mess.
2 years agoby @ed-woodFlag
sherv
They should use the scottish highlands, new zealand is great but Tolkien based middle earth on the UK, thus scotland would be perfect!
2 years agoby @shervFlag
Billyboy
New Zealand is Middle Earth.
2 years agoby @billyboyFlag