Speaker by Various Artists

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Speaker: Levelling the Playing Field

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  • Craig Ranapia,

    And folks getting snotty about the malign influence of evil foreigners might want to take a look at The Weight of Elephants – which I thought was a damn fine, and much under-rated, local film despite the participation of the Danish Film Institute & Lars von Trier’s company, Zenotropa. (No stunt genitals were harmed during the making of this film.)

    I know this is going to ruffle a lot of cultural nationalist feathers, but does New Zealand pay enough attention to the other c-word: CO-PRODUCTION? One of the more bitter ironies is that it was announced SyFy US had picked up The Almighty Johnsons (as far as I'm aware, the first time a US network has brought a NZ drama) a few weeks before it was cancelled here. Would that show have been more secure if it had been a co-pro from the start?

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    I know this is going to ruffle a lot of cultural nationalist feathers, but does New Zealand pay enough attention to the other c-word: CO-PRODUCTION?

    Once again, it brings to mind Bryan Adams' stoush with the CRTC over his collaboration with Mutt Lange.

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic,

    I’m cautiously optimistic about the Avatar sequels deal. While the film industry has been granted a stay of execution, what it needs most is a succession plan, and on the surface of it, the right noises are being made.

    But Prostetnic Vogon Joyce is having his latest black-is-white moment when he claims the Avatar deal isn’t a U-turn on his previous comments on the film sector. And how exactly does increased rail patronage derail the film industry, anyway? For the same reasons that chemtrails are some kind of socialist mind control plot?

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • mark taslov, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    Zentropa

    Te Ika-a-Māui • Since Mar 2008 • 2281 posts Report Reply

  • Geoff Lealand, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    Yes, and it seems a damn waste that The Weight of Elephants has not yet had a broad release beyond the NZIFF -- as neither has the NZ reworking of Romeo and Juliet

    Screen & Media Studies, U… • Since Oct 2007 • 2562 posts Report Reply

  • Rob Stowell,

    via Gemma Gracewood on twitter: Ted Hope- "I am no longer going to produce films for a living"

    Whakaraupo • Since Nov 2006 • 2120 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic,

    The DomPost is slightly more nuanced than the Granny, describing the Avatar deal as swallowing a ‘dead rat’. On the one hand, it has a vested interest in the film dollars flowing into Wellington and out-bidding other countries for said film dollars. On the other hand, it points out the Treasury view on film finance policy, and that other industries in the same boat didn’t get similar red-carpet treatment.

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Kumara Republic,

    On the other hand, it points out the Treasury view on film finance policy, and that other industries in the same boat didn’t get similar red-carpet treatment.

    I’ll make much the same observation I made about the Herald’s editorial. Isn’t it funny how the tax breaks, loopholes and *cough* creative tax minimization strategies enjoyed by Australian-owned media organizations never seem to be quite so morally hazardous. Perhaps I'm being unjustly cynical, but isn't it funny how much more attractive a "level playing field" is when you're not at the bottom of the ruck?

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Jonathan King, in reply to Rob Stowell,

    via Gemma Gracewood on twitter: Ted Hope- “I am no longer going to produce films for a living”

    I was just coming here to post this same thing. The producer of The Ice Storm, In the Bedroom, 21 Grams, Adventureland, Martha Marcy May Marlene, American Splendour, Happiness, Flirt, Safe, The Brother McMullen, Eat Drink Man Woman, The Wedding Banquet and 60-odd other indie films says he can no longer afford or "can tolerate" what it takes to make indie films.

    There will always be Hollywood entertainment. There will always be people -- all over the world working on it ... But indie films (which NZ films are by definition) are fucked.

    And, boy, did we miss our chance to talk about that -- and what we could have done about it.

    How many sugars did you want in that latte, Mr Cameron?

    Since Sep 2010 • 185 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming,

    Take a bow, Mr King

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • Jonathan King, in reply to nzlemming,

    Take a bow, Mr King

    I have to do something with all my spare time ... ;-)

    Since Sep 2010 • 185 posts Report Reply

  • mark taslov, in reply to Jonathan King,

    That's awesome!

    I'm interested to know, is much money being made off the versions of Black Sheep and Under the Mountain we're watching for free online in China?

    Te Ika-a-Māui • Since Mar 2008 • 2281 posts Report Reply

  • mark taslov,

    Also is there some way to ensure that the versions they’re uploading are properly compressed? Almost all of the links I’m opening at the moment for your films (and there are tons – 40+ full length links for each film) are pretty heavily pixelated, which kind of jars after the HD ads, does MAFT handle this kind of stuff or is it left up to individual production companies?

    The Pantene and Darlie adverts before Black Sheep are a nice touch;)

    Te Ika-a-Māui • Since Mar 2008 • 2281 posts Report Reply

  • mark taslov,

    ETA, I hope I didn’t kill this thread, Back in July Simon Grigg linked to Youku-Tudou Launches ‘Sharing Plan’. I assumed something must be in place, as plenty of New Zealand films are still available for free while US releases are becoming increasingly restricted. Given the FTA I assumed there must be a way that the New Zealand film industry can or are maximizing on the audiences available in this single 1.3b person territory, and that MFAT would be doing their job protecting New Zealand IP and ensuring you get bang for your buck;) Your films alone have well over 1M views Jonathan.

    Te Ika-a-Māui • Since Mar 2008 • 2281 posts Report Reply

  • Rob Stowell, in reply to mark taslov,

    Your films alone have well over 1M views Jonathan.

    Wow! That's fascinating. All free?

    Whakaraupo • Since Nov 2006 • 2120 posts Report Reply

  • mark taslov,

    Yes, and these are not on shitty websites reserved for most recent US releases . The top hit for Black Sheep is on Baidu player, Baidu being ‘China’s Google’, many of the other links are on either tudou or 56 or PSS, all big players with multinational advertisers.

    If something is already in place then it only makes sense to be showing high res versions of these films.

    Te Ika-a-Māui • Since Mar 2008 • 2281 posts Report Reply

  • Rob Stowell, in reply to mark taslov,

    all big players with multinational advertisers.

    Hoping Jonathan can chime in- is there an income stream in this? (I'm not imagining it'd be huge - I believe Google pay about US$200 for a million youtube views, though that's not the same as feature films).
    Still interesting to know there's a significant audience out there.

    Whakaraupo • Since Nov 2006 • 2120 posts Report Reply

  • mark taslov, in reply to Rob Stowell,

    there’s a significant audience out there.

    Yeah, a couple of companies Youku and QQ launched pay versions (first 10 mins free) this year but we and I imagine most people would simply choose another film and wait a couple of months -when in Rome.

    All free?

    Some of those multinational advertisers like BMW and Cartier look fairly ambitious given our circumstances.

    Te Ika-a-Māui • Since Mar 2008 • 2281 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic,

    From an Aussie viewpoint, which appears to play the "Mexicans with cellphones" card...

    The Conversation: Did the New Zealand film industry just eat our lunch?

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • tim,

    Wellington • Since Sep 2009 • 21 posts Report Reply

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