Posts by Andre Alessi
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I realise that specifics will be impossible to talk about for the moment, but do we have any idea as to why the SFO went down the heavy handed route if they thought NBR had vital information, instead of trying for an informal chat instead?
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Which does highlight how tenuous that actual production always must have been. NZers feel that The Hobbit must be made in NZ, anything else would be an outrage. Outside of NZ, sorry to say, most people never think of NZ at all.
I've got a bunch of friends overseas who are all fans of the series and who all want the films made in NZ. They might be nerdy fangirls who name their cats Finarfin, Fingolfin and Feanor, but they definitely see New Zealand as the "authentic" Middle Earth.
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I see this argument come up time and time again. Surely the point of unions is to raise working conditions and wages above the absolute minimum that one would work for? I'd do my job for less money and worse conditions, especially if I was cornered into a take it or leave it situation... but surely we can aspire to improve on those bare minimums? Otherwise the "will work for free" placard will become something to aspire to.
Sorry, that's not quite what I was suggesting, though it may not have been clear from my post. She was actually paid very well for what she did. The conditions she worked in were the result of the nature of the work being done-no contract, collective or otherwise, could change the fact that flming in snow on the side of a remote mountain is cold, hard work that totally relies upon the right weather and lighting conditions, and means that as much filming as possible needs to happen when conditions are ideal. That's the case for both actors and techies.
Now, if anyone suggested that someone was being forced to work in these conditions, either to keep their job or to make a decent paycheck, then sure, an update to the contracts involved would be a relevant. But for The Hobbit, that hasn't seriously been raised by anyone as an issue, as far as I'm aware. Making films is inevitably hard work, requiring a level of discomfort and flexibility, and the people who actually do the work are fully aware of what is going to be asked of them right the way through, or they're free to walk off the job at any point.
What is going to be the real test of Actor's Equity's performance (pun intended) is the effect on local film productions in a few years' time. Will we look back and say that whatever changes come out of AE's discussions with SPADA, or the government's proposed law changes, or whatever, were a net positive for individuals and for the industry as a whole? It'd take a braver man than me to make a prediction until we see how things progress.
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And that's true whether you're gluing down Gandalf's beard in Miramar or Connemara.
Tangentally, I know one of the women who did actually glue down Gandalf's beard, or close enough for jazz. Were the long days and rough conditions a trial? Sure. Would she do it again? Absolutely.
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Maybe a moot point, but if residuals don't kick in until 2 years after cinema release*, there probably won't be that much money to pick up, for anyone.
On the contrary, that's usually when "Special Collector's Edition" type releases start happening. Different rules for a blockbuster with a fanbase than for most films.
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It's interesting how, if you piece together all the statements from AE and MEAA, you're left with the impression that noone actually ever made a decision to go for the boycott-they were all just following someone else's lead.
I guess it's a great example of noone wanting to put their hand up and admit they were responsible. (And certain conversations I had with those in the know over the weekend back that impression up.)
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The trade union is thus the mortal enemy of the charismatic leade
Pssst, Chris, they're actors. Check your Player's Handbook, you need a minimum Charisma of 15 (or a Shirt with + 5 to Sexterity) to be an actor.
Quite frankly the union bashing on here is very sickening.
"Union bashing"? Have you even read anything people have been saying on here?
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What's a burrahobbit, then? Inquiring trolls would like to know.
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Here's a pcture of the New Zealand Police Force at work.
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Martin Freeman is an inspired choice to play Bilbo.
He really is the It Guy right now for so many things. Have any of you managed to catch the BBC's latest Sherlock (with Freeman as Watson and Benedict Cumberbatch as Holmes.) Brilliant stuff, and Freeman manages to be rather scary, in a quiet way.