Posts by Craig Ranapia
Last ←Newer Page 1 2 3 4 5 Older→ First
-
Hard News: Mandela, in reply to Kracklite,
I get attacked for pointing out that this is in bad taste, but somehow the opportunists and perverters of history are embraced because they make soothing noises. So then, to Hell with “good taste” and “dignity”.
Fine, Kracklite and too hell with this community -- which a lot of people come to precisely because "good taste" and "dignity" are easier to find than around Kiwiblog or The Standard/Daily Blog. And I guess to hell with Russell when he specifically asked folks to "show respect for each other" too? I get you're totally unapologetic, and nothing I say is ever going to change your mind, but it would be really cool if you were just a touch less condescending.
-
Speaker: Levelling the Playing Field, in reply to Bart Janssen,
Just as another thought, if I do see my taxes used to create more content then personally I am much less interested in seeing big films made here that have little or no creative input from New Zealanders.
With all due and sincere respect, Bart, I’d like to thank the British and Australian taxpayers who (however indirectly) put money in the pockets of every Kiwi employed on Top of The Lake. Thanks, Screen Australia & the British Broadcasting Corporation!
I am fully aware that I’m running against the tide of conversation for a lot of people here. But I see the problems with film here as much more about the way we make and sell it: if we can get past the assumptions that ideas like reflecting culture, engaged (rather than lazy) criticality and respect for ideas are meaningless and secondary to commercial thrusting, then we can start talking about how we have things worth watching and earning from.
I'm trying to pull my thoughts together, but I have the nagging (and not entirely coherent) sense that it doesn't really have to be a zero sum game.
-
Hard News: We're back!, in reply to Graeme Edgeler,
Prominent Maori broadcaster JT is apparently looking for work.
Not. Even. In. Jest. Deadly seriously.
-
Speaker: Levelling the Playing Field, in reply to Kumara Republic,
How else to explain the overseas popularity of NZ-made shows like Wild South and Flight of the Conchords, when our TV networks didn’t want to know about them first up?
I don't know if Flight of the Conchords is a very good example because 1) it was created in collaboration with British multi-hyphenate James Bobbin for HBO (and drew heavily from a radio series they did for the Beeb), and, 2) 20/20 hindsight is a beautiful thing, but I'm not sure its terribly useful here. And let's be honest, there would have been a shitstorm of intergalactic proportions if NZ on Air has put a penny in a show set and shot in New York.
-
Speaker: Levelling the Playing Field, in reply to Kumara Republic,
On top of that, the Weinstein Bros are suing Warners for what appears to be Hollywood accounting practices.
To be fair, and precise, the crux of this lawsuit appears to be over the interpretation of the language of a contract which further complicated the already tangled films rights in The Hobbit and its three sequels. Not quite the same thing as Jackson's dispute with New Line over *cough* how his profit participation was calculated. Whatever you think about Jackson, and he's not universally loved around here, it's just ridiculous that he spent several years litigating simply so an independent auditor could get access to the paperwork.
-
Hard News: Awards and Rewards, in reply to Russell Brown,
Makes me giggle.
Well, its weirdly comforting to know that low-grade misery had company. I felt so awful, because there are people in this world I don't give a rat-arse about disappointing but Jimmy isn't one of them. It all worked out splendidly anyhow: even without my charms, it was a really nice piece of work that was worth the angst.
-
Hard News: Awards and Rewards, in reply to Russell Brown,
I’m sure she meant well, but I was really annoyed when she declared how much she enjoyed watching Attitude on Sunday mornings – and instructed “the NZ On Air people in the room” to keep funding it.
Um, I’m just thankful she isn’t the Broadcasting Minister because, even as an awards show gag, that’s not just a “cutsey stunt” but… you know… not the kind of thing Ministers of the Crown should be saying.
He was pretty bummed out the day he came home from the ill-fated pamphlet drop. We talked about it and I told him that that was probably going to be in the doco – and should be, because it was something that really happened to him.
Yeah, and I had a wee bit of a chat with him about that and I hope I got across to him that I really admired him for committing to something I know was often really really hard for him. The little bits we did (and which thankfully ended up on the cutting room floor) were totally awkward and uncomfortable for me -- you try being "natural" with a boom mic hovering over your head -- and that was just for ten minutes.
-
Hard News: Mandela, in reply to Sacha,
Some of us want to feel proud on the international stage.
Fine, Sasha. I'm going to detach myself from this, because I want to take my own advice and not respond to that in kind. I thought Key and Cunliffe both behaved totally appropriately, and unnecessarily, as it turned out.
-
Hard News: Mandela, in reply to Kracklite,
I’m a little bit disturbed by the implication by a few here (no, I will not finger-point – that would be silly) that people should express their grief in “acceptable” ways, without qualification.
If you want to point that finger in my direction, go to -- because I wasn't the only person who thought your downright ugliness towards Matthew was well out of order. And, no, I'm not fucking senile but there's a time and place for all things, and this was neither. One thing I value about this community is the ability to have very strong differences of opinion with the high level of presumption that people are speaking in good faith.
-
Hard News: Mandela, in reply to DexterX,
I couldn’t be dismissive of anyone involved in countering prejudice as “well-intentioned people who were very long sighted about institutional and casual racism on the other side of the world”.
That's nice, Dexter. Please quote the rest of the sentence, "...but in their own backyard? Not quite so much." I would warmly recommend another viewing of Patu, because that's a point Merata Mita (and many many Maori, not just in the anti-Tour movement) made with considerably more asperity than my father ever mustered. And, just between us, I don't think my father was talking out his arse when it came to everyday racism.