MORE than 80 actors met in Wellington last Monday to discuss stalled Hobbit negotiations.
Wellington actor Greg Ellis was one of a group of actors who spoke out last week in frustration over Hobbit negotiation tactics.
“We wanted to get all the information in one place and hear as many sides to the story as we could. There were representatives present from all parts of the industry,” Ellis says.
Helen Kelly, the President of the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions (CTU) was present, although NZ Actors’ Equity declined.
“There were six major employers of the film industry present, plus myself, and we were all listened to. There seemed to be a lot of support for the union,” she says.
“This is a real opportunity to resolve the issues and move forward, which I really hope will happen. Otherwise, these concerns of the performing community will continue to chase them.”
Kelly has called on Wingnut Film Representative Philippa Boyens to meet with the union to discuss negotiations.
“This can’t be resolved until Three Foot Seven meet with the union, which still hasn’t happened,” she says.
Philippa Boyens responded in a press release on Tuesday, which deplored the fact that NZ Equity didn’t participate when they were responsible for initiating action that has inflicted so much damage on the NZ film industry.
“I want to reassure Helen Kelly that the filmmakers involved in this production are working to save the jobs of the New Zealanders put at risk by the actions of NZ Equity and are doing everything they can to keep the production from being moved off-shore.  Three Foot Seven is working with actors’ representatives, namely their agents, to ensure that the terms and conditions for all actors working on “The Hobbit” are fair and equitable and that the actors engaged to work on the films are happy with their contracts. The agents involved are doing an extremely good job of protecting their clients’ interests.”
Boyens named other film industry representatives present at the meeting, including New Zealand producer Sue Rogers, and Dave Gibson and Penelope Borland from SPADA.
Actor Greg Ellis says a letter to the union was drafted at the meeting.
As Capital Times went to press, the letter had not been released.
While Ellis believes actors are “still in the dark about what’s happening at the very highest levels”, the meeting has made him hopeful.
“We’ve been individuals for a long time and now there’s a sense of collectivism, which is nice,” he says.
“It would’ve been nice if this meeting had happened earlier, but sometimes you need a catalyst for these things. It’s a shame the catalyst had to be this.” MORE than 80 actors met in Wellington last Monday to discuss stalled Hobbit negotiations.
Wellington actor Greg Ellis was one of a group of actors who spoke out last week in frustration over Hobbit negotiation tactics.
“We wanted to get all the information in one place and hear as many sides to the story as we could. There were representatives present from all parts of the industry,” Ellis says.
Helen Kelly, the President of the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions (CTU) was present, although NZ Actors’ Equity declined.
“There were six major employers of the film industry present, plus myself, and we were all listened to. There seemed to be a lot of support for the union,” she says.
“This is a real opportunity to resolve the issues and move forward, which I really hope will happen. Otherwise, these concerns of the performing community will continue to chase them.”
Kelly has called on Wingnut Film Representative Philippa Boyens to meet with the union to discuss negotiations.
“This can’t be resolved until Three Foot Seven meet with the union, which still hasn’t happened,” she says.
Philippa Boyens responded in a press release on Tuesday, which deplored the fact that NZ Equity didn’t participate when they were responsible for initiating action that has inflicted so much damage on the NZ film industry.
“I want to reassure Helen Kelly that the filmmakers involved in this production are working to save the jobs of the New Zealanders put at risk by the actions of NZ Equity and are doing everything they can to keep the production from being moved off-shore.  Three Foot Seven is working with actors’ representatives, namely their agents, to ensure that the terms and conditions for all actors working on “The Hobbit” are fair and equitable and that the actors engaged to work on the films are happy with their contracts. The agents involved are doing an extremely good job of protecting their clients’ interests.”
Boyens named other film industry representatives present at the meeting, including New Zealand producer Sue Rogers, and Dave Gibson and Penelope Borland from SPADA.
Actor Greg Ellis says a letter to the union was drafted at the meeting.
As Capital Times went to press, the letter had not been released.
While Ellis believes actors are “still in the dark about what’s happening at the very highest levels”, the meeting has made him hopeful.
“We’ve been individuals for a long time and now there’s a sense of collectivism, which is nice,” he says.
“It would’ve been nice if this meeting had happened earlier, but sometimes you need a catalyst for these things. It’s a shame the catalyst had to be this.”