'The Hobbit' director Peter Jackson and actors Martin Freeman and Richard Armitage reveal why they loved filming in New Zealand and what it is that makes the country so special. (Dec. 18)
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'The Hobbit' director Peter Jackson and actors Martin Freeman and Richard Armitage reveal why they loved filming in New Zealand and what it is that makes the country so special. (Dec. 18)
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In this photo taken Saturday, Nov. 24, 2012, a giant sculpture of Gollum, a character from "The Hobbit," is displayed in the Wellington Airport to celebrate the upcoming premiere of the first movie in the trilogy, in Wellington, New Zealand. The sculpture was created at Weta Workshop, part of Peter Jackson's movie empire in the Wellington suburb of Miramar. The world premiere of "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" is Nov. 28 at Wellington's Embassy Theatre. (AP Photo/Nick Perry)
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FILE - In this Jan. 16, 2006 file photo, film director Peter Jackson arrives for the Golden Globe Awards, in Beverly Hills, Calif. Jackson launched the Weta Digital studio in 1993 with fellow filmmakers Jamie Selkirk and Richard Taylor. Named after an oversized New Zealand insect, the company later was split into its digital arm and Weta Workshop, which makes props and costumes. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)
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In this Nov. 14, 2012 photo, Weta Digital General Manager Tom Greally stands in front of a large bank of servers with the computing power of 30,000 laptops used for animation work in the companies Wellington studios in New Zealand. Weta Digital is the centerpiece of a filmmaking empire that Peter Jackson and close collaborators have built in his New Zealand hometown, realizing his dream of bringing a slice of Hollywood to Wellington. It’s a one-stop shop for making major movies - not only his own, but other blockbusters like “Avatar” and “The Avengers” and hoped-for blockbusters like next year’s “Man of Steel.” (AP Photo/Nick Perry)
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In this photo taken Oct. 31, 2012, Weta Digital staff celebrate Halloween in the company's Wellington studios in New Zealand. Previously never celebrated, Halloween now has a place in the region due to the large influence of Americans who come down under seeking work in the studios film making enterprises. Weta Digital is the centerpiece of a filmmaking empire that Peter Jackson and close collaborators have built in his New Zealand hometown, realizing his dream of bringing a slice of Hollywood to Wellington. It’s a one-stop shop for making major movies - not only his own, but other blockbusters like “Avatar” and “The Avengers” and hoped-for blockbusters like next year’s “Man of Steel.” (AP Photo/Nick Perry)
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In this Nov. 14,2012 photo, Weta Digital director Joe Letteri stands in the offices of the company's Wellington studios in New Zealand. Weta Digital is the centerpiece of a filmmaking empire that Peter Jackson and close collaborators have built in his New Zealand hometown, realizing his dream of bringing a slice of Hollywood to Wellington. It’s a one-stop shop for making major movies - not only his own, but other blockbusters like “Avatar” and “The Avengers” and hoped-for blockbusters like next year’s “Man of Steel.” (AP Photo/Nick Perry)
NZ Government misled public: trade union
New Zealand's Trade Union Council has accused the government of misleading the public about a dispute between actors and producers on the set of The Hobbit.
In October 2010, after an actor boycott of the film, the New Zealand government changed the law so film industry workers would be contractors, not employees with more rights.
The government said the changes, as well as extra financial incentives for Warner Brothers, were needed to ensure the Hobbit trilogy was made in New Zealand.
The Council of Trade Unions disputes this, saying correspondence released under the Official Information Act shows a government minister publicly overplayed the threat posed by the industrial action, even after the boycott had been lifted.
The documents also reveal that Crown Law advised the government not to change labour laws.
Director of the trilogy, Peter Jackson, came under fire last year when People for Ethical Treatment of Animals said that animals had been mistreated during filming of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
Mr Jackson denied these claims, saying extraordinary measures had been taken to ensure animals were well-treated.
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peter jackson, crown law, mr jackson, nz government, arts_entertainment, new zealand, public, employment, set, changes, threat, trade union, employees, dispute, animals, unexpected journey, actor, law, film, government, rights, industrial action, new zealand government, labour relations, producers, trade unions, ethical treatment, filming, actors, hobbit, government minister, official information act, hobbit trilogy, the lord of the rings film trilogy, contractors, film industry workers, extraordinary measures, labour laws, warner brothers, correspondence, extra financial incentives, trade union council, actor boycott
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