I have watched and read about these events filled with anger and frustration over Kelly and Whipp's ridiculous claims. How dare they use an international film production, costing half a billion dollars, to get their own way? AND THEN say after the damage has been done "that was not our intention." It's ludicrous!
My heart goes out to Peter & co. Watching the interviews nearly brought me to tears. He was worn down, angry, upset, and so extremely worried and was not even trying to hide it. He has spent nearly two decades of his life bringing beautiful and passionate interpretations of Tolkien to us fans, and utilized those in his own home country to do so. And just when - after years and years of uncertainty and obstacles - they finally got the official greenlight, this had to happen? This international blacklist from only a relatively few? In which most members of the union didn't even understand or agree with the reasoning and terms involved in such a boycott? Like many have mentioned here, a boycott is a "last stand" - NOT the first action you take to getting what you want! Kelly says she just wanted a meeting to negotiate? LIE. A meeting to negotiate comes BEFORE the boycott...not as a result of one!
Whipp has explicitly stated that he wanted to use The Hobbit to unionize NZ actors! He was using The Hobbit as a stepping stool to get greater benefits for himself and the unions he supports. He doesn't care about The Hobbit or the fans or the thousands of workers who for the past THREE YEARS have been already working on pre-production for this film and are not keen on losing their jobs because of the insanely inept actions of so few! And once it became apparent that Warner Bro's would be looking elsewhere for production they BACKED DOWN and retracted all their statements and contradicted themselves and their actions!
What gets me is perhaps if this happened a year ago...maybe PJ and Warner Bro's and all would have actually tried to listen and understand Kelly and Whipp's concerns (as ridiculous as they are). But with half a billion at stake for a movie that must start in 4 months, negotiating and listening is NOT AN OPTION! The primary focus now is to keep the movies on track and on time...not work through a few people and their incompetence!
I am sorry if this is sounding too crazy and passionate[tongue] but as someone who (like most of you) has been following these events leading towards a greenlight and eventually finished film for years and years now, it is absolutely frustrating to have it almost be derailed because of a few hundred folks - most of which aren't even native to NZ and don't even know what they are talking about!
We survived disputes, rights, studio bankruptcy, a loss of a talented director...we will survive this too!!
