Co-writer reacts to Hobbit dispute

Philippa Boyens. Photo / Mark Mitchell

The Australian film industry is one of several lobbying for The Hobbit should industrial issues not be resolved in New Zealand, according to the film's co-producer and co-writer.

Philippa Boyens spoke publicly first the first time on the recent controversy on Radio New Zealand's Nine to Noon this morning.

She told host Kathryn Ryan she had decided to speak out after a New Zealand Actors' Equity spokesperson yesterday said they were hopeful the spat could be resolved, following a Hollywood press report that the dispute over terms and conditions on the planned film were close to being sorted out.

In the interview, Ms Boyens said that while it is looking "hopeful" that the issue may be resolved, there still was a real chance the film could be made overseas.

"There is a misunderstanding over the seriousness of the situation and what is at stake right now," she said. "There was a perception this was about bluffing.

"It is not a game."

Ms Boyens said the film's financial backers were currently looking at the economics of filming the Lord of the Rings prequel abroad in light of the industrial action. She confirmed there had been strong lobbying by the Scottish, Irish, Canadian, Australian film industries, while filming in Eastern Europe is also an option.

"Right now in America, Warner Brothers' accountants are running the numbers on five or six different locations."

She accused the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, the Australian union who called for actors to boycott the film, of attempting to damage New Zealand's film industry.

"The New Zealand film industry is not as robust as the Australian film industry, so they are doing real damage.

"It was a very militant action that was taken by the Australian union."

Ms Boyens said the union's decision to boycott the film was made unilaterally, without consulting New Zealand Actors' Equity.

A former unionist herself, she accused MEAA of cynically targeting Sir Peter Jackson and The Hobbit.

"They are talking to wrong people. It is not fair to use The Hobbit to set conditions for the whole industry. That is not fair, Pete is not going to do that.

"(Boy director) Taika Waititi cannot afford that."

"I think they felt that there was no way it was not going to be filmed in New Zealand. [They thought] 'they've already built Hobbiton', but Hobbiton is only a seven to eight-day shoot."

She said the actors need to speak to SPADA, the Screen Production and Development Association of New Zealand, not the producers of The Hobbit, in order for the issue to be resolved.

Ms Boyens said actors are paid by Sir Peter "well over and above" what they receive on other productions around the world, and the terms and conditions are "extremely good".

"No one has been able to say how we treat them so appallingly," she said. "[The industrial action] has characterised Pete as an anti-union, anti-actor director - that is appalling.

"They say it is non-union - this is a union film."

She said the decision on where the film is produced is not entirely up to Sir Peter and the opportunity to film in New Zealand was "as a courtesy", but she hoped it would be filmed in New Zealand.

"I don't want to move. I don't want to go."