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Otago Daily Times
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Trump's film tariffs would be ‘devastating' for local industry
Rob Sarkies. Photo: supplied A Dunedin-born film-maker says it would be "absolutely devastating" to the country's film industry if Donald Trump gets his way. The United States President announced in a post on his Truth Social platform on Monday he was authorising the Department of Commerce and the country's trade representative to "immediately begin the process of instituting a 100% tariff on any and all movies coming into our country that are produced in foreign lands". "We want movies made in America, again!" Shares in some US streaming and production companies, including Netflix, fell following the announcement, but the White House later said "no final decisions" on foreign film tariffs had been made. Dunedin-born film-maker Rob Sarkies - director of Scarfies, Out of the Blue and the upcoming drama based on the 2010 tragedy Pike River - said yesterday he was "very concerned" by Mr Trump's comments. "If it came in as it's been proposed, not that the detail is particularly clear, but as I understand it, it would be absolutely devastating for New Zealand and specifically the New Zealand film industry. "We're talking millions and millions of dollars simply wouldn't come here and a large number of people would be out of work. "I think companies like Weta, for example, would probably be forced to relocate to survive." It would "simply be unaffordable" for such companies doing high-end work for big Hollywood productions to get hired unless they relocated aspects of their business to the United States - which he believed was exactly what Mr Trump wanted. The announcement should be taken seriously and he expected the New Zealand film industry and the government in the interim to lobby against such a policy, but believed Hollywood was likely to push back and the announcement could be back-tracked. Areas of Otago recently played host to Hollywood actors and crews filming the seven-episode Netflix adaptation of John Steinbeck's 1952 novel East of Eden. While the source material is mainly set in the Salinas Valley, California, it appeared to have been "clearly more cost effective" to use the Otago landscape as a stand-in, Mr Sarkies said. Because film production in Otago was "more sporadic" than in Auckland and Wellington, such a tariff would have relatively less of an effect among regional industries. "The circus won't come to town as often and that will have an effect, but it won't be as devastating as it will be in the major centres."
Otago Daily Times
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Foreign film tariffs ‘absolutely devastating' for industry
Rob Sarkies. Photo: supplied A Dunedin-born film-maker says it would be ''absolutely devastating'' to the country's film industry if Donald Trump gets his way. The United States President announced in a post on his Truth Social platform on Monday he was authorising the Department of Commerce and the country's trade representative to ''immediately begin the process of instituting a 100% tariff on any and all movies coming into our country that are produced in foreign lands''. ''We want movies made in America, again!'' Shares in some US streaming and production companies, including Netflix, fell following the announcement, but the White House later said ''no final decisions'' on foreign film tariffs had been made. Dunedin-born film-maker Rob Sarkies - director of Scarfies, Out of the Blue and the upcoming drama based on the 2010 tragedy Pike River - said yesterday he was ''very concerned'' by Mr Trump's comments. ''If it came in as it's been proposed, not that the detail is particularly clear, but as I understand it, it would be absolutely devastating for New Zealand and specifically the New Zealand film industry. ''We're talking millions and millions of dollars simply wouldn't come here and a large number of people would be out of work. ''I think companies like Weta, for example, would probably be forced to relocate to survive.'' It would ''simply be unaffordable'' for such companies doing high-end work for big Hollywood productions to get hired unless they relocated aspects of their business to the United States - which he believed was exactly what Mr Trump wanted. The announcement should be taken seriously and he expected the New Zealand film industry and the government in the interim to lobby against such a policy, but believed Hollywood was likely to push back and the announcement could be back-tracked. Areas of Otago recently played host to Hollywood actors and crews filming the seven-episode Netflix adaptation of John Steinbeck's 1952 novel East of Eden. While the source material is mainly set in the Salinas Valley, California, it appeared to have been ''clearly more cost effective'' to use the Otago landscape as a stand-in, Mr Sarkies said. Because film production in Otago was ''more sporadic'' than in Auckland and Wellington, such a tariff would have relatively less of an effect among regional industries. ''The circus won't come to town as often and that will have an effect, but it won't be as devastating as it will be in the major centres.''
The Age
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
‘It breaks my heart': Giant Gandalf sculpture in NZ airport to be removed
For more than a decade, passengers at New Zealand 's Wellington Airport have boarded flights below the figures of two giant, hovering eagles from The Hobbit films, one bearing a bellowing wizard Gandalf. With 15-metre wingspans and weighing more than a tonne each, the sculptures that hover in the terminal have delighted tourists and scared children since 2013. Their tenure was eventful — one became unmoored from its fixings during a severe earthquake in 2016, and plummeted onto the terminal floor below. No one was hurt. But this month the majestic creatures, which underscore the capital city's connection to Peter Jackson 's Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films, will depart the terminal for good, Wellington Airport announced on Monday. 'It's been quite a Lord of the Rings -heavy storytelling theme in here,' said airport chief executive Matt Clarke. 'Now we're looking to change that to something new.' 'It breaks my heart,' said one traveller, Verity Johnson, who sat beneath a grasping eagle claw in the food court on Monday. The sculptures had impressed her since she was young. 'Please, please reconsider.' 'Taking them away is un-New Zealand,' joked another airport visitor, Michael Parks. The eagles were crafted by the film props and effects company Weta Workshop, which created tens of thousands of props for the Oscar-winning fantasy films directed by Jackson – one of Wellington's best-known residents, who lives on an isthmus near the airport. The movies based on J.R.R. Tolkien's beloved novels generated billions of dollars in tourism revenue for New Zealand and employed thousands of people in Wellington over the 15 years of the movies' production. But during the years the eagles have hovered in the terminal, Tolkien tourism has waned in Wellington — although the city will perhaps always be synonymous with Jackson's films. Guided tours still convey fans to the settings of famous scenes from the films and to visit production companies such as Weta, which will create a new display for the airport, to be unveiled later this year, Clarke said.
STV News
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- STV News
Giant sculpture of Gandalf riding an eagle to be removed
Sculptures of two giant eagles from the Lord Of The Rings films will be removed from New Zealand's Wellington Airport this month after looming over travellers for 12 years. The sculptures, one bearing the wizard Gandalf and which hover in the terminal, have delighted tourists and scared children since 2013. Their tenure was eventful – one became unmoored from its fixings during a severe earthquake in 2016 and plummeted onto the terminal floor below. No one was hurt. But this month the majestic creatures, which underscore the capital city's connection to Peter Jackson's Lord Of The Rings and Hobbit films, will depart the terminal for good, Wellington Airport announced on Monday. 'It's been quite a Lord Of The Rings-heavy storytelling theme in here,' said airport chief executive Matt Clarke. 'Now we're looking to change that to something new.' 'It breaks my heart,' said one traveller, Verity Johnson, who sat beneath a grasping eagle claw in the food court on Monday. The sculptures had impressed her since she was young. 'Please, please reconsider.' 'Taking them away is un-New Zealand,' joked another airport visitor, Michael Parks. The eagles were crafted by the film props and effects company Weta Workshop, which created tens of thousands of props for the Oscar-winning fantasy films directed by Jackson – one of Wellington's best-known residents, who lives near the airport. The movies based on JRR Tolkien's beloved novels, generated billions of dollars in tourism revenue for New Zealand and employed thousands of people in Wellington over the 15 years of their production. But during the years the eagles have hovered in the terminal, Tolkien tourism has waned in Wellington — although the city will perhaps always be synonymous with Jackson's films. Guided tours still convey fans to the settings of famous scenes from the films and to visit production companies such as Weta, which will create a new display for the airport, to be unveiled later this year, Mr Clarke said. Travellers have until Friday to admire the birds, which will then be put into storage, Mr Clarke said. He hopes the creatures – which each feature 1,000 3D printed feathers – will find a home at a museum. 'It's a spectacular thing for little kids to see,' Mr Clarke said. 'Even your old, grizzled businessmen, they still pull out their phones and take a quick cheeky photo too.' Wellington Airport is not losing its quirky side. An enormous sculpture of The Hobbit's gold-hoarding dragon, Smaug, will remain overlooking the check-in counters. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Rhyl Journal
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Rhyl Journal
Giant sculpture of Gandalf riding an eagle to be removed from Wellington Airport
The sculptures, one bearing the wizard Gandalf and which hover in the terminal, have delighted tourists and scared children since 2013. Their tenure was eventful – one became unmoored from its fixings during a severe earthquake in 2016 and plummeted onto the terminal floor below. No one was hurt. But this month the majestic creatures, which underscore the capital city's connection to Peter Jackson's Lord Of The Rings and Hobbit films, will depart the terminal for good, Wellington Airport announced on Monday. 'It's been quite a Lord Of The Rings-heavy storytelling theme in here,' said airport chief executive Matt Clarke. 'Now we're looking to change that to something new.' 'It breaks my heart,' said one traveller, Verity Johnson, who sat beneath a grasping eagle claw in the food court on Monday. The sculptures had impressed her since she was young. 'Please, please reconsider.' 'Taking them away is un-New Zealand,' joked another airport visitor, Michael Parks. The eagles were crafted by the film props and effects company Weta Workshop, which created tens of thousands of props for the Oscar-winning fantasy films directed by Jackson – one of Wellington's best-known residents, who lives near the airport. The movies based on JRR Tolkien's beloved novels, generated billions of dollars in tourism revenue for New Zealand and employed thousands of people in Wellington over the 15 years of their production. But during the years the eagles have hovered in the terminal, Tolkien tourism has waned in Wellington — although the city will perhaps always be synonymous with Jackson's films. Guided tours still convey fans to the settings of famous scenes from the films and to visit production companies such as Weta, which will create a new display for the airport, to be unveiled later this year, Mr Clarke said. Travellers have until Friday to admire the birds, which will then be put into storage, Mr Clarke said. He hopes the creatures – which each feature 1,000 3D printed feathers – will find a home at a museum. 'It's a spectacular thing for little kids to see,' Mr Clarke said. 'Even your old, grizzled businessmen, they still pull out their phones and take a quick cheeky photo too.' Wellington Airport is not losing its quirky side. An enormous sculpture of The Hobbit's gold-hoarding dragon, Smaug, will remain overlooking the check-in counters.
