Prospective Hobbits puttheir names forward |
Academic'sview narrow,says Jackson |
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| WELLINGTON - Would-be hobbits and trolls have already started phoning film director Peter Jacksons's production company, whch was kept busy yesterday dealing with people wanting to play extras in his Lord of the Rings film trilogy. Casting for the $264 million adaptation of the J.R.R Tolkein books is not due to begin until the end of the year. Jackson's Wellington-based Wingnut Films announced on Tuesday that it would be looking for 15,000 extras and 50 actors with speaking parts for the project, the most expensive film production ever undertaken in the southern hemisphere. A Wingnut Films spokeswoman said yesterday there had been dozens of calls, mainly from men, from throughout New Zealand. Some had been quite imaginative. Many callers wanted to play extras, but there were also calls from people who wanted to be involved in any capacity, including suppliers. One call was from a man wanting to supply candles for lighting the film's many dark scenes. There were also calls from people suggesting filming locations. For example, a Whakatane man suggested the stark volcanic landscape of White Island, off the Bay of Plenty coast. Casting agencies were also swamped with calls yesterday. Doubt Happy director Sharon Power said more than 30 people phoned the agency to put their own name forward, or their children's names. Some of the calls were from established actors who wanted to ensure they did not miss out on the chance to audition for speaking parts. THE DOMINION, SATURDAY AUGUST 29 1998 They said it ___________
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WELLINGTON - Criticism by Massey University academic Keith Beattie reflects a narrow view of how New Zealand film should be, director Peter Jackson says. Dr. Beattie said Jackson's $264 million project to make a Lord of the Rings trilogy in New Zealand was a "double-sided coin". "On the one side is the positive spin-off financially, but on the other we risk displacing local films with Hollywood films made here," Dr. Beattie said. Hollywood has already creamed New Zealand talent in the form of directors Geoff Murphy and Lee Tamahori, he said. While Jackson remained in New Zealand, "he had to be seen today as basically the maker of 'Hollywood' films". Jackson said a broader view was needed on New Zealand film. "I can't help but feel it's a bit of that whole Kiwi low esteem thing that we've been renowned for," Jackson said yesterday. "That if you're in New Zealand writing a book you shouldn't write about anything but New Zealand, or if you're painting a landscape don't paint anything but a New Zealand landscape. "We're all grown up and live in the world and we should have a slightly broader view." Jackson's project, which he has already been working on for 18 months, will involve largely New Zealand film crews, actors, and equipment with funding from the backers, Los Angeles based New Line Cinema. Jackson said that Dr Beattie was "implying a threat and I don't quite understand what the threat is". "Lord of the Rings being made here for one is not displacing or stopping New Zealand films being made... "This is me being a guy who wants to make Lord of the Rings, which is not Hollywood... it's not an American story, it's a British fairy tale based in Middle Earth. It's not anybody's culture, it's a piece of fantasy that belongs to the entire world." - NZPA
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