Is it just me, or is this a clear case of revisionism: Hobbit was almost filmed in Britain, director reveals
First of all, who exactly is he revealing this to? The most we heard from PJ up to 2010 was about the union issue. Just when fans thought he had become a recluse and we (the fans) didn't exist, he went directly to the public over the attempted SAG boycott.
Secondly the time frame implied by this passage is suspect:
Does Jackson honestly expect us to believe that between the time the boycott was announced and he came out like gangbusters against it, that WB had broken down the script, sent a scout all over the [rugged] Scottish Highlands to find locations, and then put them in a box and delivered them to NZ? Really?"The worst time for me was when a huge box arrived in the office... this large cardboard box arrived and they had sent a location scout around England and Scotland to take photographs.
"They literally had the Hobbit script broken down into scenes, and in each scene there were pictures of the Scottish Highlands and England and this and that, to convince us we could easily go over there to shoot the film."
Thirdly, the following quote does not stand up under scrutiny either. IIRC the union withdrew their demands and promised not to interfere with the Hobbit production any more, and at that some time before the "emergency" session of parliament was convened.
In the event, the dispute was settled when New Zealand's conservative government amended labour laws to minimise union representation on set, also offering financial incentives to keep the production in the country.
Finally, doesn't it seem a tidge odd that he would choose a time just days before the premiere to raise this issue again? For instance at a time when fan enthusiasm is likely to be highest and media across the globe most likely to be paying attention? If he hadn't mentioned it, I can assure you I wouldn't be making this post, here or anywhere.
No, it is pretty clear to me, especially if the box of photos story from the first quote is true, that WB was keen on going where incentives were richer (and perhaps pastures were greener), and had been building a case for some time to do so. Yet it was all blamed on the union debacle then and now. How nice on a film about the triumph of the little guy. Jackson is perpetuating the myth that the threat to move was about the union. If that were true, changing their country's laws at the drop of a hat should have been enough for them.
The very idea that the government amended the rights of their citizens and then gave 250 million of their citizens' tax dollars to the production company is outrageous even to contemplate. If the gamble pays off and everyone experiences prosperity for years to come, it is still wrong for Jackson to keep spinning this yarn. Rather he might have just let sleeping dogs lay and console himself with "sometimes you just gotta do whatcha gotta do."
What is that line from Princess Bride? "We are men of action, something something something."
