Genericwood

[threemonkeys]

I really like that New Zealand has been producing some significant film and television work on the world stage recently. I also really like that this is centred around Wellington and I like the benefits that it has brought to the city. But I am wary of the "Wellywood" hype that abounds. If you listen to some people, you would think that we have become the world capital of movie making. Yes, things have been pretty hot recently but it is still pretty small beans on a world scale really. That is a fairly natural thing though - what is more worrying is the assumption that the film industry is firmly entrenched here. The industry is notoriously fickle..All it would take for us to lose most of what we have is a Peter Jackson film to bomb really badly. Similarly, if we are to lose cost competitiveness on the technical side of things, then we will find all the effects work disappearing elsewhere. I really don't want the film industry to leave here - all I'm saying is that it is not a given that it will continue to stay.

The above was prompted by the fact that a television series is doing location work at a house not far from my place. It isn't all that long ago, such an event would have huge novelty value and would attract onlookers from all around. It would be the main topic of conversations in the shops. But now it is just being ignored apart from the minor disruption that it causes to traffic. Not that getting out and gawping at this particular set would do anything to address the above thoughts - I'm just noting a train of association.