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With word coming down on the deal swung between the government of New Zealand to keep the production of The Hobbit - a deal that included increased financial subsidies and promised legislation to alter New Zealand labor law - we thought the thing to do was get a little bit of local perspective on the issues at hand. And so earlier today I approached a pair of active New Zealand film makers - Jonathan King (Black Sheep, Under The Mountain) and Jason Stutter (Predicament) - for their take on the situation and the issues at hand from the perspective of directors actually working in the country affected by these decisions. Their complete responses are below.

From Jonathan King:

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Speaking as someone who has never worked for Peter Jackson or any other Hollywood film shot here -- and remains unlikely to --...

With word coming down on the deal swung between the government of New Zealand to keep the production of The Hobbit - a deal that included increased financial subsidies and promised legislation to alter New Zealand labor law - we thought the thing to do was get a little bit of local perspective on the issues at hand. And so earlier today I approached a pair of active New Zealand film makers - Jonathan King (Black Sheep, Under The Mountain) and Jason Stutter (Predicament) - for their take on the situation and the issues at hand from the perspective of directors actually working in the country affected by these decisions. Their complete responses are below.

From Jonathan King:

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Speaking as someone who has never worked for Peter Jackson or any other Hollywood film shot here -- and remains unlikely to --...

Newsflash: I will watch anything featuring “Flight of the Conchords” alumni Jemaine Clement. I own “Tonga Ninja”, “Gentlemen Broncos”, and “Diagnosis: Death” simply because he’s in there doing his thing, and I’m not too proud to admit it. To my giddy delight, the fine, dedicated individuals at Twitch were extremely kind enough to give the world the first look at the man’s latest project, namely director Jason Stutter’s pitch black comedy “Predicament”. The film, a demented tale surrounding the bumbling misadventures of three would-be blackmailers, is tearing things up on the festival circuit, though I’m honestly not surprised. It does, after all, star Jemaine Clement. I mean, come on, people. North American release dates have not been set as of this writing, though you can watch this clip over and over again until your little heart’s content.

Following a pair of sold out and raucously received festival screenings in Wellington, Jason Stutter's New Zealand gothic crime comedy Predicament is all set to launch its official site tomorrow offering most the first look at the film's full theatrical trailer. But you, the faithful Twitch reader, are not among that 'most'. For here, right now, we have an exclusive early look.

Flight of the Conchords star Jemaine Clement plays a major role in this one, along with Heath Franklin and Hayden Frost as a trio of would-be blackmail artists who have things go badly wrong.

The production design on this looks bang on, almost as bang on as the sense of deliciously macabre comic timing. Clement - always fantastic - looks to keep his fans coming back for more as the pasty faced con man, while the young stars are engaging and, yes, that Is musician Tim Finn...

Those intrigued by the brief teaser for Kiwi director Jason Stutter's Predicament - check it out below if you haven't already - have got good things in store. Very good things indeed.

Those heading by the New Zealand Film office can take an early look at the full trailer for Stutter's debut feature and it is fantastically bleak, absurdly comic stuff. Everything hinted at in the teaser pays off much, much larger. Flight of the Conchords star Jemaine Clement is at his pasty faced, hilarious best as a photographer enlisted in a blackmail scam by two younger cohorts and the chemistry amongst the entire group looks absolutely spot on, as does the slightly off-kilter, heavily noir-tinged art direction. Hopefully this arrives in a public forum soon because it is just excellent.

Naive teenager, Cedric Williamson, conspires with two misfits to photograph and blackmail adulterous couples,  When the scam goes...

Though it isn't drawing nearly as much attention or producing nearly as many films as is neighboring Australia, there is a growing wave of genre tinted film coming from New Zealand. Peter Jackson is the big name there, of course, followed by Black Sheep director Jonathan King, and now get ready to start hearing about Jason Stutter.

Already well known on the short film circuit thanks to his hysterical Careful With trilogy - Careful With That Axe and Careful With That Power Tool are being joined by Careful With That Crossbow this summer - Stutter will soon be hitting screens with his dark comedy feature Predicament as well.

Naive teenager, Cedric Williamson, conspires with two misfits to photograph and blackmail adulterous couples,  When the scam goes wrong they end up with blood on their hands.  Tortured by lust, roped into blackmail and possible an accessory to murder, Cedric is in a predicament.

Chicago – “The Lovely Bones,” which is directed by “The Lord of the Rings” director Peter Jackson with a relatively unknown executive producer credit from Steven Spielberg, has gone down in history as a poorly reviewed film that was based on a much better novel of the same name by Alice Sebold. “The Lovely Bones” was released on DVD and Blu-ray on April 20, 2010.

Oscar nominee Saoirse Ronan stars as Susie Salmon in “The Lovely Bones” from Paramount Pictures.

Photo credit: DreamWorks Studios

Despite needing a higher-budget special effects department and featuring like a never-healing sore thumb one of the worst supporting performances in recent memory by the unknown Nikki SooHoo, the film did delicately tackle the sensitive issue of a pedophile murderer and rapist while still maintaining a “PG-13” rating. That role was hauntingly played by Stanley Tucci.

Tucci’s supporting role is the standout feature of this film. He earned...

No, normally, a small New Zealand movie wouldn't gather attention around these parts. But ever since Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie walked away from the Flight of the Conchords TV series, and Clement was so woefully underused in Gentlemen Broncos, I've been wondering what he'd be up to next.Flight of the Conchords episode, Jemaine has headed back to New Zealand. Quiet Earth is reporting that Clement is part of the cast of Diagnosis: Death, a crime comedy set in the 1930s. The main character is a teenager who conspires with two others to blackmail wealthy couples, so presumably Jemaine isn't the main character. But still, a little bit of Clement can go a long way. No telling if we'll ever see this movie in the States, but now you'll know to keep an eye out for it.