Dub dot dash

Cross-marketing is a bitch
From yesterday's SST...
"A DVD produced by Destiny Church leaders Brian and Hannah Tamaki has been sent to the chief censor for classification because of its overt political and anti-gay content.

The Tamakis produced the giveaway DVD, New Zealand, Nation Under Siege, which they plan to take on tour this week. But they have failed in their first attempt to have it rated for general release. As with any unclassified film, video or DVD, the Tamaki DVD had to be sent to the Film and Video Labelling Body in Auckland for rating. The body can only classify films G, PG or M.

Executive secretary Bill Hood said he and his staff were not trained censors, and he had worries about the DVD's content. It had been sent to chief censor Bill Hastings in Wellington for classification.

"The content of the disc was very, very political. There was some content in there, particularly the views against the gay community, which I think should be considered by a higher authority than my office. There's a part in there that speaks about Helen Clark and other key members of the Labour Party, and then it goes into their (Destiny's) feelings about the gay community and same-sex marriage. I thought it was beyond what I would like to sign off myself."

Hood said the film was not necessarily too abusive or inflammatory - his main concern was that it was too political. The Tamakis have previously tried to distance themselves from the political arm of their empire, Destiny New Zealand.

Destiny Church spokeswoman Janine Cardno said it was expected the DVD would be cleared for general classification, and if it was not "we will make a big fuss about it". Hastings said the Tamakis had asked for urgency, so he would try to have the DVD classified by mid-week."

Hang on, would this be the same Brian Tamaki who wrote the following vicious rant about Mr Hastings on his new website?

"New Zealand’s chief film censor is Mr. Bill Hastings, a gay activist. This man is responsible for allowing explicit sexual and violent content of the worst kind into our country, including films that depict brutal murders and rapes. This material is now available in our communities. I have also become aware of the strong homosexual and liberal representation at every level through media in our country. I would say much of this representation has come about because of the direct influence of a secular liberal government."

This is part of Tamaki's FAQ in response to the question "You say that the media are a modern day witchcraft. What's with that?" And you expect a fair hearing from a man you spit hatred at? How is that good Christian behaviour?

The good thing about lliving in a democracy is all the nutters/fundamentalists/hate merchants are entitled to free speech, so they are out in the open, where we can keep an eye on em.


In other exciting news for cross-cultural zealots, Tze Ming reports on a feature film in development - it's called Chowick. Not a joking, kids, it's serious, and it's even got $20,000 development money from the Film Commission, and guess what? It's a Touchdown production (the people that bought you quality tv like Celebrity Treasure Island, Miss Popularity, and My House, My Castle). Tze Ming got interviewed by the film's director as research. Read of her frightening, shocking experience here.

"... How the hell could the Film Commission possibly give $20,000 to a non-Chinese writer/director, for a project called 'Chowick'? The Film Commission is based in Wellington, but is that enough to excuse such ignorance? Would they fund a Pakeha writer/director who had never heard of fried bread, to write a film set in Ruatoria called 'Hori-town'?"