By By Kev Hedges Sep 27, 2010 in Entertainment Peter Jackson, the filmmaker behind the Lord of the Rings trilogy and currently making The Hobbit, has warned acting unions in New Zealand that filming may cease all together if a pay wrangle does not get resolved soon. Jackson has warned in an Unions have told actors not to work on the films and several organisations based in the UK, Canada, Australia and the US have said the The Hobbit's producers have refused to negotiate a deal with them. The International Federation of Actors want New Zealand actors on union contracts adding that for too long actors there have existed on non union contracts. Jackson claims the wrangle is an attempt by Australia to exert "bully-boy" tactics over the New Zealand film industry reports It feels as if we have a large Aussie cousin kicking sand in our eyes... or to put it another way, opportunists exploiting our film for their own political gain. Seriously, if the Hobbit goes east (Eastern Europe in fact) - look forward to a long, dry big-budget movie drought in this country. I have always attempted to treat my actors and crew with fairness and respect. Jackson is expected to become the films' director after the departure of Guillermo del Toro due to concerns over delays as reported in Work was expected to start earlier this year but is now scheduled for a 2011 start. Jackson, the films' executive producer, said it faced being shut down or moved from its location in New Zealand, the same spectacular landscapes where Lord of The Rings was filmed. Jackson is himself a native New Zealander. His screen adaptation of The Lovely Bones was also filmed in the antipodean country.Jackson has warned in an open letter that production could very easily shift to eastern Europe.Unions have told actors not to work on the films and several organisations based in the UK, Canada, Australia and the US have said the The Hobbit's producers have refused to negotiate a deal with them. The International Federation of Actors want New Zealand actors on union contracts adding that for too long actors there have existed on non union contracts.Jackson claims the wrangle is an attempt by Australia to exert "bully-boy" tactics over the New Zealand film industry reports BBC Entertainment & Arts desk. In his open letter he says:Jackson is expected to become the films' director after the departure of Guillermo del Toro due to concerns over delays as reported in Digital Journal back in June - although a formal announcement has yet to be made.Work was expected to start earlier this year but is now scheduled for a 2011 start. More about Peter jackson, Hobbit movie, New Zealand, Lord rings, Director More news from peter jackson hobbit movie new zealand lord rings director