Recieved this amazing scoop from BOB in NZ!

Hi, (last) Friday morning I went to a talk/seminar about computer graphics in Wellington,

At this seminar was the director of visual effects for lord of the rings. He basically told us about how they worked out how to do the special effects and in what order they had to shoot things to get the shots done etc...

Things he told us were - filming starting in late September early October now (don't know if you know that) finished storyboarding first two movies on Friday they're using "Maya unlimited" software for their CG effects

(Though its been modified by them allot)

In one example of CG effects he described a scene Gandalf and some hobbits around a fire/light? Fire/light goes bang/explodes out comes lots of colorful butterflies hobbit kids chase the butterflies....

Only got to see one storyboard page. During this example he was telling us about when to use real effects/explosions versus CG ones. And he said, "Now we wouldn't want Sean Connery to get burnt, now would we?". Dont know if this was a Freudian slip or what but that's what he said. But everyone started laughing....

There are going to be about 1600 shots with CG effects in them in all three movies that's all I think I remember ....

Oh and they will be looking for people to do post production animation in the new year.

Cheers BOB