Ringer Spy Synergist sends in some small tidbits of info regarding the action on and off the set at Tongariro:

The party that was shouted for all the crew while we were at Ruapahu, the bar tab came to $15,000.

The actors in your spy reports shoot, (here) I’m pretty sure are only extras, in fact i’m very sure I did some background fighting with one of them.

Hugo Weaving (Elrond) looks pretty scary, or terrible is a better word, not terrible bad but terribly frightening.

The last alliance elf costumes are far _far_ more comfortable then the helms deep elf costumes.