This reporter, Garfeimao, will be at the convention all weekend long, but will only be participating in the one panel. The rest of the time, I can be found at one of the many Babylon 5 20th anniversary panels and events, a show that has a definite thematic tie to The Lord of the Rings. For Scifi and Fantasy fans in Phoenix and around Arizona, this is one of the biggest genre events of the year for you, and now you can add Tolkien to the mix.

There is one other Hobbit related panel, on Thursday, May 23 at 6pm there will be a Fan Panel for The Hobbit discussing the current and upcoming films, as well as mentioning previous attempts around the globe. No panelists are listed yet, but this sounds like a lot of fun since it’s more or less a ‘talk back’ session. For information regarding other guests, panels and how to attend, go to Phoenix Comicon. If any of you AZ Ringers want to meet up, feel free to email me at Garfeimao@TheOneRing.net so we can set up a little Moot.

If you live in Seattle or will be visiting it in the near future, check their website for all the details on location, hours and entrance fees. The Iron Throne will be there for just the first 3 months of the exhibit, so if you wish to see either that or the Tolkien Manuscripts, plan carefully. EMP Museum.

Hi there,

sorry for the delay!

i hope the photos are okay for you. There are Heike = Fili, Sascha = Kili, Rebecca = Nori and Dirk = Bofur. (Fili, Kili and Nori took part in the audience choice award.) We’re part of a LOTR/hobbit reenactment group and have been working on our costumes quite a long time. The Nori and Bofur costumes were finished just in time for HobbitCon.

Well, what can I tell you? We’re visiting Ring*Con for years, but HobbitCon (special from Ring*Con) was the best convention I’ve ever seen. There were 9 actors (Jed Brophy/Nori, Dean O’Gorman/Fili, Mark Hadlow/Dori, Adam Brown/Nori, John Callen/Oin, Stephen Hunter/Bombur, Graham McTavish/Dwalin, Peter Hambleton/Gloin, Sylvester McCoy/Radagast) + Daniel Falconer and Paul Tobin from Weta… and they were all so nice and funny as well. One of the funniest moments was the Q&A session of Sylvester McCoy, who ran through the audience all time while answering questions (followed by the people, who had those questions) and doing hilarous things. [editor's note: Sylvester did this at Gallifrey as well, he's always been very fan friendly]. Graham McTavish brought one of his Dwalin prosthetic arms to his Q&A sessions and two fans were allowed to come on stage and put it on. And there is Jed Brophy… running, dancing, jumping all the time… doing stunts, never standing still. One of the most touching moments was the dwarf-actors singing the song of the Misty Mountains at the end of the closing ceremonies. Entering the audience choice award was a totally new experience for us, because we never tried to before and we never expected such an amazing feedback.

In this week’s issue of Entertainment Weekly, The Hobbit director Peter Jackson, a digital effects pioneer who co-founded the F/X company Weta Digital, says studios are taking advantage of an oversupply of F/X houses to drive down prices. “Competition between VFX houses, which the studios obviously use to their advantage, has resulted in VFX houses operating on tiny profit margins,” Jackson says. “And when we talk ‘profit,’ it’s not about the owners buying a Porsche at the end of a big movie — it’s about having a nest egg to ride out the slow periods.”

To read the full story and see links to other stories about the VFX crisis, head on over to EW.com

WonderCon is one of three conventions hosted by Comic Con International, the others being APE (Alternative Press Expo) and San Diego Comic Con. Wondercon follows the same general format as San Diego Comic Con, but on a much smaller size, making it easier to attend the panels you wish and still have time to shop. It is returning to the Anahim Convention Center for the second year while the Moscone Center in San Francisco is getting a major renovation. If you have had problems getting into San Diego Comic Con the last few years, this is a really great alternative. See you all on Sunday.

Here is how Round 2 is shaping up right now…

The Shire Division

(8) Huan is being handed his walking papers by (1) Galadriel, while the most powerful of the Ainur (4) Morgoth has a solid lead over the eldest ent (5) Treebeard.  (6) Luthien seems poised to take down (3) Bilbo Baggins. But the closest story in this round appears to be the match between the Mirkwood Elvenking (7) Thranduil with a slim lead over the head of the White Council (2) Saruman.

The Erebor Division

The current Cinderella seed (16) Pippin is soundly beating ‘Hot Dwarf’ (9) Fili, can the Heir of Durin put in a late push? Last year’s champ (12) Samwise Gamgee is facing an uphill battle with (4) Beren. The owner of the Last Homely Home, (6) Elrond, is currently leading against (14) Eowyn, unless she can get some support from other Warrior Women. Can she make to the Sweet 16, possibly against Aragorn!? Speaking of (7) Aragorn, he is soundly trouncing the windlord (2) Gwaihir.

The Mordor Division

(9) Gil-galad, the high kind of Noldor, seems destined to lose to the number one seed (1) Smaug. The Dark Lord (4) Sauron is handily beating his dwarven opponent (5) Dain Ironfoot. (11) Fingolfin has a slim lead over (3) Thorin Oakenshield, where is his ARmy? (2) Beorn seems ready to send (7) Shelob packing. If things keep going this way, we could have Smaug and Sauron in the Sweet 16.

The Angmar Division

Not quite a fair battle, but (1) The One Ring seems ready to abandon (8) Frodo Baggins. The Eldar King (12) Manwe, has a very solid lead over a descendant of Girion in (4) Bard the Bowman. Some call him ‘creepy’  and ‘sneaky’ (3) Gollum, but he’s got a lead over the imposing dwarf (6) Dwalin. And last but not least, (10) Merry seems rather outranked and outclassed by (2) Gandalf the Grey.

Voting continues until tonight at 10pm ET. [Vote Now!]

Remember, if you missed the Peter Jackson hosted first look at “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,”  or just want to watch it over again, a modified version will be archived on the Trilogy’s official website  www.thehobbit.com/sneak. To access the footage, use your UltraViolet code on your copy “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” Blu-ray Combo Pack, Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack or 2-Disc Special Edition DVD.

Also, be sure to stay tuned to TheOneRing.net for a detailed analysis. Coming soon!

You will also see some very helpful tips on what types of activities can be done to celebrate Tolkien Reading Day, from discussions about common themes or settings, to fun games to engage children with. Tolkien Reading Day can be held at a home, a school, a library or a bookstore or you can even take it outside, maybe at a picnic and add a meal to the event. And while the Middle-earth stories tend to be the more popular at a Tolkien Reading Day event, his other works, such as Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Letters from Father Christmas or Roverandam can be just as enchanting.

The theme for this year is Landscapes, a subject that Tolkien was particularly adept at envisioning and describing in wonderful detail. Middle-earth must have had very successful travel agents, how many times have you wondered what it would be like to visit some of the realms described?

Tolkien Forever, the Tolkien Smial in Southern California, will be hosting an event this Saturday, March 23. True, it is not the correct day, but a Saturday works better for drawing more people to the event in the ever busy Megalopolis that is So Cal. For those in the Los Angeles area, stop by their Facebook event page for details.

If you have a Tolkien Reading Day event happening in your area, please let us know the details so we can post it and let others know where they can go in an area near them. You can drop a line to Spymaster@TheOneRing.net.

First up is a Literary based Science Fiction convention in San Diego called Condor, taking place this weekend. TheOneRing.net will be hosting several discussions on Saturday and Sunday about The Hobbit, TheOneRing.net and Middle-earth. This weekend will be full of lots of interactive programming, so come on down and join in the fun.

On the following weekend, the American Cinematheque will be hosting a screening of The Hobbit and the LOTR Trilogy in a full day and night Middle-earth Marathon. This will be on Saturday, March 16 at the Aero Theater in Santa Monica. TheOneRing.net will be there to talk Tolkien, run trivia contests and play a game or two. And to help some lucky Tolkien fan to OD on Middle-earth, we have a pair of tickets to give away. Go to our Event Page on Facebook, RSVP to attend the screening and leave a message stating how you plan to survive the 15 hours or so that this marathon will take, and we’ll randomly award a pair of tickets to one lucky person. Hurry, this contest will close on Saturday at Midnight.

Just a week later, on March 23, Tolkien Forever will be hosting their annual Tolkien Reading Day event. This event is typically held on March 25, the Middle-earth New Year  after the Destruction of the Ring. But March 25 is a Monday, so the event in Los Angeles was moved to the Saturday before, and is going to be at what looks to be a wicked cool used bookstore in Downtown LA called The Last Bookstore. Selections of Tolkien’s wide range of works will be read to any and all who show up, spreading the love for his written word. Visit the Facebook Event Page to see more details.

The final event for So Cal Tolkien fans to attend and enjoy will be Wondercon in Anaheim at the end of the month. This convention is typically held in San Francisco, but moved to Anaheim last year and this year because Moscone Center in San Fran has been undergoing renovations. Wondercon is a spin off from San Diego Comic Con and is run in a similar manner, but on a much smaller scale, making it more accessible for fans to enjoy all that the con has to offer. TheOneRing.net will have a panel at Wondercon, but the schedule is still pending, we will announce when and where you can find as soon as we know.

And there you have it, 4 weekends of Tolkien fandom, fun and friendship. What more could wee little Hobbits hope for?

You will find here links to all the events, helpful hints on what to print and what to bring with you, and a timeline. Further attendee information will be given out with your registration materials when you arrive on Sunday afternoon.

The festivities begin today with An Unexpected Art Show at Lot 613 in Downtown LA, just 10 miles south of Hollywood. Doors open at 7pm and the event will run until 1am. You can find more info Right Here including a discount coupon for entry tonight, just print it and bring it with you. And here is a sample of the artwork you will find at the Art Show.

On Saturday, the LA area Smial of the Tolkien Society, Tolkien Forever, will be hosting a Pub Moot for fans to gather. The Moot will be at The Cat n’ Fiddle Pub in Hollywood (6530 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90028) from 1:30pm until 5pm. Check out their Facebook event page for details.

Hobbit Oscar weekend culminates with The One Expected Party on Sunday afternoon, right here in Hollywood, just a couple blocks from the Academy Awards telecast. Here is a check list of things you will want to bring, check on, and ask us about while there is still time to do so.

• Print your tickets and bring them with you. If you do not have them, please email us ASAP at Oscarparty@theonering.net with your name and email. Doors will open at 3pm till 1am.
• Parking, we have sent out emails to everyone regarding parking, but if you did not get that message, or if you have a special need, please contact us at Oscarparty@theonering.net

                               *Lot opens at 2pm

                               *Shuttle will run until 2am and the lots will close after that

                               *You will need your printed Party Ticket to get into the lot

• There is a Dress Code for our party. It’s the basic Black Tie and Pointy Ear optional code we had for the three previous Oscar Parties. You can see the Costume FAQ for more details
• The Rivendell room at the party will be hosting a silent Auction and special Prize Drawings. The items you will be bidding on or entering for the drawing will be on display in the Rivendell room throughout the night. You may use a Credit Card for any large transaction, but if you just wish to purchase a prize drawing ticket, you will want to bring Cash with you. The TORn store will be in this same room, which is where you will find items like TORn shirts, buttons and the like.
• We have not quite sold out yet, so if you still have some friends on the fence, knock them off and bring them along. We will make an announcement if we should sell out before the start of the show on Sunday. Tickets may still be purchased online until Sunday morning, and after that, they can be purchased at the door, if it is not sold out by then. Purchase Tickets Now

And here is a little sneak peak at one of our Auction Items.

Please check out our Accommodations page for details on all the hotels. A few have already closed the books on our group block, and a few will remain open for another two weeks, but all the details can be found on that page. I have personally inspected all 5 hotels, so if you have any questions, email me at Garfeimao@TheOneRing.net and I’d be happy to assist you.

In the Sound category, “The Hobbit” is nominated with “Django Unchained,” “Les Miserables,” “Life of Pi” and “Skyfall.” In my opinion if the voters were able to see and hear a Dolby Atmos screening, this would be in the bag, but that is still a fresh and technology with limited availability. In the Special Visual Effects category, “The Hobbit,” is nominated with “The Dark Knight Rises,” “Life of Pi,” “Prometheus” and “Marvel’s Avengers Assemble.” In the Hair and Makeup category, all the nominees except “The Hobbit” are period pieces, while “The Hobbit,” definitely has some fantastical creations. Not sure which is the advantage here. The other nominees are “Anna Karenina,” “Hitchcock,” “Les Miserables” and “Lincoln.”

One notable nominee in the Documentary category is “West of Memphis,” produced by Fran Walsh and Peter Jackson. Jackson appears in the film that looks at the arrest, conviction and release of three then teens for a murder in West Memphis, Arkansas. Many felt it was a wrong conviction. The British Academy Film Awards will take place on February 10 at London’s Royal Opera House. For a full list of the nominations, please check the BAFTA website