The day-to-day operation of the website, and the events we host, require a lot more resources than when we first started nearly 15 years ago. We sometimes find it hard to ask our readers for the help we need to keep running, so we began discussing what it is that makes TheOneRing.net worth helping out. It started out as a search for the Top Ten Moments of TORn, but the list got so long because each staff member had their own idea of important moments in TORn history. Here, instead, is something more encompassing: Ten Ways TORn helps serve Tolkien and Lord of the Rings fandom (listed in no specific order).

And, if you enjoy what we do, consider a donation (no amount too small, because every bit does help!) to keep us running!

If you can’t, that’s fine as well — keep reading, commenting and contributing. Because TORn is as much you as it is us!

If you’ve ever sent in an article, submitted a photo or report, posted on our messageboards, visited our chat, or commented on our twitter, facebook or g+, you’re the reason TheOneRing.net is among the largest and most-respected pillars of the Tolkien community on the web.

• Spy Reports

• Spy reports were a big part of our content when the website first started. From casting announcements to secret location pictures to leaked images of important plot points, spy reports were our bread and butter stories. Some of the reports were from random, anonymous sources, while others were official leaks from cast and crew. In fact, there were many production members who said they used TheOneRing.net to keep track of what some of the other filming units were doing. Other spy reports were just someone stumbling upon a film location and sending in a story or images and then we’d all try and guess what location it actually was. Some of our biggest spy reports were of Arwen at Helm’s Deep (which subsequently didn’t happen), Saruman’s prone body on a spiky wheel (which did happen), and TheOneRing.net was given the honor of introducing Thorin to the world. And very soon, we will be seeing stories from MrCere’s visit to the set from his Production Embed last year.

• Hall of Fire Chats and the Message Boards

• Literary discussions on the message boards and Hall of Fire chats – From the very beginning of TheOneRing.net, discussions of the books, chapter by chapter, has been a hallmark. After all, while we waited for news on who would be cast, where filming would take place, and rumors of what might be cut out, we had the books to talk about. Discussions worked by talking about one chapter at a time, and luckily, there are enough books with enough chapters, to keep those discussions going on for a long while. Since the beginning, we’ve looped through the books several times, but luckily, there are always new readers joining the discussion, and new interpretations to be had. And for something a little more dynamic, there are the Hall of Fire chats in Barlimans. Sometimes the talk is about a specific chapter, or a certain character, and sometimes it is about current events, such as new character images or reviews of a recently released trailer. No matter which forum you use, there is always someone to talk to about some aspect of Tolkien, the books or our fandom.

• TORns Live Videos

• We began with TORn Live, which consisted of Red Carpet interviews at premieres, awards ceremonies and special events like Cannes 2001 and SDCC. These would be recorded, edited and released online a few days or weeks later. But technology now allows for live streaming interviews and vlogs and the like. Quickbeam hosts a weekly TORn Tuesday event with interviews and discussions, while he interacts with a live chatroom. The Happy Hobbit ladies record and post their vlogs and post them within a day or two of their recordings, for a much quicker turnaround on video content. And right now we have the Road to DragonCon in full swing with live streaming from across the country.

• Conventions

• Convention appearances – Calisuri and Quickbeam hosted a panel at San Diego Comic Con in 2001, before the release of FOTR, and since then barely a year has gone by that TORn hasn’t had a presence at at least one convention. At many of the conventions we appear at we also have a presence on the exhibit hall floor where we have sold some of our classic TORn shirts. We love it when we get up on stage for a panel and half the people in the audience are wearing some of our older shirts.

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  Baggins Birthday Party sign

  Line Parties and Fan Events

• Line Parties and other fan hosted events – TheOneRing.net has always been a grass roots type of fan-site and that is no more apparent then looking at the Line Parties of years past. Whether it is just a few friends, or some hundreds of people signing up on the website to attend, fans like you all over the world hosted Line Parties. A few even took place over several days, and included costume contests and trivia games for prizes. Other fan hosted events over the years have been the Hobbit Day/Baggins Birthday Bash events on Sept. 22, the Tolkien Toast on Jan. 3 and the Tolkien Reading Day on March 25. TORn staff in Los Angeles have been hosting a Baggins Birthday Bash party for 11 years now, but there are fan groups around the world that have hosted similar events. Smaller moots happen around the world all the time, there is a very active group in Wellington and one in Croatia. If you are hosting a fan event in the next year or two, please feel free to tell us about it.

• The Oscar Parties

• Originally conceived as a fan event to help raise funds to buy TORn a new server, who could have imagined the Cast and Crew actually showing up to the FOTR oscar party? Even more surprising, who could have imagined the ROTK sweep and all those Oscars on stage at a fan hosted party?

• O.R.C and E.L.F.

• TheOneRing.net hosted conventions – The One Ring Celebration on the West Coast (O.R.C.) and the Eastern Lord of the Rings Festival on the East Coast (E.L.F.) were co-productions with a professional convention company, but they definitely had a TORn stamp on them. The conventions allowed us to combine our love of the films by interacting with cast and crew with our love of the books through academic discussions, the art shows and costume displays. We really did break the mold on how a commercial scifi convention is run and hope everyone who attended had a blast.

• Academic essays and editorials

• TORn has long standing relationships with many in the academic community who have posted guest essays and editorials. Over the year several staffers have posted in depth analysis to fan questions on the site as well. In fact, we have a whole section on the ‘old TORn’ (pre-crash) called Green Books for academic posts. This section had so much good stuff in it, we published a book called “The People’s Guide to J.R.R. Tolkien” and a sequel book as well.

• Driving fan initiatives

• After Return of the King was done and Peter Jackson moved on to do King Kong, the fans waited to see what would happen with The Hobbit afterwards. Months turned to years and still no word while studios went bankrupt, copyrights issues got tangled up and various lawsuits were filed for missing payments. Finally, a few fans decided they had had enough and started a petition to ‘Make the Hobbit Happen’. They brought it to TORn and we got thousands of you to sign so that a big pile of names was delivered to TPTB. A similar thing happened when there was talk that the production would be moved out of New Zealand. The fans could see no where else as Middle-earth, so the ‘Keep the Hobbit in NZ’ campaign was born, but this time on Social Media. And most recently, there was an explosion of Tolkien fan love over the #Votebilbo twitter event prompted by an MTV Audience Award.

• TORn Community

• This list compiles many of the things that TheOneRing.net does to keep you informed, entertained and engaged, but there is really just one thing that makes TheOneRing.net so important to keep around. And that is the community of fans that convene on our message boards, in Barliman’s chat, on Facebook and Twitter.

This site was built by fans getting together to discuss what they hoped for from Peter Jackson long before FOTR ever saw the light of day. The fact that a long existing fan-base gathered here meant engaged and informed discussion began from day one, including analyzing all the spy reports about casting and location details. We didn’t have to wait for the release of the films, or for several episodes of a new show to take off before we could discuss the minutia of every detail because our fan base was already well established.

And what is ‘fandom’ if not a community of like minded people passionate about the same thing. Sure, everyone has their own opinions, so every time a new image was released, or a new trailer appeared, the message boards and chatroom erupted into heated discussions. But as the years wore on friendships were made, some turning into marriage, and we all began meeting up at various moots, conventions, concerts, premiere events, trips to New Zealand or just coffee and a movie. How many of you newer fans were galvanized by the #Votebilbo campaign and now have a wider array of Twitter friends because of it? The fact that TORn was able to continue to exist during all those lean years between film productions is due mostly to you, the readers, sticking around to discuss anything and everything to do with Tolkien, and sometimes other bits of pop culture. We know that after the release of The Hobbit: There and Back Again we will see another decline of readership, but we also know that the community is strong, the friendships have been forged and all of you take that fandom with you where ever you go next.

So again, if you are so inclined to help support us and keep the website going, please do make a pledge or bid on one of the many cool auction items we’ve been posting about the past few days. On behalf of the All Volunteer Staff at TheOneRing.net, you have our deepest gratitude for all the support over the years.

Let’s have a closer look at what brings such huge interest and different fandoms together at this amazing show — and prep you for what we will reveal during our presentation! Bring your questions and comments to the chat!

We launch TORn TUESDAY every week at 5:00PM Pacific: brought to you by host Clifford “Quickbeam” Broadway and producer Justin “I Make Excellent T-shirts” Sewell — Our innovative live show includes worldwide fans who join us on the Live Event page with a built-in IRC chat (affectionately known as Barliman’s Chat room). Be part of the fun and mischief every week as we broadcast *live* from Meltdown Comics in the heart of Hollywood, U.S.A.!

WE APOLOGIZE that there is no available archive of this particular installment on our YouTube channel —- it was a “sneak preview” after all!

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Follow us on Twitter:  @theoneringnet

Follow Cliff Broadway:  @quickbeam2000

Like us on Facebook:  www.facebook.com/theoneringnet

Fairfax NZ news spoke to to Sir Peter Jackson’s spokesman, Matt Dravitzki, said the site on Miramar Peninsula was being prepared for a few days’ filming as part of 10 weeks of final-cut shooting for the last two installments of the trilogy.

“We’re back filming in Miramar for 10 weeks, here till early July. We will be filming on Mt Crawford for a few days.”

In-case you haven’t noticed, the writer of the article did accidentally type the second movie title as ‘The Demolition of Smaug.’ Mistakes happen! Follow the link for the full article and some new SPOILER imagery.  [Click Here]

In addition, HarperCollins and Warner Bros. are teaming up to give away 10 Blu-ray™ Combo Packs of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey as well as these first two books in the Hobbit series. The giveaway runs now through 4/9. [Giveaway]

[Order Today]

Official Synopsis:

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Chronicles II: Creatures and Characters explores the amazing cast of heroes, villains, beasts, and beings that populate Middleearth in the fi rst chapter of Peter Jackson’s fi lm adaptations of JRR Tolkien’s The Hobbit. Richly illustrated with behind-the-scenes photographs, digital renders, and film stills, this comprehensive book goes species by species and character by character through the film’s huge ensemble cast and bustling menagerie of creatures, both physical and digital, and shows how each came to be realized for the film.

First-hand accounts from the actors, makeup artists, digital effects specialists, dialect coaches, prosthetics technicians, movement coaches, and many other crew members describe the process and how the production unfolded, while also sharing insights into the characters. A bonus feature, unique to this book, is the special fold-out character size chart, which compares all the major creatures and characters of the fi lm, from Radagast’s hedgehog friend to the towering Stone Giants!

Compiled by Weta Workshop designer Daniel Falconer and featuring a wealth of stunning imagery, this book puts the reader face-to-face with all the creatures and characters of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, from the Dwarf heroes to the dark denizens of Middle-earth–the Orcs, Goblins, Trolls, and Wargs–and, of course, the hobbit himself, Bilbo Baggins.

There are a limited number of access passes from both websites, with The Warehouse ending this offer at 12pm on 22/03/13. There are  a limited number of 500, so pre-order soon.

The webcast will be held on Monday, March 25th at 8am! NZTime.

TVNZ reports that it is believed the sneak peek of the second film will last somewhere between 10 to 20 minutes — but details are yet to be confirmed.

TVNZ says that there is no final word on whether an extended version of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will be released — but Jackson hinted one was in the works at the Wellington premiere of the film last year.

[Read More]

Bootnote: Somewhat bizarrely, New Zealand Hobbit fans apparently have to wait until May 1 to purchase their copy, while it’s available in the UK from 8 April 2013.

There are several different versions available, all offering different goodies and extras. We recommend this excellent guide by TORn staffer MrCere and Ringer TheHutt if you want to compare the various versions and sets side-by-side.

Her job for “The Hobbit” filmmakers is to make sure that writers are not bringing in outside sources because the rights are for specific Tolkien works.

She said has made continuity suggestions as well. “They have fixed some of the things I have mentioned [in the first film], but I don’t know if it was because of what I noted,” she said. “They are changing things all the time; the film was different than the last script I saw.”

[Read More]

If sharing your thoughts with the world is not enough incentive…we are going to be giving away some great prizes over the next week to randomly selected reviewers. We’ll be contacting winners with the email they use when submitting their review. Prizes will be doled out over the next few weeks, so stay tuned to TORn’s homepage for winner announcements!

Also, we are going to be working around the clock to approve your reviews as they come in, so please be patient with the dedicated efforts of the TORn staff.  [Ringer Reviews]

At TheOneRing.net party two nights earlier we were able to meet a few of these actors. So they recognised us as they went past — and as luck we where at the right place at the right time.

Watch our exclusive video from the red carpet below:

In the spirit of trying to see who could invent the maddest rumour, our staff have put their heads together to try and come up with the most unbelievable rumour of all.

Surprise cameo: Tom Bombadil and Goldberry! Jackson has been quoted as saying “Dammit, I’m going to put those two in somewhere!” They will appear as specials guests at Beorn’s house. Ed Asner and Kate Winslet are rumored to be in talks to play the two roles.

Radagast is the true source of corruption. A major scoop has revealed that the secret purpose of Radagast’s role in these movies will be to serve as the source for Saruman’s corruption and ultimate turn to Sauron in ‘The Lord of the Rings.’

Smaug’s elaborate costume! A costume? Yes, it appears Smaug designs are being heavily based on the dragon from Disney’s Sleeping Beauty, both in size and artistic form. Maleficent is widely regarded as one of the best cinematic dragons ever to grace a screen, one in which she was a two natured being: Maleficent the dangerous Sorceress and Maleficent the Dragon. With Benedict Cumberbatch voicing both roles in The Hobbit, it seems the idea has always been to have the Necromancer be the human form of Smaug. WETA is hard at work realizing how to emulate the original shapeshifting and still make this a unique creature design.

Even more Hot Dwarves! Peter Jackson has been actively recruiting male strippers from all over New Zealand to play Dain’s army. He claims that these dwarves will “put those soldiers from ’300′ to shame”.

Gollum’s grisly meal. In an effort to show the darker side of Gollum, in a scene leading up to the iconic “Riddles in the Dark” sequence, we will see Gollum viciously kill and eat a wayward goblin in a scene so gruesome that it will guarantee the movie receives an R rating in the USA. Peter Jackson is reportedly very proud of this sequence, as it harkens back to his early directorial years of grisly horror.

Legolas duets with Lindir. After Billy Boyd and Viggo Mortensen sang in the Lord of the Rings movies, Orlando Bloom is keen to show off his pipes. Our spies tell us he has volunteered to go ‘tra-la-la-lally’ with Bret Mckenzie.

Prancing Pony product placements. We’ve heard from an impeccable source that the Dwarves will stop at Bree and drink out of light-up glass goblets in a subtle Burger King product placement spot.

Beorn’s new secret sidekick. Wuzzle, an animal like creature that can talk, will be rendered by CGI. Negotiations are underway to have Wuzzle voiced by Eddie Murphy. Appearing at Beorn’s house, Wuzzle will provide comic relief in the second film.

First film drama! Jackson has decided that Balin will fall off a cliff in the Misty Mountains, seemingly to his death. He will then reappear in the second film. “I like to have at least one character fall off a cliff in each film,” Jackson told our source. “It doesn’t mean they can’t come back,” he quickly added, noting that Gandalf, Aragorn, and Gollum returned after suffering the same fate. Philippa Boyens observed that: “Sometimes I think Peter’s greatest influences as a child were Ray Harryhausen, Zulu, and Wile E. Coyote.”

A Goonies homage! While trying to escape the Goblins, Bilbo will discover Gollum’s cave after falling down a Goonies-style waterslide in a tense three-minute ride guaranteed to thrill film-goers. Bilbo’s falling down the Goonies-style waterslide ties in with the future plans for a Middle-earth theme park in Orlando. Other attractions include a One Ring toss game and whack-a-troll.

Even more Cumberbatch. Due to the phenomenal popularity of Benedict Cumberbatch, Peter Jackson has decided not to confine him to motion-capture but to show him onscreen. He will play Elrond’s twin sons, Elrohir and Elladan, in Rivendell scenes and at the Battle of Five Armies. Weta Digital is updating the head-replacement technique used to allow Armie Hammer to play twins in The Social Network. When a reporter pointed out the twins do not figure in Tolkien’s The Hobbit, Jackson replied, “Well, they’re in The Lord of the Rings and we left them out of that, so it’s a fair swap.”

So. Many. Cameos! In order to get most of the cameos done in one grand sweep, Peter fills the distant shots of the Dwarves, Bilbo and Gandalf with Katie Jackson, Billy Jackson, Philippa Boyens, Dan Hennah, Andrew Lesnie, Richard Taylor, Peter King, Alan Lee, John Howe, Gino Acevedo, Howard Shore, Christian River, Daniel Falconer, with Fran Walsh as Gandalf and himself as Bilbo. We think this explains the screwy horizon silhouette a lot!

Contributed by TORn Staffers Greendragon, Sarumann, Celedor, Momosala, Kristin, Garfeimao and Grammaboodawg