With Peter Jackson absent from Comic-Con International in San Diego to finish production on The Hobbit trilogy, the duty of bringing Middle-earth to Comic-Con fell to the staff of the TheOneRing.net. Consisting of TheOneRing personalities Alex and Kellie Rice, Josh Rubinstein and Rebecca Perry, with Cliff Broadway and Cathy Udovch driving most of the dialog, the panelists dug deep into the The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, the second film of The Hobbit trilogy.

Releasing December 13 with limited information currently available from which to draw theories and deduce conclusions, the panelists energetically showed off their expertise of Tolkien lore, analyzing known sequences adapted from the novel. The most fun came when the panelists cut loose theorizing on new scenes and relationships from Smaug, including a larger role for the wizard Radagast, the inclusion of new elf character Tauriel, talking giant spiders, a Jackson-created side story for Gandalf, elven goddess Galadriel seeing combat action and Bilbo’s impending encounter with Smaug the dragon, voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch.

Breaking down the structure of Smaug and its parallel with the chronology of J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel, the panel took the crowd through the film’s outline, beginning with Bilbo Baggins and his dwarven allies meeting the giant bear-man Beorn. This encounter precedes The Company venturing into the dangers of Mirkwood, wherein lie the deadly spiders teased in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

[Read More]

Peter Jackson stands in front of a set as photographed by DGAQuarterly / Louise Hatton.

We call it a kitchen sink interview because it contains so much depth and covers a wide array of topics, touching on many of Jackson’s most important films while keeping in focus that his work on Middle-earth movies is so far, his greatest triumph and what he is most likely to be known for.

The Q&A with writer Jeffrey Ressner ranges over the Kiwi’s whole career with fascinating bits on his earliest days:

My first movie, Bad Taste, was really made up as we went along over four years, and it didn’t even have a script. Not having actors or a script tends to be somewhat limiting. [Laughs]

Jackson adds to the lore that surrounds the making of the “Lord of the Rings,” films with an amazing story about how his shooting studio in New Zealand came to be:

We thought, ‘Well, if The Lord of the Rings happens, this is exactly the sort of place we’d need. This is absolutely incredible.’ But it was very expensive. At the time it was just Fran and I, and if we committed to it and for some reason the film didn’t happen, we’d be in big, big trouble. I mean, we were mortgaging our house just to make the down payment on the place. One day the real estate agent was showing us around; the paint factory had been closed for six months, so it was mothballed and covered in dust. The cafeteria was dull and gray, and there were a lot of old Formica tables with chairs stuck up on top of them. Just before we left, I saw a paperback book sitting on one of the cafeteria tables—it was a copy of The Lord of the Rings. I called Fran over and pointed to it, and we looked at each other and then said to the guy, ‘OK, we’ll take it.’ And that became Stone Street Studios.

He also drops this gem that almost sent me back to my Blu-ray player:

I have to say, I saw a bit of my Kong about a year ago, and I actually think the last half-hour—those scenes in New York through the end of the Empire State Building sequence—is probably the piece of filmmaking of which I’m the proudest.

There is a lot more to this interview if you follow the link above. It may be one of the best Jackson interviews in print. We at TheOneRing have a good one in our pocket we hope to share before we see Smaug again in theaters, but this DGA piece is highly recommended.

If you missed the link, try this: http://www.dga.org/Craft/DGAQ/All-Articles/1303-Summer-2013/DGA-Interview-Peter-Jackson.aspx.

The image at right, part of Lee’s analysis, is certainly food for thought.

I know I’m late to this party, but I finally got around to seeing The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey after hearing much belly-aching over how the story of a single book is split into three separate movies: it seems like a blatant cash grab by the studios, a cynical move that put franchise movie economics ahead of things like storytelling and pacing.

After seeing the movie, I can definitely sympathize with these complaints. It felt slow at times, particularly during the multiple expository scenes in the first half and the interminably long action sequence in the second half. Most importantly, I felt like the story didn’t advance far enough to justify taking up an entire movie on its own, especially compared to the Lord of the Rings movies.

So me being me, I decided to put this issue into quantitative terms. Specifically, I wanted to compare the length of the Hobbit movie to that of the source text, and run the same analysis for the three Lord of the Rings movies.

[Read More]

German cinema magazine.

Friends at thorinoakenshield.net have a full online translation of the print publication and since we aren’t German speakers, we can’t say if anything is lost in translation, but it reads pretty clearly.

Here are some highlights but if you read beyond this point, expect full-on potential spoilers! (We can’t say if they are true or not, but the writer surely dishes the info matter-of-factly.)

****Seriously, last chance, major potential spoilers!****

“A greedy dragon, a rather testy skinchanger, a river ride full of action and the battle of the White Council against the Necromancer of Dol Guldur: Middle-earth fans should be prepared for something big; because with “The Hobbit – Desolation of Smaug” (starting December 12th) Peter Jackson will (once again) show all he’s got.”

“A lot of the appendices will also be used in part 2.”

“Hardcore fans will find the revelation of the Necromancer (Benedict Cumberbatch as CGI shadow) as witch master Sauron just in a couple of sentences in the book. And according to Tolkien the pale orc Azog doesn’t survive the Battle of Azanulbizar (in the beginning of “The Hobbit – An Unexpected Journey”), while Jackson definitively turns him into Thorin Oakenshield’s arch enemy now. Orcs invading Esgaroth on the other hand was completely invented by Peter Jackson. Just like Tauriel – this young, only 300 years old elf which will add a bit of femininity to the male dominated story.”

“This story needs estrogens”, Evangeline Lilly jokes. And Peter Jackson adds: “Thanks to characters like Tauriel we will discover more about the life in Mirkwood, which is completely different from Rivendell.” But the Silvan pointy-eared beauty is not supposed to be a mere copy of Arwen from the old trilogy. After all the people of the wood elves is a lot more dangerous and suspicious than Elrond and his companions. “We are like ninjas from the undergrowth.” (Lilly)”

“Peter Jackson not only uses additions like this to narrate a coherent chronicle of Middle-earth, he also uses them to sprinkle a little treat for spare time hobbits here and there. For example fanboys will anticipate the first encounter of Legolas and Gloin, father of grumpy dwarf Gimli from the “Rings” films. Other than “An unexpected Journey” the sequel is going to be distinctly darker though, stresses Jackson.

“One climax of the new trilogy, which over 2000 actors and extras worked on, is the death of the dragon. Whether Smaug’s fall will end part 2 however is yet unknown. Certain is that the Battle of the Five Armies will play the center role in “The Hobbit – There and Back Again”.

Those are the highlights and you can read the full translation right here, from ThorinOakenshield.net along with scans of the magazine’s pages while the German publication can be found online here, but we didn’t find a link directly to the article.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Extended Edition

In a press release from Warner Bros., Peter Jackson said of the new edition:

“I’m thrilled that the Extended Edition will give fans the opportunity to experience certain key scenes in the film as they were originally shot, as well as an abundance of special features,” said Jackson. “It’s exciting to present this expanded and enriched version of ‘An Unexpected Journey’ to allow fans to fully immerse themselves in the movie, before seeing the second part of the trilogy.” 

Each of the three films in Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings,” trilogy received a deluxe Extended Edition treatment around November after a December theatrical release and for many fans those longer cuts of the films are the definitive versions. Also widely loved are the extras on those editions which stand, even for non-Tolkien / Jackson fans, as among the elite extras on any film ever released. With the deflation of the home video market, extras on film releases are definitely trending downward in quality and quantity as studios see less or no return on the investment to put added value on the discs but that does not seem to be the case here.

The Two Towers Extended Edition

The released box art of the EEs is not what many readers of TheOneRing.net hoped for. Nothing is exactly wrong with the shot of Bilbo Baggins holding his sword Sting and looking a bit worried against a generic forest background, but it feels standard and bland on a version of the film that consumers want to be special. Each of the LOTR films was a different solid color with the film’s title in gold with appropriate and subtle Tolkien-esque markings around the box. In fact, the packaging was virtually flawless for those films, matching the high standard of content. A non-staff story about this subject was posted just this week.

In fairness, those titles were a different studio’s release (part of New Line Cinema’s Platinum Series) and this is a different commercial era for home video. With a declining market it is easy to see why a studio would want any consumer, especially casual ones, to know immediately what film they are looking at on a store shelf. However, these Extended Editions may well get lost among the regular editions instead of stand out as distinct and prestigious. This writer doesn’t speak for TORn, but I am disappointed.

Still, it is a solid bet that viewers are much more concerned with what is on the inside of the box and call it a hunch, with the production video blogs setting the standard, this content will delight consumers. This is a good time for the public to demonstrate to film studios how much we do care about excellent content to go with fan-favorite films on home video releases. If sales aren’t stellar, who knows what the fate of the next two films’ extended editions might be.

TheOneRing.net will review the Extended Edition and the added content as soon as it becomes available to us. We will also keep readers updated with different added-value incentives from big retailers, if any are available. The entire press release is presented below after a clip from the extended edition.

THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY EXTENDED EDITION

A PRODUCTION OF NEW LINE CINEMA
AND METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER PICTURES,
ARRIVES ON DIGITAL DOWNLOAD ON
OCTOBER 22TH AND ON BLU-RAY 3DTM,
BLU-RAY™ AND DVD NOVEMBER 5TH FROM
WARNER BROS. HOME ENTERTAINMENT

Features a 13-Minute Longer Cut and 
 Nearly Nine Hours of New Special Features
Burbank, Calif., July 31, 2013 – Fans of Middle-earth will have the opportunity to gain a broader experience of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, from Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson, when the epic fantasy adventure is released as an Extended Edition on Digital Download October 22nd and on Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray and DVD on November 5th from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE). A production of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, this new cut includes 13 minutes of extra film footage that extends individual scenes, making this the must-see, definitive version for fans. All disc versions of the Extended Edition include nearly nine hours of new bonus features and will be available just ahead of the December 13 theatrical release of the second film of the trilogy, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.

“I’m thrilled that the Extended Edition will give fans the opportunity to experience certain key scenes in the film as they were originally shot, as well as an abundance of special features,” said Jackson. “It’s exciting to present this expanded and enriched version of ‘An Unexpected Journey’ to allow fans to fully immerse themselves in the movie, before seeing the second part of the trilogy.” 
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Extended Edition will be available as a 5-disc Blu-ray 3D set ($54.98 SRP) that features the Blu-ray 3D and Blu-ray versions of the Extended Edition; a 3-disc Blu-ray ($35.99) and a 5-disc DVD ($34.99) The Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray and DVD all include UltraVioletTM which allows consumers to download and instantly stream the Extended Edition in high definition to a wide range of devices including computers and compatible tablets, smartphones, game consoles, Internet-connected TVs and Blu-ray players.* 
The nearly nine hours of new special features boasts audio commentary with Peter Jackson, director/producer/screenwriter, and Philippa Boyens, co-producer/screenwriter, and “The Appendices,” a multi-part documentary focusing on various aspects of the film and the Trilogy. Complete special feature details are provided below.
The first of a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” was nominated for three Academy Awards®1.

SYNOPSIS

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is the first in Peter Jackson’s highly anticipated trilogy adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien.
The adventure follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the fearsome Dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the Wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of 13 Dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakenshield. Their journey will take them into the Wild, through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins, Orcs and deadly Wargs, as well as a mysterious and sinister figure known only as the Necromancer.
Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain, first they must escape the Goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever…Gollum.
Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of ingenuity and courage that surprise even him; he also gains possession of Gollum’s “precious” ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities…A simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.
The screenplay for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is by Fran Walsh & Philippa Boyens & Peter Jackson & Guillermo del Toro, based on the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien. Jackson also produced the film, together with Carolynne Cunningham, Zane Weiner and Fran Walsh. The executive producers are Alan Horn, Toby Emmerich, Ken Kamins and Carolyn Blackwood, with Boyens and Eileen Moran serving as co-producers.

New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM), Present a WingNut Films Production, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. All three films in The Hobbit Trilogy, also including The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, and the final film, The Hobbit: There and Back Again, are productions of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM), with New Line managing production. Warner Bros. Pictures handled worldwide theatrical distribution, with select international territories as well as all international television distribution handled by MGM.

ALL-NEW SPECIAL FEATURES ON BLU-RAY 3D, BLU-RAY AND DVD:

Commentary with Peter Jackson, Director/Producer/Screenwriter and Philippa Boyens, Co-Producer/Screenwriter
The Appendices – A multi-part chronological history of the filming of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, covering pre-production in the various departments of the film in the months leading up to the start of principal photography, the boot camp training for the main cast, the work done on set chronologically through the three shooting blocks and in the world of its digital effects.
New Zealand: Home of Middle-earth

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Extended Edition
Street Date: November 5, 2013
Order Due Date: October 1, 2013
Rating: PG-13
Run Time: 184 mins.
Blu-ray 3D: $54.98 SRP
Blu-ray: $35.99 SRP
DVD: $34.99 SRP

Note: All enhanced content listed above is subject to change.

Blu-ray Disc™ and Blu-ray™ and the logos are the trademarks of Blu-ray Disc Association.
Warner Home Video Blu-ray Discs offer resolution six times higher than standard definition DVDs, as well as extraordinarily vibrant contrast and color and beautifully crisp sound. The format also provides a higher level of interactivity, with instant access to extra features via a seamless menu bar where viewers can enjoy features without leaving or interrupting the film.

ULTRAVIOLET

*UltraViolet allows you to collect watch and share movies and TV shows in a whole new way.  Available with the purchase of specially marked Blu-ray discs, DVDs and Digital Downloads, UltraViolet lets you create a digital collection of movies and TV shows.  Services such as Flixster and VUDU allow you to instantly stream and download UltraViolet content across a wide range of devices including computers and compatible tablets, smartphones, game consoles, Internet-connected TVs and Blu-ray players.  Restrictions and limitations apply.  Go to www.ultraviolet.flixster.com/info for details.  For more information on compatible devices go to wb.com/ultravioletdevices.

About Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Inc.
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) brings together Warner Bros. Entertainment’s home video, digital distribution and interactive entertainment businesses in order to maximize current and next-generation distribution scenarios. An industry leader since its inception, WBHE oversees the global distribution of content through packaged goods (Blu-ray Disc™ and DVD) and digital media in the form of electronic sell-through and video-on-demand via cable, satellite, online and mobile channels, and is a significant developer and publisher for console and online video game titles worldwide. WBHE distributes its product through third party retail partners and licensees, as well as directly to consumers through WBShop.com and WB Ultra.

About Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is a leading entertainment company focused on the production and distribution of film and television content globally.  The company owns one of the world’s deepest libraries of premium film and television content.  In addition, MGM has investments in domestic and international television channels. For more information, visit www.mgm.com

NO two Tolkien fans are the same. Yes, we harbor a deep and abiding love for all things Middle-earth, but (I like to believe) our tastes differ, even if only in the minutia. Some may enjoy the philological phantasmagoria that permeates Tolkien’s works, while others draw inspiration from the detailed locations and their histories. Personally, I have a thing for maps. However with the recent addition of Tauriel to the Middle-earth mythos, my thoughts have been drawn to the characters that inhabit our collective imagination and, more specifically, those of the female gender.

Tolkien, unlike many other fantasy writers of the twentieth century, was entirely willing to create strong, vividly imagined female characters. One that immediately comes to mind is Lúthien Tinúviel, who was so prominent in Tolkien’s world that she is not only mentioned in The Lord of the Rings, but is also a major character in The Silmarillion and even features in the epic poem The Lay of Leithian.

The latter work, which Tolkien never completed, chronicles the love between Beren and Lúthien. Another well-known character from the Legendarium is Elwing the White*, mother of Elrond and Elros. How prominent was she? After several unsuccessful attempts by Eärendil the Mariner to try and sail to Valinor, Middle-earth’s most-renowned seaman was only successful after Elwing joined him on Vingilot.

The two most well-known heroines, thanks in no part to the films, are of course Arwen and Éowyn. Yes, Arwen’s romance with Aragorn did seem a tad campy on the big screen (in a beautiful, melancholic fashion that truly added to the story), but let’s not forget: this is the same elf who faced down the Nine (even if it didn’t happen in the books) and single-handedly saved Frodo from certain death. And Éowyn’s fantastic line, “I am no man!” when taunted by the Witch-king? It still raises the hairs on the back of my neck. So good. Also, I would be remiss to neglect Galadriel, of Lothlórien. Not only is she a Ring-bearer of immense power, but she also sits upon the predominantly male (even if the Mair aren’t technically Men) White Council.

So, where does this leave us? Ah, yes: Tauriel. As a Tolkien fan, I’m ecstatic to see a fresh addition to the lore. As someone who considers himself to be rather versed in the ways of the entertainment industry, I see it as a shameless attempt to attract the ever-elusive demographic of young women (insert Orlando Bloom joke here) and adolescent males (insert scantily clad bikini picture here). Honestly? If she’s anything more than a Disney princess in elf ears, I’ll be satisfied.

What I’m trying to say, in a less cynical fashion, is that I trust Peter and Fran, I really do. But I’m also aware of the climate in which they have to operate. Big money means a big emphasis on making a big profit, and a necessary part of show business is trying to target as many demographics as possible. Time and time again, we see corporations put pressure on directors and writers to change their movies in ways that reach a larger audience, but harm the overarching narrative.

Will Evangeline Lilly be fantastic? I’m sure she will. Will her and Orlando’s on-screen chemistry, and indeed their very presence, contribute to the overall narrative of the trilogy? I’m sure they’ll make it work. Is it necessary? I remain to be convinced, largely because I’ve seen how sterile and bureaucratic the industry can be.

In the best of all possible worlds, I see Tauriel as the embodiment of the inner strength and outward beauty of all the aforementioned characters. Why Tauriel? Because The Lord of Rings trilogy had its strong female protagonists, as did the Silmarillion and the Legendarium before it. Therefore, in the spirit of a more diverse, modern telling of The Hobbit, I see it as only natural that Jackson and company would want to introduce a fresh female character. In truth, the only part of me that is uneasy is the fervently cynical, text-obsessed fanboy who’s shaking the bars of his cage and muttering, “but she’s not in the book!”

Until more elements of the plot are revealed, Tauriel remains a positive yet potentially unnecessary addition to Peter Jackson’s cinematic vision. In the end it all boils down to the spirit in which these changes are made to the source material. Who knows? I could be completely off the mark. When it comes to the Hobbit films I’ve yet to be disappointed.

In Jackson we trust.

* Bootnote. Most would automatically think of Aredhel with the appellation “the White”. However, there is one single reference that seems to indicate that the label also applied to Elwing. It’s from The Fellowship of the Ring where Aragorn is speaking to the four hobbits of Beren and Lúthien. As it’s direct speech, it does seem to be part of an oral tradition of either the Dunedain, or of the Noldor (or both). The quote in full: “For of Beren and Lúthien was born Dior Thingol’s heir; and of him Elwing the White whom Eärendil wedded, he that sailed his ship out of the mists of the world into the seas of heaven with the Silmaril upon his brow. And of Eärendil came the Kings of Númenor, that is Westernesse.” A Knife in the Dark, The Fellowship of the Ring.

Noah Smith is a freelance writer operating out of the woods of Pennsylvania, though he leaves often and for great lengths of time. The proud owner of more pet projects than any sane person deserves, he peddles his craft in various portions of the internet and local collegiate magazines, writing poetry, commentary, speculative fiction and erroneous remarks in the comment sections of videos. He writes on a blog called Utumbria and can also be found on Twitter. His opinions do not necessarily reflect those of TheOneRing.net or its staff.

Peter Jackson with Dean O’Gorman and Aiden Turner on the final day of shooting The Hobbit.

Peter Jackson has always been pretty open with fans about his process of making films. He answered 20 questions for anybody interested way back in 1998 on Aintitcoolnews back when film fans had just climbed out of the internet’s primordial ooze. He followed this up with a series of interactions with communities definitely including TheOneRing.net (highlighted by attending our Oscar parties and allowing founder Tehanu set access) and our sister site, KongIsKing.net where he posted twice-weekly production diaries while shooting that film. The behind-the-scenes effort was as demanding as shooting a many films — done  while his team was shooting a film. Think what you want of “King Kong,” but the innovative work to share it with fans may never be equaled. You can see the old diaries running down the right side of the KiKn page. We (the all-volunteer TORn staff) would have loved to host again but by the time the three movies based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit,” were shooting, social media provided Facebook for many millions around the globe and gave Jackson a direct link to fans.

He continued to release production diaries, and he was able to simply showcase them directly on his own Facebook account. With nearly a million likes, he found a way to self publish, directly to his audience, with or without the studio’s help — but likely with its blessing.

Peter Jackson and Graham McTavish on the final day of shooting The Hobbit.

Today marks the final day of shooting the films in New Zealand. The day caps off a ten-week period planned from the beginning to shoot pickups for both remaining films and also capture the great Battle of Five Armies on film. For weeks now Twitter and some announcements have been signaling final shooting days for specific actors from the films. Jackson has now used Facebook again to publish many updates about how his day has progressed and what the two units are shooting as the final shots get ticked off the list in an almost Twitter-like fashion. (Except that his post are much more wordy!)

The first post is an early-morning announcement that he can’t sleep, is watching fight rehearsals and what he hopes to accomplish with the feed. view from his own house with another shot of his cat saying its goodbyes as he heads to the lot to shoot. He says,

“Ever since starting these blogs, there’s been something I thought I’d like to try one day (as well as answering the other 19 questions I owe you!) – blogging throughout a shoot day in real time. Try to give you all a feeling for what we deal with on an average day.

Today is not exactly “average”, given it’s our last day of shooting, but if I don’t do it today, I never will!”

We go on to see a view from his home, a view from his cat into the lens and then on to work, arriving at the security gate at the studio. He continues with updates much of the day, appropriately sharing those final hours on set. There is a lot of work to be done but there is something that resonates even with fans about the moment when the cameras turn off. Film crews can work only work certain numbers of hours with a lunch and then overtime kicks in. This means everybody must be fed as the hours reach over 12 worked for the day. This seems likely on the final day and at last posting, only two set ups (getting the lights and sets and everything else ready to shoot) were left for Jackson’s unit while something close to the same number remained for the action unit. As Jackson said,

9.21pm. Getting very near the end …

Jackson also gives great insight into his own personal film process and has a great shot from his director’s tent. I have spent time in that tent and not only is the shot great, but the explanation of his tent crew are as well. They will never be recognized as widely as they deserve but they are excellent, each in their own way.

Peter Jackson’s “Tent Crew,” who help him make movies.

When the final shot ends, after several takes where he says something like, “That was great, lets do one more,” Jackson will call “cut” and despite being digital, he will tell the camera people to “check the gate,” a term for film cameras to make sure everything was captured. “Clear” will come the traditional response, “gate is clean.” After that, expect hugs and tears and cheering and probably bubbly beverages. If I don’t miss my guess, a lot of party-time too.

A lot of work will remain of course, but that will end the work of many, many hundreds of people who helped made the illusions that we see as Middle-earth on film. Sets will no longer be built, costumes and makeup and prosthetics and hair and set dressers and lighting and camera departments will all be done working on a live set.

And, for the present and perhaps long into the future, the rights for further Middle-earth stories aren’t available. That ends the process of shooting the adaptation of the works of J.R.R. Tolkien.

Fans world wide, many of whom feel part of these efforts or at least connected to them, will also celebrate and feel sad.

Those of us attending Dragon Con in Atlanta over Labor Day will be pleased to welcome Hobbit actors William Kirtcher, Graham McTavish and the Doctor / Wizard Sylvester McCoy. TheOneRing will have a fan table there and the Tolkien Track will have daily panels with parts or all three of the trio for four days of the convention.

Jackson will continue to update as the cast and crew shoot long into the New Zealand night, perhaps for the final time in Middle-earth.

UPDATE: The shooting did finish. Jackson went home to daughter Katie throwing a party at home. Jackson ended things like this:

.14am.

Back with Mr Smudge.

A long day. A great day. Thank you all for being part of it! Now for some sleep!

Do you have a favourite costume design in The Lord of the Rings?  Come on over to the LotR Message Board and tell us all about it and see what others like the most, right here.

Have you wondered what it would have been like if Guillermo del Toro had completed The Hobbit?  Join in the conversation as we pull together the clues and memories of the Great GdT’s vision here.

Want Hobbit Movie News?  Each week, TORn poster DanielLB ventures into the very rich and fast-moving Hobbit Discussion Board to collect the Hobbit Headlines of the Week.  Check out this week’s action here.

We’ll share more topics next week and hope you  join in on the conversation!  Don’t forget, TheOneRing.net’s Message Boards have over 9,800 registered Tolkien fans, just like you.  Let your voice be heard!

Most recently famous for this little bit of uber geekery

but as many of us know, there’s much more to our favourite Hobbit pair and they join us this month to answer your questions.

Kelvarhin: As always we begin with grammas favourite question, what was (is) your favourite cartoon when you were growing up?

Fili: It’s a tie between Wild Thornberries and Rugrats.

Kili: We didn’t have much TV when I was little, but when I was older I loved Batman: The Animated Series. When I was younger, though, my Lion King obsession was just as fierce as my love of Middle-earth.

Kelvarhin: What do you both love to do in your spare time?

Fili: I love to horseback ride, photography, run, write stories (and occasional fanfics!), hang out with the goats, take the dogs for walks, go for hikes, read, bake, and make Happy Hobbit, of course!

Kili: I like to go for hikes and walks, read and write, shoot my bow, and spend time with my friends and family and our dogs! Hearing from Happy Hobbit fans is also great fun and very rewarding, so thank you all so much for the support!

Kelvarhin: What new thing would you like to do in the next five years?

Happy Hobbits: We would love to travel, especially to the British Isles and New Zealand!

Kelvarhin: What is your favourite type of exercise?

Fili: Running cross-country/long distance, soccer, horseback riding, hiking and swimming are great.

Kili: I most love hiking in the woods and exploring new wild places, but running, swimming, horseback riding, climbing trees, and archery are all favourites! I also love to dance even if I’m no good at it.

Kelvarhin: How many animals do you have?

Happy Hobbits: We currently have twenty-one animals, which is actually a small amount for us since we recently had to say goodbye to two horses and several cats, which was difficult.

Houdini is an American Quarter Horse who is a blue roan. We knew him since before he was born, and as such, he treats us like other horses and is often an annoying little brother, but we love him to pieces.

The goats Cora, Patch, and Tumnus are all related. Cora and Patch are spunkier than Tumnus. Even though Tumnus is the size of a small pony, he was bottle raised by Fili (his mother died shortly after giving birth) so he is very affectionate and sweet.

Peaks the peacock is fond of catfood, fanning his feathers to dance for the hens, and running up whenever we call the dogs because he wants a piece of cheese as a reward. He has the little-known talent of goat herding!

Kili:  I petitioned to start calling him Gonzo since he was weird, blue, and loves chickens, but it didn’t take.

Happy Hobbits: We have ten hens, but most of them don’t have names, because you never know the moment (for example, a black chick I’d named Sirius died a few days ago ) but there are three surviving chicks named Penny, Guin, and Kirby, along with an old hen named Bathilda and another named Grandpa Ed, even though she’s a lady. But they are all nice enough if they aren’t broody, and we love their eggs!

Comanche is a twelve-year-old half yellow lab, half golden retriever who is a wonderful brother to us. He is gentle and loves to snuggle, go for adventures, and steal gophers from the traps on the lawn! He chases off deer and coyotes from our property and loved to come along for horseback rides when the land around our house used to be open for such adventures. So far he has aged very well, and we are blessed to have his sunshine presence in our lives. Plus, he shares a birthday with Bilbo and Frodo!

Teyla (or “Toot”) is a seven-year old Australian Shepherd and is our “littlest sister.” She is so intelligent and such a nosebone (busybody, to us non-US based folks ) that she even catches us when we spell out words to try to hide conversations from her. She is strong-willed and grumpy to strangers, but her tenacity has seen her through many trials. She had an FCE, which is a stroke-like event in the spine, when she was four and was nearly completely paralysed and could only lift her head and move her front left paw. No one knows why FCEs occur, only that they often happen in young dogs at rest. With her courage and our support, she has recovered to the point that she can once again walk and run! She still requires special care but we are so proud of her. She inspires me every day!

Kelvarhin: What’s the most exciting/beautiful/intriguing place you’ve ever been to – or want to go to?

Happy Hobbits: Of course, we would love to go to Middle-earth, or second-best, New Zealand!

Kili: Hogwarts would be an incredible experience. I’ve always wondered what sort of witch I would make! But really nothing compares to home. I find excitement, beauty, and intrigue in little things, like soaring hawks, howling coyotes, and falling rain. That said, I do love the Sierra Nevada Mountains where we camp!

Fili: Catalina Island and Yosemite National Park are beautiful, along with the Black Hills of South Dakota.

Kelvarhin: If you could spend a day with one Middle-earth character, who would it be?

Kili: I once had a nightmare that Bilbo was on his way over for dinner and I couldn’t find the right shoes to wear! As much as I would love to gaze at Aragorn all day, I think I would most like to spend time with Pippin since he would be fun to run around the Shire with. Plus, he knows a lot of hobbits and could introduce me to all of his friends and we’d have a great time at the Green Dragon!

Fili: This is a very deep question. I would love to go for a horseback ride with Éomer, but the Shire has always called to me so I think I would also choose Pippin because he’s been my favourite since I was ten.

Kelvarhin: Which do you prefer, Gondor or Rohan?

Happy Hobbits: We both prefer Rohan since there are so many horses and so much open land. Gondor is beautiful but the idea of living on a stone ledge is a little claustrophobic. We need to walk on the grass and soil, not rock or pavement, and besides, Éomer is in the land of the Horse Lords!

Kelvarhin: How do you prepare your vlogs?

Happy Hobbits: We pick a subject that we know something about which we think others will find interesting then think about what we’re going to say. We tried writing lines but it always came out too stilted, so instead, we speak off the cuff, which explains some of the bloopers! The trickiest part is figuring out how to film since there are only two of us and a tripod, but we’ve been doing it for years making YouTube parodies of our favourite shows, so it’s a welcome challenge. Our family is very cooperative and quiet when we need them to be!

Kili: After we film, I put the footage on my laptop, edit it, and then post it to our YouTube page!

Kelvarhin: dernwyn says: Greetings, gals! First off: how old are you, and do you share your videos with your parents? I ask this, of course, as a mom whose own kids are geeky – but they’ve never woken me up in the middle of the night with screeching at Elves watching them!

Kili: Mae Govannen, Dernwyn! Yes, our parents often watch our episodes and like to help out when they can. They are very encouraging, as evidenced by their supporting me through grad school and now as I try to make it as a novelist even though I’m twenty-nine!

Fili: I’m twenty-one, but though we’re eight years apart, Kili is my other half.

Kelvarhin: How cool was it to appear on Peter Jackson’s facebook page (and many other fan sites after that)? What did your friends and families say?

Happy Hobbits: Beyond cool, it was mind-blowing and changed our lives in a wonderful way and gave us so much happiness that we are delighted to share with the world. Our friends started pretending that we were famous and boasted that they knew us, along with our family. When we woke our mom up at 3AM, however, and she asked what was going on, we said “Peter Jackson shared our video and Orlando Bloom is laughing at us,” and she said “Oh, neat, tell me about it in the morning,” then went back to bed!

Kili: At first, all of the attention was overwhelming and my inner Katniss wanted to run off and hide in the woods, but then I calmed down and enjoyed doing the interviews, talking to new fans, etc. once it was clear that everyone just wanted to celebrate with us.

Fili: It was so awesome to see that we made the Elves happy after ten years of being made happy by LOTR. It was so wonderful to be able to return an ounce of that excitement to the cast and crew.

Kelvarhin: Lee Pace, Orlando Bloom and Evangeline Lilly suddenly appear at your front door! What are your immediate reactions? Do you invite them in, and what do you offer them to eat and drink?

Kili: Firstly, I would wonder how the heck they found our house since we’re a bit out of the way! Then I would invite them in and hope they weren’t secretly murderers. I would offer them water, tea, or orange juice, along with whatever the current baked good was. If they were feeling especially wild, I would offer them my blackberry wine! I would also remind them that if Peter Jackson were to stop by, he could ride my dad’s tractor, which is an honour bestowed to very few.

Fili: I would be stunned and excited, invite them in, and make them their favourite food and treat them like Elven royalty! Then we would go on a hike and I would give them a tour of our patch of the Shire.

Kelvarhin: Kili, how excited were you to see your first novel, Darkling, in print? What inspired you to write it?

Kili: I think the fact that one of my books is available to the public still hasn’t sunk in yet! Hearing friends and strangers alike praise the novel and ask for more is very exciting and humbling. Exposing yourself on the page like that, even with a work of fiction, can be very intimidating, but the response has been incredibly positive and has given me such courage to share more of my work.

Darkling was actually inspired by a dream where I wandered into a haunted house and had to help the inhabitants find peace before they could move on. Many of the details of the book were in my dream, and it stuck with me for so long that I was moved to tell the story. I tend to write like a madwoman and my first draft was completed in fifteen days!

Kelvarhin: Do you plan to write any more novels?

Kili: Yes, in fact, Darkling is actually the third novel I wrote. The first two belong to a series that is too dear to my heart to risk self-publishing until I have established a readership. I wrote and illustrated my first book while in Kindergarten and don’t plan to stop any time soon! I’m currently working on a New Adult series since that is a popular market. Tentatively called Afterworld, the books have a strong Irish influence and blend a contemporary setting with a Victorian mystery. You can always expect to see a touch of whimsy and elements of the fantastical in my books! Tolkien’s reverence for the natural world also reflects my own and can be seen in everything I write.

Thank you Kili and Fili for taking part this month, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed chatting with you both.  If you’d like to say hi to the Happy Hobbits this weekend, they’ll be at TheOneRing.nets booth at ComicCon.

As always thanks to all our message board regulars, DanielLB,  Ataahua, kareniel,  dernwyn, and grammaboodawg, for this month’s questions.

If you would like to ask any questions yourself, just head over to our Message Boards, the sign up process is pretty painless. A lead post for questions is made at the beginning of each month on the Main board. Or you can just check Main for each months interviewee and email me your questions at kelvarhin@theonering.net.

Till next time from TORn’s resident Tiger.

Kelvarhin

The NZSO will record the soundtrack to The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug in Wellington Town Hall, most probably in September, before the century-old venue undergoes $43.7 million of earthquake strengthening.

The orchestra will work with Oscar-winning Canadian composer Howard Shore.

“The very first music ever recorded for Howard Shore’s magnificent score for The Lord of the Rings was done here, in Wellington, back in 2001 in the town hall,” said Sir Peter. “The piece, written for the Fellowship’s journey into the Mines of Moria, was beautifully performed by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and showcased the exceptional acoustics of this over 100-year-old building.”

Music for the first film, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, was mostly recorded overseas, including a contribution from the London Philharmonic Orchestra. The soundtrack made the top 10 charts in the United States.

NZSO chief executive Christopher Blake said the orchestra was looking forward to performing the music. “It’s wonderful to have our national orchestra involved in this iconic New Zealand film.

“It means our music will be enjoyed by literally millions of people worldwide, and it is further recognition of our world-class standards of performance, and of New Zealand’s international standing in the film industry.”

Mr Blake said the NZSO had considerable experience and skills in recording film soundtracks. “Recording film soundtracks requires particular focus and efficiency – our musicians have to play to the highest levels and often under significant time pressures.

[Read More]

Martin Freeman waves goodbye on his last day as Bilbo Baggins.

Jackson, who shares photos and videos on his Facebook page, captioned a photo of Bilbo waving goodbye:

“Tonight Martin Freeman finished his last shot as Bilbo Baggins. The end of an incredible two and a half years. I cannot imagine anyone else in this role – a character that Martin has nurtured and crafted with love and great skill.

We have said goodbye to our elves, humans, wizards and now the hobbit. We now enter our final 2 weeks of pick-ups, and it’s wall to wall dwarves. These pick-ups have been gruelling and intense, but I’m so happy with what we’ve been shooting. These next two movies are going to be pretty great!”

Martin Freeman as Bilbo with Benedict Cumberbatch.

All reports and word from Jackson indicates there will not be pickup shooting next year but Jackson had a period of these after ever LOTR film and it is tempting to suggest there will be more next year. But with such a large principal cast, such an effort might be impossible because of scheduling.

Still in Wellington are the Company of Dwarves which could mean a heavy dose of battle scenes as audiences will want to follow each of them in battle. The book plotting calls for ferocious and deadly action.

Luke Evans, playing the enigmatic Bard the Bowman in “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” also tweeted that his last day on the film is over. Evans’ Tweet suggests he is off to work as Dracula after a summer where his “Fast & Furious 6″ did big business at the box office.

Graham McTavish also tweeted his farewells to Freeman.