Xoanon here, seems that NZ TV3 footage is doing the rounds, check back here soon for a computerized version!
Just this minute finished watching the BBC News 24 entertainment news show “Zero 30” The had about a 50 or so second long article on LOTR…the V.O. was just your basic “Filming got underway…expected to take 10 months” etc etc…but the pictures were something really special…actual footage from the Helms Deep set…a few arty shots of it shiloetted against the setting sun plus shots of the on site constuction, lorrys driving in and out of the set (which is so huge it dwarfs them). Plus shots of the set itself…some from a distance, very similar to the ones already your site…and also some from VERY close up revealing the exact look of Helms Deep…wow..it looks good, dark and forboding…the brickwork is a very very dark green (moss covered prosumably) and looks deeply weathered…it really looks as if it has withstanded years of battles and bad weather, and it does look like a very strong fort.
The main shot was directly front on, there was a large archway entrance in the wall and you could see a turret just off to one side. Then there was a slight angled shot and you could see the scaffolding that was holding it up (and theres a lot of it…it really is BIG!!) The look and the colour of it really add to the feel that it’s part of the landscape, ie it wouldn’t look out of place if you stumbled accros it in a forgotten valley somewhere. I would guess its an indicator into the overall dark look that PJ is going for…and if all this is just for Helms Deep then I’d be willing to bet that Orthanc will look REALLY scary!!
Thanks to Matt for the tip!