There’s more on developments around Hobbiton in Spy Reports. [More]
Month: January 2000
This arrived in the mailbox today from somebody with a ringside seat of the developments at Dry Creek Quarry. He lives opposite.
“Sunday saw the first lot of rehearsing done. While all was quiet on the building front (first time in 4 months), around about 40 people, the leading extras I imagine, went through their paces. They spent around 3 hours around the “wall” near the top of the quarry, doing what? I couldn’t quite work that out. Then they jumped in about 6 white vans and went down to the base of the quarry. There they each had a long jousting type spear. About four times the height of themselves, 5 metres long! They looked to be in some type of formation on a large ramp. They marched up it and lowered their spears from an upright position to a horizontal position as they went. Back and forth for 30mins. In the vans and off again towards Wellington.
Today is the day that the LOTR crew set up their business. They strolled onto the Helm’s Deep set like an army of ants. Mega number of cars, vans, utes, trucks and cranes. The majority of cars are parked in the landfill site in Manor Park (well over a hundred now! I guess they belong to extras.)This afternoon, out came those temporary orange fences and barriers, more scaffolding and lighting rigs, not to mention the lights themselves. Also more marquee tents. The wall at the top of the quarry has seen a lot of action, heaps of equipment has been set up on both sides of the wall. Including some large ladder-type rigs placed into position (as I write) by crane against the side of the wall.”
Many thanks to Martyn for that, who has a pretty enviable address for the next few months.
Another local has sent word that residents in nearby Manor Park have been given notices in their mailboxes concerning the Helm’s Deep set; it seems that filming is set to start Monday night, 17/01/00
Apparently it was to be kept hush hush.
Hmmmmm, I’m trying to figure out the psychology of that.
A local has written to say that she can hear ‘lots of popping explosions’ coming from the direction of the Hobbiton set, not far off over the hills. “I’ve NEVER heard these noises before so it can’t be from the quarry where explosions usually occur.”
She also cleared up something that had been bothering me: we know filming is starting up in Hobbiton this week, but we heard from extras doing Hobbit work there at the end of last year. She said that before they were doing whole-picture, scene-setting shots. The detailed work will start now.
Tehanu got an unexpected visitor, a very cranky person indeed! Read about it in Spy Reports. [More]
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A big grumpy guy knocked on my door and delivered this trespass notice. I don’t think he’s used to seeing people burst out laughing when he shows up at their place. I’ve never been to this place (it’s the Helm’s Deep set)and the film company is very keen to make sure I never do! It’s hard to tell whether they think they’ve seen me there. If somebody is out there impersonating me, keep this in mind – I have a heck of an alibi when I’m 650km away and working as a performer in front of hundreds of people.
Check out the latest crop of goodies. [More]