The following is from the January 18-24 2002 issue of Screen International magazine (from an article on DVD Special Features):
This August, New Line will release one of the most anticipated DVDs of the year: Peter Jackson’s The Lord Of The Rings: Fellowship Of The Ring.
The DVD will come with an array of extras; the full theatrical version, an extended version that runs 35-40 minutes longer and possibly a ‘making of’ documentary.
In fact, the DVD and its extra features were a key concern during the shoot – Jackson says he had a dedicated video diarist on set for nearly all 274 days of principal photography in anticipation of the extra DVD materials.
Jackson told Screen International that he values the format for its ability to showcase different versions of the film and show behind-the-scenes material. “It breaks the film-making process open,” he argues. For that reason he instructed the production’s video diarist to capture everything. “I wanted a warts-and-all approach.”