More than $1 million is estimated to have been pumped into the Wakatipu economy while the main film unit of The Hobbit shot on location in Paradise, near Glenorchy, and more money is expected to be spent when the second unit begins filming in the next few days. Academy award-winning director Sir Peter Jackson, of Wellington, and stars including Orlando Bloom, Martin Freeman, James Nesbitt, Mikael Persbrandt and Sir Ian McKellen were among 450 cast and crew who arrived early and filmed for three days on the remote Arcadia Station, 66km from Queenstown. More..