Can you believe it has been 10 years since we first gathered at Griffith Park to celebrate the birthday of not one, but two imaginary characters from a book and film? The Baggins’ Birthday Bash has always been a great way to celebrate Fellowship amongst LA Fandom, act a little goofy, and to farewell the Summer. This year the party comes just a day after the official 75th anniversary of the publication of The Hobbit back in 1937, so we’ll have more to celebrate than just Bilbo and Frodo. Here are the pertinent details:

When: September 22 from Noon till 6pm

Where: Griffith Park in LA, just past the Carousel turnoff. There are directions and a link to a map at the bottom of the description on the Facebook Event Page. Baggins’ Birthday Bash Facebook page

What can you bring?: Take a peek at the Facebook page, and open the description fully to see what food and beverage needs we have and what you can bring. The list will be updated when people RSVP, which can be done on the Facebook event page, or by emailing Garfeimao@TheOneRing.net

Activities: There will be some trivia, we will have fans taking turns to read The Hobbit aloud during the day, and there will be a rousing game of Golfimbul, followed by a Birthday Cake.

 

The fun and games never stop at DragonCon!  Staffers from TORn have been busy all weekend, speaking at panels, running TORn’s booth and enjoying meeting with fellow fans.  For a brief while this afternoon we were joined at the table by none other than actor Billy Boyd, who took over asking trivia questions to some delighted folks!  Many people have stopped by to enjoy our ‘Don’t you know YOU’RE Sam’ photo opportunity – and Billy joined in the fun to create a slightly confusing hobbit line up!

One more day of festivity to go – expect more photos and reports later in the week!

From stuff.co.nz: New Zealand’s film and TV industry has risen to become one of the country’s most lucrative – reeling in more than $3.23 billion last year. The sector’s contribution to gross domestic product was $2.78 billion, representing 1.4 per cent of New Zealand’s total GDP, a PricewaterhouseCoopers report found. The sector also supported 21,315 fulltime-equivalent jobs. Film Auckland chairman Pete Rive welcomed the study as an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the local screen community. He hailed Spartacus, Mr Pip, Emperor (starring Matthew Fox), and The Hobbit as examples of recent successes. Read More…

Thirty-nine years ago today, our beloved professor, J.R.R. Tolkien, passed away at the age of 81. Among his many legacies are the books, “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings,” that have brought so much joy to so many people, including us.  This morning, the variety news show “Sunday Morning” which airs weekly on CBS in the U.S., did a small segment in tribute to Tolkien. Message board member Magpie caught it and alerted us to it, and we wanted to share it with you:


Rest in peace, dear professor. Read more…

Bilbo earns the respect of the Dwarves he is traveling with by being both brave and resourceful. He overcomes a lot of dangers and becomes a much more confident adventurer, something that would not necessarily be recognized in the Shire. If the first film is a story of how a Hobbit can go on an adventure and thrive, earning the respect of his Dwarf companions, the second film is that same Hobbit realizing just how big and dangerous the world really is. But how do you show that in a visual medium?

Possible spoilers after the break

Continue reading “Why “The Desolation of Smaug” works”

Warner Bros is sponsoring a new contest that gives artists the chance to re-imagine the world of The Hobbit. They call it the Treasures of Middle-earth Design Contest.

Enter your own original fan artwork for a chance to win some great Middle-earth prizes. Or if you’re not artistically inclined (I know I don’t have an artistic bone in my body!), you can rate your favorite fan-created imagery inspired by Bilbo Baggins’ adventure.

The four grand-prize entries will be chosen by John Howe, Alan Lee, and Richard Taylor. Entries close October 15, 2012.

NB: Entry is open only to legal residents of the USA and Canada (excluding Quebec). You can read all the T&Cs, including those pertaining to the assignment of intellectual property, here.