WETA Digital has released a brand new two and a half minute video exclusively to the The Hollywood Reporter detailing the creation of the dragon Smaug. Thanks to Ringers Makaw, Brandon, Will P., and Jesse for notifying us about the video!
The Hollywood Reporter also spoke to Smaug VFX artist David Clayton (who is nominated for an Academy Award for his work on the film) about the process of translating actor Benedict Cumberbatch’s motion capture performance into the fire-breathing creature you see on the screen in The Desolation of Smaug. Continue reading “Bringing Smaug to Life: New Making-of video from Weta Digital”
Hobbit fans won’t want to miss the upcoming spring issue of quarterly film magazine Cinefex. Due out in mid-March, Cinefex 137 will feature a 25-page story on the making of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, based on in-depth interviews with key effects artists who worked on the film, and accompanied by 25 behind-the-scenes photos and frame clips — many of them exclusive.
Continue reading “Cinefex spring edition to feature 25-page Hobbit feature”
Just a reminder to everyone – February’s Rewrite Tolkien contest (The Hobbit in the style of Jane Austen) comes to an end this coming Monday, February 24 at 12 PM (Eastern Standard Time). That means you have just under 3 days to submit those entries – so there’s not a moment to lose!
Contest information and submission guidelines can be found here. Happy writing! Continue reading “Reminder: Rewrite Tolkien February contest ends February 24th”
Following on from our posts earlier this week, we now have information from official press releases from Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Hungary and Germany. Here are the details:
Continue reading “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Home Video release – more international information”
If you’re a die hard fan of Peter Jackson’s Middle-earth adaptations, chances are you probably know the name Joe Letteri. Winner of four Academy Awards, Mr. Letteri has been an instrumental part of bringing the magical world of J.R.R. Tolkien’s books to life through the art of visual effects.
Now Mr. Letteri has once again been nominated for his work – this time for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. The Los Angeles Times’ Cristy Lytal took some time to ask him some questions ahead of the Oscar ceremony – which will be held on March 2nd. Naturally, the interview focused mostly on the creation of the film’s visual centerpiece – Smaug. Continue reading “Oscar winning visual effects artist Joe Letteri speaks with the L.A. Times”
It’s the film project that many of us fear we may never see. Yet surely, with time, all may be possible. In this article, Rud the Spud takes a look at how a trilogy based on Professor Tolkien’s The Silmarillion might be constructed – should such a project ever come to fruition – and discusses whether or not it could possibily live up to the Professor’s massive collection of stories. Continue reading “How would ‘The Silmarillion’ fare as a film trilogy?”
WETA Digital has released a brand new two and a half minute video exclusively to the The Hollywood Reporter detailing the creation of the dragon Smaug. Thanks to Ringers Makaw, Brandon, Will P., and Jesse for notifying us about the video!
