Hooded figures seen in the dense forest under cover of night!
Here’s a phrase we haven’t used in a long, long time: A Spy Report from the set of Lord of the Rings! Ringer “David” sends word of “Hooded Guys” from the riverbanks of Auckland:
The photos were made in or near the circle. Although I walked pretty much around it nothing could be seen. Maybe there wasn’t a set anymore, maybe trees/hills got in the way. One of the people who lived there told me there was filming in the dark with bright lights on for 4 hours (I think Monday last week). He didn’t know what it was. Afterwards he saw hooded guys (which normally doesn’t mean good things) so he walked up and spoke to them. They were telling it was for filming ‘the new Lord of the Rings’.
The “circle” he references is the blue one on the far right edge of this map, while the photos below indicate a heavily wooded area where vans full of production gear were loading out.
Photos provided in the Spy Report show what is possibly the codename for the production: “GIN”
It always comes down to some wacky code word they use on set location signs. Back in the day of filming the O.G. Trilogy as Peter Jackson and team were traipsing around both North and South Islands with multiple Film Units the dead giveaway was any sign that said “JAMBOREE.” Even script pages and daily Call Sheets were printed with the pretend Boy Scout name. Many of our community members remember that code word from twenty years ago!
What can we really tell from these spy photos? Just that they’re quick to arrive and quick to leave. These actual set locations are in the past tense, so to speak. Production has already moved on from these woods as Amazon’s “2nd Age of Middle-earth” series pilot episode director J.A. Bayona posted a photo from a dry field area.
Only days ago one of the new cast members of Amazon’s $1-Billion production posted the words: “Calm before the storm.” British stage actress Sophia Nomvete is filming her first days on set for a brand new character to the Tolkien Film Legendarium.
How many of you are familiar with the physical features in this area? Any Kiwis down there who can tell us the lay of the land — what types of trees, the slope of the elevation, any such unique features that might suggest a location in Númenor or the mainland of Eregion, things like that — would be a great place to start our guesswork!
Thank you for the first Amazon LOTR Spy Report, David! If anyone else in the Auckland area notices anything… unnatural… please email spymaster@theonering.net or hit us on Twitter & Instagram DM’s.
Aquaman & Mortal Kombat actress in recovery for potentially months.
NZ Herald reports that the injury took place during stunt rehearsals on Amazon’s billion-dollar LORD OF THE RINGS series.
Elissa Cadwell, an experienced Brisbane-based stunt woman, actor and dancer, who recently doubled for Nicole Kidman in Aquaman, is understood to have been injured during rehearsals at the sprawling Kumeu Film Studio.
Sources confirmed she fell into water in large tanks as planned, but her head struck a bolt in the process. One witness said the resulting injuries were traumatic.
She’s not back at work and won’t be for weeks, if not months. But she is ok and I understand she is being looked after.
The actress bears a resemblance to a young Galadriel, who is one of the lead characters in Amazon’s LOTR show. Director J.A. Bayona is crafting the pilot episode which, presumably, will have big underwater action sequences set in Second Age Numenor.
New Zealand’s work & safety compliance office, WorkSafe, was notified of the accident over a week after the occurrence when the press contact their office. “The cone of silence around the production really shouldn’t come into play with health and safety – that’s how Pike River happened” says Denise Roche, director of actors union Equity New Zealand.
While Weta Workshop & Weta Digital have been busy filming the water-based AVATAR sequels and AQUAMAN film with no reported set injuries, there has been no confirmation and zero hints they have been engaged to work on Amazon’s Lord of the Rings.
Welcome to The Great Hall of Poets, our regular monthly feature showcasing the talent of Middle-earth fans. Each month we will feature a small selection of the poems submitted, but we hope you will read all of the poems that we have received here in our Great Hall of Poets.
So come and join us by the hearth and enjoy!
If you have a Tolkien/Middle-earth inspired poem you’d like to share, then send it to poetry@theonering.net One poem per person may be submitted each month. Please make sure to proofread your work before sending it in. TheOneRing.net is not responsible for poems posting with spelling or grammatical errors.
Lady Forest
by: Tom Frye
Kissed by the sun, embraced by the morning, The Forest sheds her cloak of Night. She slips into a gown of mist, She wove herself, by Morning light.
In Amber rays, the Forest dances, In hidden glens within the hills. Barefoot, she glides through open meadows, Tip-toes her way past silver rills.
Her gown of mist trails behind her, Fluttering in the morning wind, Adorned with gems and sparkling jewels. The rising sun did surely send.
Dimmer now the light of day
Less bright the stars at night
Sparser grow the woods and plant’s
For the Elves have gone away.
Less beauty now to look upon
More haste to get things done.
No care to share for others around.
For the Ents now too have gone.
No words of power for moonlight door. No Blue, Grey, Brown or White No reasoned words to guide us on When Istari remove their light.
~~ * ~~
A Hobbits Poem
by: Sarah W.
Far o’er the Misty Mountains cold
Where Smaug sleeps upon a lair of gold
A burglar hides with the One Ring
Nothing to aid him, but trusty Sting
Soon the dragon wakes and leaves his den
Heads for Lake Town, anger aimed for men
Bard the bowman shoots, Smaug falls dead
But Thorin still yearns for a crown on his head
They wish for a share of wealth, men and elves alike Long they tarry, ere they strike Soon come goblins and orcs from caves below From below the mountains, their hearts hollow
Battle cries ring sharply in the air
Mere minutes pass, ere Dain and his dwarves are there
Burglar slips away from what he sees
Wishing to be home, by the fire, sipping tea
All ends, but not in fire, and victory crawls near With parting farewells, Bilbo heads back to his hole so dear The war is over the journey is done For now evil is gone, there is nothing to fear
~~ * ~~
If you have a Tolkien/Middle-earth inspired poem you’d like to share, then send it to poetry@theonering.net. One poem per person may be submitted each month. Please make sure to proofread your work before sending it in. TheOneRing.net is not responsible for poems posting with spelling or grammatical errors.
