Update from Dom Post: Sir Peter Jackson has stepped in to ensure Hobbit fans who fell victim to an Embassy Theatre ticketing error see the movie ”possibly even a minute or two before anyone else”. Tolkien Society New Zealand chapter founder Jack Machiela was one of about 60 people who queued outside the Wellington cinema to be among the first in the world to see The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey on The Embassy’s giant screen when public screenings begin at midnight on December 12. But when the ticket office opened, all the tickets to the first screening on the big screen had been snapped up online. [Read more] [Discuss]
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The Embassy Theatre in Wellington opened the box office at midnight last night to sell Hobbit first-screening tickets – but unfortunately midnight screening tickets went onsale online a few minutes before the box office opened, and no tickets were set aside for sale to fans who were waiting. Seats were sold out before most people there could get to the head of the queue. I was there, and can vouch for the fact that people who had waited there for hours were furious and very disappointed. The DominionPost has a full report.
Given the box office debacle, it’s a good thing we had a visit from the cheerful Barry and his son from Stansborough Mill,who were showing off their loom-woven woollen cloaks and new Gandalf scarf (with mithril!) They’re 2.5 metres of sparkly goodness.
Barry from Stansborough, modelling cloaks and scarves for the line partyJack and Alex Machiela, of the Tolkien Society, at line party before learning there were no tickets
Fantastic news from Jack Machiela, who runs the Tolkien Society’s Wellington branch. “Wellington NZ is having a Hobbit Line party TOMORROW night! The Embassy Theatre has agreed to open the Box Office line for us at Midnight 12:01am on EARLY Wednesday morning, so we’re all turning up at 11:30pm tomorrow night. Hopefully people will turn up in costumes as well… :)”
Jack from Welly-moot, Wellington’s Tolkien group, has been in touch with us, and it looks like Wellington may have a Line Party coming up sooner than you’d expect – next week, in fact! Here’s what Jack says:
‘We held Welly-moot (the meeting of Wellington’s Tolkien enthusiasts) at the Embassy Theatre yesterday. I spoke to the Elly, the manager there, and asked her when Hobbit tickets to the December 13th opening would be available. She said at 12:01am Nov 7th (online), and 09:00am next morning (physical box office). I asked her if she would consider opening the physical box office at midnight as well, and she said she’d consider it IF she got enough demand for it.
So: if you are in Wellington and you want to join fellow fans to stand in line for tickets, please send an email to Elly, the manager of Wellington’s Embassy Theatre, at “manager@deluxe.co.nz” with a subject of “Please open the Box Office at 12:01am, Nov 7th for Hobbit Tickets!”. If the box office opens, I plan to be there on the night – let’s see how many others we can get to join us!’
There you have it, Wellington fans – a call to arms! It goes without saying, please be nice when you email Elly at the Embassy – we wish you luck in getting the first Line Party going! Register your interest also at our Line Party page – and remember, wherever in the world you are, you can join a Line Party or start your own! Just join our Line Party community!
TheOneRing.net has a long tradition of using digital means to bring like-minded friends together in real life. Internet friendships are even better when shared over a table of drink and food or a game, discussion or popcorn and soda. The Line Party tradition goes back to the early days of the site and the efforts have cemented life-long friendships. By the time The Return of the King rolled around, over 10,000 people signed up and enjoyed Line Party activities around the globe with many more enjoying the celebrations in person without ever signing up. The largest Line Party had over 1,200 participants but it was not the only one to reach beyond 1,000.
I personally have made many friends from Line Party efforts both at my local line and from people around the globe. A big, widespread effort from fellow fans also demonstrates that we aren’t just an online community but a real-world community that joins with others in celebrating the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. Since Fellowship of the Ring hit theaters, users and staff at TORn have celebrated each Middle-earth film by lining up in our local neighborhoods. We even printed a t-shirt declaring: “One does not simply walk into theaters, there are geeks there that do not sleep,” long before it was an internet meme. So join a line and if there isn’t one to join, start one! Here at TheOneRing, we have done this before and, we might be good at it. We will help and support as we are able. What follows is a guide of the purpose and way to have a line party. We wish you the best success and look forward to celebrating a new journey into Middle-earth. (Line Party page.) Continue reading “Line Party 101: How to host or sign up for a Hobbit premiere viewing near you”
Martin Bayton, creator of Jane and the Dragon, is spearheadng an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for Sandcastle building on Sunday, November 25 starting at 8am. This is not just a passing social event, funds are being raised for the Neonatal Trust of New Zealand. Wellingtonians, Kiwis, and everyone else visiting the city that weekend are invited to participate, and to encourage that, there are some benefits. WETA and Air New Zealand have come on board to offer some support and sponsorship, including a Pair of Tickets from any Air New Zealand gateway city to Wellington for the week in order to help build a Sandcastle and see all the Premiere activities. For New Zealanders, you simply need to join Adventure Wellington and then RSVP, everyone else would want to donate a minimum of $10NZD, which includes a ticket to the event and en entry to win the trip. You can find all the details at WETA supports world Record Attempt WETA is even making custom molds to help make sure the Sandcastles are built up to the required specs to meet the Guinness requirements.
Ringer Karen wanted to share the news that lucky Aussies who live in or near Perth can now purchase tickets to screenings of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring with live music and chorus being presented by the Western Australian Symphony Orchestar (WASO) on June 21 and 22, 2013. From the WASO website: “Peter Jackson’s epic vision of Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is supported by some of the greatest film music of all time. Howard Shore’s Academy Award®-winning score captures the film’s sweeping emotion, thrilling vistas and grand journeys through the power of a full symphony orchestra and massed voices.”
