Last August, TORn Staffer Justin posted a list of cast members who tweet. In the spirit of festive greetings, we thought we’d reshare – and update – that list.
Join Happy Hobbit’s Fili and Kili as TheOneRing.net’s official representatives on the black carpet of the Word Premiere of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, held on December 2, 2013 in Hollywood. You’ll also get a glimpse of Air New Zealand’s new Smaug plane, find out what goes on behind the scenes as press, and of course, hear a little about TORn’s latest moot (or gathering, for those who don’t speak Entish!).
Below are some of the highlights from the night and weekend of festivities. For more pictures and lots of fun, follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
Fili, Dis, Thorin, and Kili. Durin family photo! At the moot.
The “other” Fili and Kili are Happy Hobbits!
Smaug and Bilbo before the infamous incident.
On the black carpet!
Kili and Fili and Kili and Fili!
This Kili and Fili love Azog!
Evie gives some Happy Hobbit love.
Dean recognizes Fili, making her a very happy hobbit!
Bofur (Justin): the unsung hero! Thank you so much for all of your hard work!
LOS ANGELES — TheOneRing.net covered all kinds of events this week surrounding the World Premiere of “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.” None was more exciting than the film’s red (black) carpet experience where the stars can greet fans and walk the press line to talk about the film.
Many clips end up on news and entertainment websites but we bring you an edited version with our own Happy Hobbits behind the microphones and in front of the stars including Martin Freeman, Evangeline Lilly, Luke Evans, William Kircher, Dean O’Gorman, Aidan Turner, Philippa Boyens, Manu Bennett, Ryan Gage, Sean Astin, Ed Sheeran and the already-famous pinch from Benedict Cumberbatch.
Premiere coverage, clips, and Q&As not enough for you? Well, you’re in luck. Peter Jackson has updated his Facebook page with the latest Production Diary — picking up from where the last one left off, with pick-up shoots and post production. This time around, we get a great look at Smaug’s lair (look out for a new teasing shot of the great dragon himself!) and Lake-town (including Stephen Fry’s The Master). Continue reading “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug premiere week continues with Production Diary #13!”
(The outdoor Lake-Town wet set with extras and crew assembled for a night shoot on “The Hobbit.”)
WELLINGTON — The great cities of history have risen up around rivers, lakes and on coasts. Water holds vast and replenishing stores of food, improves transportation of people and goods, encourages trade, and of course keeps a population hydrated. Paris. London. Hong Kong. New York. Tokyo. Moscow. Boston. On and on.
Lake-town benefitted from excellent transportation and presumably a wealth of fish and food and clean, fresh water but it was built on water for a different reason.
Dragons.
One dragon in particular: Smaug The Terrible.
Tolkien’s Lake-town, like real-world Venice, was built on wooden pillars sunk into water. The lake men — with the destruction of Dale seared forever into their memory — built on water for safety. We watched it in the prolog of “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” while they had to live with the fear of dragon every day. Water-based living provided at least a chance against the great and terrible worm if he ever attacked again.
EDITOR’S NOTE:This is the first of many set visit reports that will publish weekly from now until the premiere of “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.” We will update this post with photos from the set visit as soon as possible.
Ian McKellen as Gandalf.
WELLINGTON — Thousands of creative hands will have touched “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” by the time it hits movie screens. For those making the film it means long hours, pushing the limits of creativity, people and technology. It is accurate to say every frame is filled with passion, lots of passion.
Despite all the love for the project from every quarter, there is a group that may be the least-heralded, most overlooked, and yet whose passion for the project is surpassed by no man — or woman. They will receive no awards, no fame, no recognition and yet, they loved their work on “The Hobbit,” and legions of fans would have willingly taken their place in a heartbeat.
They are called “extras,” and for these films that meant extra passion, extra time and extra fun.
How would I know? Well, I was one of them!
I am a staffer here at TheOneRing.net (TORn), contributing for over a decade to the all-volunteer, not-for profit website forged by and for fans of J.R.R. Tolkien. In that time I formed a bond of trust and friendship with people on all sides of the production.
Warners Bros. and the production team on “The Hobbit,” invited me, as a representative of TORn, to not only visit the set but to be embedded there as a journalist for five weeks. Every working day for a month and a week in 2012, I woke up and reported to set near Wellington, New Zealand where Peter Jackson and his team of filmmakers were putting together the film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s beloved children’s book, “The Hobbit.”
I can hardly believe this happened even though I remember it with incredible clarity. It seems surreal now — as it did every day when I arrived, showed my badge to security and walked into the grounds where Middle-earth would be created for audiences world wide. Each day was appreciated.
