frodowen writes: I’m backpacking in NZ right now and recently did the Hobbiton set tour in Matamata. I saw a while back that you reported they were closed, but since the filmed was pushed back due to PJ being in hospital it’s been reopened. Well, because they should have been filming right now, the set is PERFECT. All the hobbit holes are complete, there is fruit on the trees and flowers in the gardens – it is like being in the Shire. They even have the (fake) tree above Bag End, and have expanded the set to include more hobbit holes than they used in LOTR. I can’t post pictures of course due to confidentiality contracts we had to sign, but I thought you might like to let other fans in the area know that now is would be a really great time to visit. It’s well worth the tour fee to see the set as it is now.
Category: Locations Sets
A few weeks back, we posted a story from the NZ Post about how the Aratiatia Rapids, a popular tourist destination, would be shut down for four days during peak tourist season for The Hobbit filming. Adding further credit to that report are these images from Ringer Spy Hobbitwatch. In the photos, you can see a crew performing some kind of tests with pink barrels at the Falls. Here is the full report from Ringer Spy Hobbitwatch:
Just sending you a few pics of the activity going on at the Aratiatia Rapids where they have started filming for the barrell scenes in The Hobbit, they had heaps of safety people there as pretty dangerous stuff, mostly all wound up when I took the pics, but shows the barrels they were using for when the Bilbo Baggins and the dwarves, rode the rapids in barrels to get away from the orcs I think it was. the barrels are pink so as to allow for them being digitalized apparently. the hyab truck was in place to maybe film up the rapids, anyway, they used both ends of the rapids to do the job, as you will see. there are big barrels on the truck, plus a small one, I guess for scaling for Hobbit size?? A couple of pics also of the crew, both safty and filming by the looks of it having smoko.
Dont’ forget to see all the photos after the break!
Continue reading “Exclusive: Barrel-Riding Test Photos at Aratiatia Rapids”
Ringer Spy Mr. Anderson sends along these exclusive pics of The Hobbit sets being built in Miramar, NZ. If you look closely at some of the pictures, you’ll notice that the architecture seems to resemble that of Moria. I’m sure we can all draw our own conclusions, but could this be a flashforward sequence for Moria? Maybe we are getting a peak into the Lonely Moutain? Or maybe it has nothing to do with Dwarves at all! Share your thoughts and click the ‘continue reading’ below for the full gallery.
Continue reading “Exclusive: Ringer Spy Mr. Anderson Shares Miramar Shots”
The headlines related to ‘The Hobbit’ films have been unpredictable as the weather! We thought it might be a fun exercise to discuss what ‘The Hobbit’ headlines will be in September 2011. Will it be…’Lazy Lob! Attercop! Spiders revealed!’ or maybe ‘No delays for The Hobbit! Production on Schedule’. How about ‘TheOneRing.net’s Server Under Water!’ What do you think? Share your thoughts in our forum, comments or on Facebook!
The NZ Herald has two stories (one featured below) on the real life locations that are expected to play a role in filming of ‘The Hobbit’ films. This latest article reveals that a popular destination, Aratiatia Rapids, will be closed for four days during the peak tourist season for filming. The story further discusses other rumored and confirmed filming locations. We’d love to get your feedback on the choice of filming locations and what scene you think would fit with each. Sound off in our forums, comments or on Facebook! [Read More]
The stark cone of Mt Ngauruhoe played a leading role in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, featuring as a smouldering Mt Doom.
Now, only five weeks out from the scheduled start of filming for The Hobbit prequel, local Maori are set to put their foot down and refuse permission for the Oscar-winning director to use the central North Island mountains again. The iwi considered them sacred.
In The Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins and his entourage journey through the Misty Mountains on their way to confront the dragon Smaug at the Lonely Mountain.