Port Waikato was where Weathertop was shotthe Waikato Times is reporting:
Word on the Te Kuiti street is the hobbits are coming to town.
Crew members from the big-budget Warner Bros project have signed-in to King Country lodgings and at least one establishment is booked out with creative types from October 30 to November 6.
Talking to accommodation proprietors was a cloak-and-dagger exercise and the film’s production company, 3 Foot 7, was tight-lipped.
A contact at Panorama Motor Inn, 59 Awakino Rd, was cautious: “I don’t know if I’m allowed to tell you,” she said softly, before spilling the beans. “They’re not here yet. I can tell you we’ll have a couple on October 20, but you did not hear that from me. On the 30th we’re booked out with them.”
Motel Te Kuiti already has crew crashing in its beds after a bunch rocked up on Monday.
[Read More]
Posted in:
Share:
The Liberian-flagged Rena ran aground off the coast of New Zealand’s North Island on October 5, but it’s been recent high seas jostling the foundering ship that has released more than 5 times the amount of oil it was previously leaking. Current weather conditions forced a halt to salvage and clean up work, but Maritime New Zealand stands ready to start again as soon as it is safe to do so. Oil is washing up on beaches near Tauranga, which is the port for Rotorua, and a quick drive to Matamata, the home of Hobbiton. Only time will tell how much this accident will truly affect the local ecology, which is already fairly fragile. It’s been a very tough year for New Zealand, this incident comes just as Spring is warming things up and the Cruise Ships are returning with all their tourists. No idea yet how this will impact the cruise lines that include Tauranga as a port stop.
There will be a few links to news stories after the break.
Continue reading “Oil spill off the coast of New Zealand is country’s worse Maritime accident”
Posted in:
Share:
How cool would this be to watch?
from scoop.co.nz: A one point five metre high ‘Showgirl on A Dragon’ will begin to appear in the SKYCITY Atrium tomorrow as Weta Workshop sculptor Craig Campbell gets to work on the masterpiece which will take him ten days to complete.
From 12-16 October and 19-23 October NZ, the American artist with fifteen years practice in his craft will create the sculpture as the public look on. Based in the heart of SKYCITY, at the top of the stairs the lead to the Sky Tower lifts, the live demonstration will give locals and the many tourists in town the chance to chat to Craig about his creation and the work of Weta Workshop.
Tim Launder from Weta Workshop says: “This is the thrilling sequel to the opening of the Weta Cave at the end of August. We’ve had such a great response from the Auckland public to the shop; it’s special to be able to add that little bit more magic.”
[Read More]
Posted in:
Share:
From the Waikato Times: Two barefoot men, one with a bushy white beard, sat outside a cafe in Matamata yesterday, but a closer inspection revealed a marked lack of hair on their smooth feet.
With the Hobbiton movie set near Matamata closed for filming on Wednesday, the Waikato Times’ hunt for hobbits is on.
The permit given to production company 3 Foot 7 to film in Matamata was for filming rights lasting no more than 15 days before November 8, but there have been no movie star sightings yet.
Espresso To Go owner Bill Anderson said they would be willing to make hobbit-sized coffees if the demand was there but last time around 3 Foot 7 had their own cafe on set, so he was not holding out hope for an influx of Hollywood big spenders.
[Read on]
Posted in:
Share:
Elven sends along a transcription from the John Key interview with Peter Jackson.
PM John Key: We have somebody who is not just world famous in New Zealand – not just world famous in our country, but right around the planet – he is a remarkable man and he is working with a lot of very small people at the moment – he is of course, Sir Peter Jackson. And I’m delighted to welcome him onto the show this afternoon – Sir Peter…
Sir Peter Jackson: Hi John how are you! Continue reading “Prime Ministers Hour – John Key interviews Sir Peter Jackson Transcription”
Posted in:
Share:
Andrew writes: According to this article (posted on September 29th), Ian McKellen is back in New Zealand, and will have another break in December.
“Sir Ian, who has now returned to New Zealand to continue filming both parts of The Hobbit, said: “I have got a break at Christmas and I wasn’t going to come home but I think I will now I have the pub. I really enjoy just sitting here in the evening. In New Zealand I will be based in Wellington but we are on location up and down the country shooting both films at the same time.”
More..
Posted in:
Share:
