From [NZHEARLD] : Master fimmaker James Cameron will return to New Zealand to snoop around the set of The Hobbit as director Peter Jackson follows in his footsteps to create a blockbuster 3D film.

Jackson let slip to Australian film magazine Empire that Cameron would visit the set in September.

It’s been seven months since Cameron was last in New Zealand to celebrate his award-winning film Avatar. He announced in 2010 he would return here to film two Avatar sequels but since decided to take the action to California. [Read more]

The Swedish Hobbit Blogger writes: Recently I noticed that the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet had conducted a long interview with Mikael Persbrandt, who will be portraying Beorn in The Hobbit, and, in this interview, they asked him about his current career in big budget productions like the upcoming The Hobbit-films and a film based on the fictional spy-character of Carl Hamilton. And this is what he said about The Hobbit and New Zealand, translated to the best of my ability of course.

”When I, during the first day, is hoisted up to the ceiling in the west King Kong Studio in Wellington I know what to do, even if it is a bit awkward and difficult to begin with a difficult torture scene. I knew and could even suggest things.” Continue reading “Mikael Persbrandt Talks Hobbit”

Nikki writes: Plunket are an iconic NZ charity and Park Rd Post have very kindly donated an exclusive guided tour of the facilities and lunch for 4 in our current charity auction on NZ auction site Trade Me. Great opportunity for your NZ members to see behind the scenes of the Academy Award winning facility! More..

Kiwi PyCon 2011, New Zealand’s conference dedicated to the Python programming language, is on this weekend at Te Whaea in Wellington. With a great lineup of speakers from Weta Digital, GitHub, a strong local and overseas contingent, as well as three international keynotes, there is still time to participate in this fantastic conference. More..