Comic-Con 2013 brought us a look at the amazing mini-environments that capture various Hobbit Holes in the Shire. We already have #1 Bagshot Row and now via the most recent newsletter fans get to pre-order the next Hobbit Hole #40 Bagshot Row. This beautiful collectible captures some of the unique looks and personalities you will find as you roam around the shire. This Hobbit Hole comes in at $40 and will be shipping from New Zealand in early October.
Category: Production
Two of Peter Jackson’s companies will be among the honorees at the International 3D & Advanced Imaging Society’s 5th annual 3D Technology Awards. The awards will be presented Sept. 18 during a ceremony at Paramount Studios.
The Society’s Lumiere statuettes for technology will be awarded to Weta Digital for the visual effects pipeline it created for Avatar; and to Park Road Post for the 3D high frame rate pipeline it developed for The Hobbit.
Related, a Lumiere will also be awarded to manufacturer SGO for its Mistika postproduction system, which was a key tool used at Park Road Post for its 3D high frame rate pipeline.
Tolkien’s love of Anglo-Saxon history is well-known, as are his influences from such Nordic works as Beowulf and the Finnish Kalevala. His passion for these cultures is evident in every race he created for Middle-earth, including the dwarves. Yet as has been highlighted in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, some of the inspiration for the dwarven race may have come from an understated influence: the Celts. Continue reading “Dwarves: A Celtic Connection”
The mayor of Los Angeles says New Zealand and other countries are taking film and television work from Hollywood, prompting him to declare a “state of emergency”.
Eric Garcetti was elected in May and says the city’s pre-eminence in the entertainment industry is under pressure from other US cities as well New Zealand, the UK, Australia and Canada. Continue reading “LA mayor declares state of emergency, blames NZ”
Congratulations to Howard Shore for taking out the number one spot on ClassicFM’s Movie Music Chart with his Lord of the Rings Soundtrack . Howard has also taken ninth spot with The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journeys’ Soundtrack.
Johnny has a standing invite to appear on TORn Tuesdays to further chat with fans, when he’s able to break free from his many obligations!
Here, mainstream magazine Stuff now profiles Frazer-Allen’s rising career.
There is a fairytale-like feeling to the story of 28-year-old Johnny Fraser-Allen. A chance encounter with Weta Workshop’s Sir Richard Taylor at the airport, and the pivotal decision to miss a flight home so he could talk to him, landed Fraser-Allen his dream job at Weta at the age of 19. Nearly a decade on, he has put working for the creative company on hold to focus on his latest adventure – writing and illustrating children’s books, and gearing up for his second exhibition.
Landing his dream job at Weta took a touch of fate for Fraser-Allen. He had flown from Christchurch to Wellington, hoping to show Taylor his final high school design portfolio at a photography exhibition by Lord of The Rings star Viggo Mortensen, but Taylor was a no-show.
Despondently waiting for his flight home, he spotted Taylor at the airport. “I had the choice of missing my flight or talking to him, so I missed my flight.”
The meeting was a turning point.
“Richard took a lot of time with me, gave me a lot of advice, then he gave me his card and told me to bring my portfolio up in person.”
When Fraser-Allen got home, he scrapped his portfolio and started again, based on the Oscar winner’s advice.
When Taylor eventually looked at his portfolio, he said Fraser-Allen’s skills weren’t good enough for the design room, but he employed him based on his enthusiasm.