How do Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson, the two titans of pop culture, collaborate on the new 3-D motion-capture version of “Tintin”? With lots of high-tech wizardry.
Spielberg, who’s directing the first installment, “The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn,” recently wrapped 32 days of performance-capture shooting in Los Angeles. Producer Jackson traveled from his New Zealand home base to L.A. for rehearsals and the first week of shooting, and then appeared via an elaborate video-conferencing setup for the rest of the shoot, using a specially designed iChat-type system in which the Kiwi filmmaker can see everything on the set in real time and simultaneously talk with Spielberg. The film is scheduled to hit theaters in 2011. ‘Tintin’ project brings moguls together
Interest is high for an upcoming Dunbar Sloane auction, with movie-maker Peter Jackson tipped to be interested in two rare biplanes going under the hammer. Also on offer is a piece of the infamous flagstaff Hone Heke repeatedly chopped down, kicking off the first of the land wars. The two biplanes on offer include a 1944 Tiger Moth and the last remaining 1929 Simmonds Spartan in the world. Peter Jackson is an avid World War I-era plane collector. Dunbar Sloane confirmed Jackson’s buyers had been alerted to the upcoming sale and had shown initial interest. “But we won’t know if he is going to put in a bid until the day. Buyers don’t usually let us know they are definitely bidding before the day.” Planes go to auction
Everyone knows Hollywood giants Peter Jackson and Steven Spielberg are collaborating on three Tintin movies, but rarely has the public seen the two top film-makers in the same place. A new online video shows them not only together, but with the potential to be a snappy comic duo. The official website for Tintin unveiled this week a two-minute video recording of Jackson and Spielberg made for the the Angouleme International Comics Festival in France. In the video Jackson and Spielberg wear bowler hats and carry umbrellas as a homage to two of the Tintin series’ most popular characters, the bungling detectives Thomson and Thompson. They are seated between a cardboard cutout of Tintin, the plucky Belgian detective. “We’re here to celebrate Tintin’s 80th year in existence,” said Spielberg, who is directing the first Tintin film Secret of the Unicorn. Tintin video unveiledVideo
The Lovely BonesLord of the Rings director Peter Jackson has been rated a top 2010 Oscar hope with his new film, The Lovely Bones. The Los Angeles Times has predicted the New Zealander will scoop the pool with his adaptation of Alice Sebold’s best-selling novel, possibly winning up to six of the top categories. Jackson is no stranger to Oscars, having won 20 of the prized gongs for directing and producing the Rings trilogy. The new film, based on the novel about the rape and murder of a teenager, has been shot in the US and New Zealand but is not due for release until December. Jackson’s new film touted for Oscars
By Garth Franklin at DarkHorizons (via Variety): While fans who are aware of “Tintin” have been enthusiastic about the project, the single most common complaint from fanboys unfamiliar with Herge’s brilliant stories of the roving reporter has been that their ‘god’ Steven Spielberg shouldn’t be wasting his time with such nonsense.
This is despite the fact almost all of them are completely unfamiliar with the material, even though the twenty-four graphic novels have been in publication for over eight decades. Decades before the likes of “Watchmen” hit the shelves it was weaving stories of Middle Eastern tension, South American and Eastern European coup d’etats, opium smuggling, human trafficking, arms dealing and espionage. More…
She may have waited 15 years, but as Kate Winslet accepted her first Oscar for best actress, she didn’t forget to mention the person who helped launch her career Wellington director Peter Jackson. Winslet, who worked with Jackson in her first feature Heavenly Creatures, filmed in New Zealand, won her first ever Oscar yesterday for her role in The Reader. Down under featured throughout the ceremony, highlighted again when Australian presenter Hugh Jackman amused the crowd as he quipped about New Zealand. “Everything is being downsized because of the recession,” Jackman said. “Next year I’ll be starring in a movie called New Zealand…” Heavenly creature Kate Winslet wins
