Weta’s Ben Hawker is a brilliant guy and he worked with the creative and fun folks at Air New Zealand to create the ideas that became perhaps the most popular airline safety video in the world, collecting 8 million hits since it was launched a week ago. TheOneRing was honored to play a part with Cliff “Quickbeam” Broadway and I (Larry “MrCere” Curtis) appearing to help represent fans from across the globe. Well, they also asked us to chime in on the behind-the-scenes video which features J.R.R. Tolkien’s grandsons Royd and Mike, the genuinely excellent and beautiful airline employees Kara, Mark and Will (plus others not in the video), the film’s director Josh, the soon-to-be superstar Dean O’Gorman, Peter Jackson and that Hawker guy. TORn may have its own version of a story and photos from that set before long but Air New Zealand has a great video to follow up last week’s starting off with a familiar face. Also fun, many of the crew making this video also worked on The Hobbit. Check out the short clip on the next page! Continue reading “A secret look inside Air NZ’s Middle-earth safety video”

Join us in about 30 minutes for our *live* weekly webcast TORn TUESDAY! Your congenial host Clifford “Quickbeam” Broadway will bring in fellow TORn Staffer and esteemed Middle-earth journalist Larry “MrCere” Curtis to talk about new Line Parties co-crafted by YOU the *fans* using TheOneRing.net’s exclusive Line Party interface — and also the Wellington premiere party for THE HOBBIT; and we’ll even check out the new T.V. spot! Perhaps we may even begin the OFFICIAL TORn HOBBIT LIVE READING straight from the original book, time permitting. Join us at 5pm Pacific Daylight Time and be part of the chat at our *LIVE Event Page* right here, which includes Barliman’s Chat! www.theonering.net/live  or even turn on your webcam and join us at our Stickam page here — www.stickam.com/theoneringnet

Thanks to johobbit from the Silver Leaves journal team, who let us know that their journal issue number 4 is available now.  She tells us, ‘Silver Leaves Issue 4 is hot off the press.  The theme is Dragons and we are very excited about getting into the hands of Tolkien and fantasy fans.  This is another superb issue, with contributors including Jef Murray, Colin Duriez, Alison Baird, Doug Adams, Tim Kirk, Peter S. Beagle, Constance Wagner, Anna Repp, and Ted Nasmith, among many other talented folk.  Ordering information is available here.  And always remember, ‘It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near  him!’ ‘

If you enjoy the journal and would like to contribute, they are currently accepting submissions for Issue 5, which is themed on The Hobbit.  Deadline for submissions is 1st February 2013; further information here.