Film Effects with a Human Face
Growing up in Rulsilp Manor, Andy Serkis always wanted to be in theatre, but saw his future behind the scenes. But after catching the acting bug at university and adding a string of key roles to his credit, he now plays arch fiend Gollum in next winter’s much-heralded film of Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. Alan Hayes talked to him.
Actor Andy Serkis has a peach of a role in the film they said could never be made.
As Gollum in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the rings, Mr Serkis, who grew up in Rulsilp Manor, has spent the last six months in New Zealand, ‘halfway up volcanoes, in glacial streams and marshes’, as well as in a special studio, creating the sort of effects that have finally made JRR Tolkien’s epic possible.
Shooting all three parts of the story simultaneously, Kiwi director Mr Jackson and his compatriot special-effects whizz-kids has wrestled the tale of sword, sorcery, fantastic creatures and little Hobbits to near completion, and part one is due on screen in December (a cartoon version of the early 1980’s fizzled after only one book had been animated).
Mr. Serkis will be back down under this summer for three months of post-production work, finishing the special effects which have made it all possible.
But the film doesn’t sublimate all acting talent in favor of technical wizardry.
“They were looking for someone who was capable of doing a creature voice but portray him as human as well,” says the 36 year old actor about Gollum, the boy who kills for, then becomes utterly corrupted by, one of the fabled, lost rings.
“I think the great thing about Gollum is he is the point of human contact or what the ring does to you,” said Mr Serkis, who having just returned from New Zealand and paid a flying visit to his parents. Lylie and Clement at their Westhone Gardens home, was in Manchester this week working on a new film.
On the theme of Gollum he continues: “He’s very much a case of” ‘There but for the grace of God.”
He ads that with the need to give cinema audiences the ability to relate the creature to something recognizable, he has played him as an addict, a ‘ring junkie’. complete with withdrawal symptoms.
“When you are playing such an extreme character, you have to root it in something the audience can identify with,” he said.
Mr Serkis confessed he had not read The Lord of the Rings before being offered the part, although Tolikien’s other Middle Earth tale, The Hobbit, was a childhood favorite.
To get into Gollim’s head, he said he read and re-read certain passages and found it ‘fantastic stuff’
During the course of the film, he must transform from Smeagol, the boy who killed his cousin for possession of the ring, into the reptilian Gollim, with his sobbing, hissing language as he talks to himself and the ring, his later ego which he calls ‘his precious’.
Much of the special effects use ‘motion capture’, a technique which required Mr Serkis to wear a special suit covered in reflective dots, tracked by a computer-driven camera.
The animation can then be overlaid, so the actor realistically drives the character’s movements, even if the final appearance is part computer graphics.
New Zealand is becoming a hot house of film special effects, not least due to costs being vastly lower than in Hollywood. Mr Serkis said the level of artisan skill and craftsmanship which produced the reams of costumes, armaments and equipment impressed him greatly and the scenery was perfect for portraying Middle Earth.
The film, he said, “was a real marriage between acting and animation, and they got the real cutting edge technology out there.
“As Peter Jackson said: ‘The film should be made because now we have the technology,” he recalls.
Six months in New Zealand wasn’t all work. His partner, the actor Larraine Ashbourne, and their two children, Sonny and Ruby, were able to come out, and the family managed a holiday on the south Island.
The Lord of the Rings has been sandwiched between other films – Shiner, with Sir Michael Caine, penciled in for release in 2001, and his latest project, 24-hour Party People, but as an actor trained in repertory, he yearns to get back on stage.
However, the long-anticipated ‘Rings’ is special, for film-goers and film-makers alike.
“I do think it’s going to be fantastic,” said Mr Serkis, “and I very, very rarely say that about anything I do.”
Thanks to Darrell for the tip!
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Its been a long time since I brought you an episode of “How to be Unproductive at Work,” so here goes!
• Why not check out some Tolkien based MUSH’s? They are notorious for taking LOTS of time off your hands. [more]
• If you didn’t already know, TheOneRing.net hosts the LARGEST image collection of Tolkien related Art in the world! Rolozo Tolkien has been known to take up hours of my day, why not give it a try! [more]
• In a VERY rare occurence, Margaret Weis, Don Perrin, and Chris Pierson of DragonLance fame, dropped by our very own Barlimans for a fireside chat with fans. The log is only about 20 pages long, that will definitely kill some time. [more]
• Why not start your journey into true Tolkien fandom by learning an elvish language or two? Ostadan from Green Books will be more then happen to help you along on this quest. [more]
• If you didn’t realize already, Barlimans is a huge worldwide phemomenon of a chatroom. Catch up on your fellow fans and find out where they live in our Barlimans Regulars Map. [more]
• Bruce Spence will be playing the Mouth of Sauron in the upcoming films. But what race of creature is the Mouth of Sauron? How tall was he? When did he die? Find out these facts and just about anything you could want to know about the characters of Middle-earth in our characters section. [more]
• And last but not least, where does all the money for banner ads and t-shirt sales at TheOneRing.net go? The answer is quite simple. TheOneRing.net sends it’s profits to various charities worldwide. Why not take some time and support the charities we do! [more]
I hope that takes the necessary time out of your day to make this Friday, and every other work day, a lot less stressful!
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Diane Kamahele
Domestic Sales / Public Relation
Sideshow Toy
In what is surely one of the most creative theatrical licensing deals ever, Sideshow Toy of Westlake Village, CA has partnered with Weta Workshop of New Zealand to develop multiple lines of polystone collectibles based on the upcoming film trilogy, The Lord of the Rings. What makes this deal so unique is that it may be the first time a U.S. based toy company has partnered with the special effects company that created the effects for the licensed film property. The Sideshow / Weta collaboration will be responsible for the development and marketing of five lines of polystone collectibles: statues, busts, miniature weapons, miniature armor, & wall plaques.
The Lord of the Rings film trilogy is a New Line Cinema production and is based on the J.R.R Tolkien classic fantasy series of books. The films are currently in production in New Zealand with the first film; “The Fellowship of the Ring” slated for December 2001 release. Peter Jackson, a native New Zealander, whose credits include “Heavenly Creatures” and “The Frighteners”, is directing the trilogy. The international cast features Sir Ian McKellen, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, Liv Tyler, and Elijah Wood.
The Sideshow / Weta partnership bring together two respected and talented organizations. Sideshow is the creative force responsible for the highly praised line of figures based on the Universal Studios Classic Monsters. The Sideshow team has been recognized for its ability to consistently achieve character likenesses in both collectible toys and statues. Weta is New Zealand’s foremost Effects facility, which was established fourteen years ago to support New Zealand’s fledgling film and television industry. Among Weta’s credits are several of Peter Jackson’s earlier films, and also television’s popular Xena and Hercules’ series. Weta is comprised of a group of artists united in their love of art and film – from blacksmiths to leatherworkers, skilled prosthetic technicians, miniature makers, painters to wigmakers, casting and molding experts, engineers and swordsmiths.
The Weta Workshop has been immersed for four years in the conceptualizing, creation and the on set operation of the creatures, miniatures, armor, weapons and special make-up effects for the three epic films. Weta’s focus has been to create a unified look throughout the three films while capturing the very essence of the books that are held so dear by millions of readers around the world.
It is the same Weta designers and technicians that have created the different armies and creatures within Middle Earth that have chosen to create the high quality collectibles under the Sideshow / Weta brand. The integrated experience that these designers and technicians have had in the creation of the films and their unique relationship with the actors and director will result in the most authentic figure and miniature collectibles possible. A preview of the upcoming collectibles can be seen by appointment at the International Toy Fair in New York from February 11 – 16, 2001. The figures, busts and miniatures will be on display at the Sideshow Toy show room in the Toy Building at 200 5th Ave., suite 1061.
© 2001 New Line Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
“The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of The Ring and the characters and the places therein, TM The Saul Zaentz Company d/b/a Tolkien Enterprises under license to New Line Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved.”
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Monday, January 29
Viggo Mortensenhttp://theonering.net/movie/cast/mortensen.html (Aragorn) The Portrait of a Lady SHOW3 & The Young Americans ENCACT
Liv Tyler (Arwen) Inventing the Abbotts KTVO
Ian Holm (Bilbo) eXistenZ TMC2
Hugo Weaving (Elrond) The Interview MYSTERY
David Wenham (Faramirhttp://www.theonering.net/movie/char/faramir.html) Dark City TNT
Ian McKellen (Gandalf) X-Men IN9
Bruce Spence (Mouth of Sauron) Dark City TNT
Christopher Lee (Saruman) Safari 3000 SHOWX
Bernard Hill (Theoden) William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream HBOSIG
Brad Dourif (Wormtongue) Urban Legend TMC & Color of Night HBOSIG & Amos & Andrew TMC2PTuesday, January 30 Liv Tyler (Arwen) Heavy SUNDAE
Ian Holm (Bilbo) Mary, Queen of Scots IFRC1
Elijah Wood (Frodo) The Faculty SHOWX
Cate Blanchett (Galadriel) An Ideal Husband STARZ5
Mark Ferguson (Gil Galad) Every Woman’s Dream LIFE
John Rhys-Davies (Gimli) Au Pair MovieMax 5 UK 
& Secret of the Andes Sky Premier 3 UK & Cyborg Cop WSBK
Orlando Bloom (Legolas) Wilde SHOW3
Christopher Lee (Saruman) Talos the Mummy Sky MovieMax 5 UK & Scott of the Antarctic A&EWednesday, January 31 Liv Tyler (Arwen) That Thing You Do! VH1
Ian Holm (Bilbo) The Fifth Element RTE 1 UK & All Quiet on the Western Front ENCACT
Hugo Weaving (Elrond) The Matrix MAX & Babe 2: Pig in the City Sky Premier 3 UK
Miranda Otto (Eowyn) The Last Days of Chez Nous IFC
Elijah Wood (Frodo) Avalon STARZ & Internal Affairs WNDS
Ian McKellen (Gandalf) Gods and Monsters SUNDAE
John Rhys-Davies (Gimli) Secret of the Andes Sky Premier 3 UK & Waxwork USA
Andy Serkis (Gollum) Mojo Sky MovieMax 4 UK
Sean Astin (Sam) Icebreaker ACMAX & Dish Dogs KXTX & Toy Soldiers STARZ
Christopher Lee (Saruman) Five Golden Dragons XUPN2 & Bitter Victory ENCACT
Brad Dourif (Wormtongue) Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones TRUEThursday, February 1 Viggo Mortensenhttp://theonering.net/movie/cast/mortensen.html (Aragorn) The Thin Red Line ACMAX & Witness MOMAX
Sean Bean (Boromir) Ronin SHOWX
Miranda Otto (Eowyn) The Thin Red Line ACMAX & The Well Carlton Cinema UK
John Rhys-Davies (Gimli) The Living Daylights Network 2 UK
Bruce Spence (Mouth of Sauron) The Cars That Ate Paris Film Four UK
Christopher Lee (Saruman) The Gorgon Sky Cinema 1 UK
Bernard Hill (Theoden) Gandhi HBOSIG
Brad Dourif (Wormtongue) The Exorcist III STARZFriday, February 2 Liv Tyler (Arwen) Stealing Beauty BRAVO
Ian Holm (Bilbo) Alice Through the Looking Glass STARZ4
Andy Serkis (Gollum) Among Giants Sky Premier 1 UK
Sean Astin (Sam) Kimberly HBOZ
Christopher Lee (Saruman) Sleepy Hollow Front Row 2 UK & Return From Witch Mountain Sky Premier 1 UK & The Mummy AMC
Bernard Hill (Theoden) True Crime HBOPL
Brad Dourif (Wormtongue) Best Men THMAX & Eyes of Laura Mars Film Four UK Saturday, February 3 Viggo Mortensenhttp://theonering.net/movie/cast/mortensen.html (Aragorn) Boiling Point ENCORE
Liv Tyler (Arwen) Armageddon Showing on Sky Premier 2 UK
Ian Holm (Bilbo) Legend BBC2 UK & Alien TVYou
John Rhys-Davies (Gimli) King Solomon’s Mines WRGB
Sean Astin (Sam) Encino Man KSTW & The War of the Roses KDEB
Christopher Lee (Saruman) Sleepy Hollow Front Row 2 UK & The Accursed KVOS & Captain Horatio Hornblower TCM
Bernard Hill (Theoden) The Loss of Sexual Innocence HBOPLSunday, February 4 Viggo Mortensenhttp://theonering.net/movie/cast/mortensen.html (Aragorn) A Walk on the Moon STARZ5 & Young Guns II WEMT & Fresh Horses ENCORE
Ian Holm (Bilbo) Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein Film Four UK & Dance With a Stranger FLIX & A Severed Head Sky Cinema 2 UK
Hugo Weaving (Elrond) Bedrooms & Hallways HBOSIG
Elijah Wood (Frodo) Flipper STARZ
Ian McKellen (Gandalf) Apt Pupil Sky Premier 3 UK & Jack & Sarah AMC
John Rhys-Davies (Gimli) Firewalker WTBSLOC
Andy Serkis (Gollum) Mojo Sky MovieMax 4 UK
Bruce Spence (Mouth of Sauron) Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome WJZY
Christopher Lee (Saruman) Sleepy Hollow Front Row 2 UK & An Eye for an Eye KTMD
Brad Dourif (Wormtongue) Alien Resurrection TV3 UK & Trauma SHOWB & Mississippi Burning WGNSAT
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The Assassinfilms ‘Hobbit’ site is fully operational now, and there’s plenty to look at. There’s a lot of Tolkien-inspired websites out there, but this is one of the most creative ones. Instead of repeating what so many other sites have done, they’ve taken an interest in who Tolkien fans are and what ‘Tolkien culture’ is. They ask the question ‘Who is the Hobbit’ and talk to all kinds of people about the influence Tolkien’s had in their lives. In the case of bands like Glass Hammer, that’s a big influence!
It’s a very stylish site, visually appealing and with clever things on it like the ‘Matrix’ reference in the opening disclaimer.
The website reports on and supports the ‘Searching for the Hobbit’ documentary that they’re making, and there’s plenty to do on it – they’re inviting contributions to the ‘inspirations’ room immediately, and there’s a competition. Mainly though the website lets you download clips of the ‘Making of’ which follows the adventures of the film crew as they interview Tolkien fans around the world.
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The folks at Fade In Magazine really went full tilt on this amazing interview with former head of production at New Line, Mike Deluca.
The interview was conducted in the summer it seems, months before Deluca and New Line parted ways, so the irony here is hard to ignore. Deluca talks about his youth and his many years with New Line, he speaks about his thoughts on today’s Hollywood scene, and where he thinks it will go. He is equally frank about his success and failures in the movie biz. I think many of you will learn allot about this man by reading this 10 page interview.I’ve spoken with Mike Deluca an several occasions, always via email, yet you still cannot miss the feeling that he’s ‘one of us’. He’s the fanboy who sits in the movie theatre and gets excited by the flashing images he sees on the screen. He’s a man sitting in a place reserved for stuffed suits and power ties, who answers fan emails from time to time, totally off the cuff.I had the chance to wish him all the best when I heard the news about his departure from NL, and even among all the hoopla that surrounded that day, he wrote me back thanking me, this is one suit that will never get stuffed.
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