Good news and bad news today. Bad news is that we won’t be doing any Hobbit presentation at Comic Con in San Diego this year. New Line and Warner Bros were very happy to support a presentation, but I declined, simply because I felt it was too early. There’s so much more of the films still to shoot. I just wanted to get that out there, because I’ve seen various references to the possibility of something Hobbity at Comic Con. Hate to disappoint anyone. But something tells me we will be there in force next year.

Now for the good news… We’ve just finished a new video blog, covering a little more of the first block of shooting. So please enjoy this—at least you don’t have to travel to San Deigo to see it!

I’ve been on the go since wrapping the first shooting block, but I’m about to settle down and get into the much delayed 20 Questions. I’ve a few half-written and will get those done very, very soon! I promise!

Cheers,
Peter J

Some news…

THE HOBBIT Casting Update

Yikes! I can finally get back to some postings!  We’ve finished our first block of shooting and moved straight into location scouting. More on that soon… But today, I’m thrilled to announce two new cast members who will be joining us for our second block of shooting.

Evangeline Lilly will be playing a new character—the Woodland Elf, Tauriel. Her name means ‘daughter of Mirkwood’ and, beyond that, we must leave you guessing! (No, there is no romantic connection to Legolas.) What is not a secret is how talented and compelling an actress Evangeline is; we are thrilled and excited she will be the one to bring our first true Sylvan Elf to life.

I’m also highly excited that Barry Humphries will be portraying the Goblin King, in much the way Andy Serkis created Gollum. Barry is perhaps best known for his business and social connections as the long-time manager of Dame Edna Everage. He has also been an ardent supporter of the rather misunderstood and unfairly maligned Australian politician, Sir Les Patterson. However, in his spare time, Barry is also a fine actor, and we’re looking forward to seeing him invest the Goblin King with the delicate sensitivity and emotional depth this character deserves.

Evangeline and Barry, along with Welsh actor Luke Evans as Bard and Benedict Cumberbatch as Smaug, just about rounds out the major casting. I cannot wait to get stuck into these new scenes!

More soon, including a flurry of answers to your questions. Sorry for the delay!  

Cheers,

Peter J

Question #1

Right, time to start answering the 20 questions. So here goes…

QUESTION #1

STEVEN BEDDOE asked, “Will you have time to sift through 4,000 questions just to answer twenty of them?”

Yes, I will. I’ve been very busy recently, not just with shooting, but with location scouting and prep work during our days off, so I’ve found it hard to get to the questions. However, today I have enjoyed sitting down and reading through them all. I’ll get started and continue to answer what seem to be the most popular questions during the next few weeks (as well as some one-off, quirky ones!).

Actually, that question was just a little dull (sorry Steven), so I’m not going to include it in the official twenty…

OFFICIAL QUESTION #1

VALERIA KEMENTARI asked, “Are we going to see the White Council attacking Dol Guldor?” 

This was quite a popular topic, with JOHN LIDDLE, TOBY PHILLIPS and SETH DONALD, along with many others, asking variations of this same question.

I’m not going to say just what and when, but I will confirm that both the White Council and Dol Guldur will feature in the movies. And not just in one scene either. Just how to visualise it has been a challenge, but fortunately Alan Lee and John Howe went crazy with ideas, and it should look pretty cool.

In fact to celebrate the start of these 20 questions, I’ll show you an exclusive photo of the White Council planning the attack on Dol Guldur! Even if you don’t want to be hit with spoilers, you should still take a look. For the first image of Gandalf, Elrond and Galadriel brandishing an array of fearsome Elvish weapons, CLICK HERE!

Another question soon…

Cheers,
Peter J

“to celebrate the start of these 20 questions, I’ll show you an exclusive photo of the White Council planning the attack on Dol Guldur! Even if you don’t want to be hit with spoilers, you should still take a look. For the first image of Gandalf, Elrond and Galadriel brandishing an array of fearsome Elvish weapons, CLICK HERE!”

“to celebrate the start of these 20 questions, I’ll show you an exclusive photo of the White Council planning the attack on Dol Guldur! Even if you don’t want to be hit with spoilers, you should still take a look. For the first image of Gandalf, Elrond and Galadriel brandishing an array of fearsome Elvish weapons, CLICK HERE!”

A childhood dream fulfilled A pic from Easter. We went down to the Omaka airshow, and I got to fulfill one of my childhood dreams—to sit in the cockpit of a Spitfire. Thank you,  Brendon and Sean.  The Supermarine Spitfire is the single greatest aircraft ever… hands down, no debate. We should all be grateful the British Government decided to put an order in for several hundred back in 1936. The events of the summer of 1940 may have had a different ending otherwise. Is there anything else designed over 70 years ago that remains as beautiful, powerful, potent and just all around cool as this aircraft? My second childhood dream is to fly one. I don’t know… maybe one day. But not until we get these movies finished! Cheers,Peter J

A childhood dream fulfilled

A pic from Easter. We went down to the Omaka airshow, and I got to fulfill one of my childhood dreams—to sit in the cockpit of a Spitfire. Thank you,  Brendon and Sean. 

The Supermarine Spitfire is the single greatest aircraft ever… hands down, no debate. We should all be grateful the British Government decided to put an order in for several hundred back in 1936. The events of the summer of 1940 may have had a different ending otherwise. Is there anything else designed over 70 years ago that remains as beautiful, powerful, potent and just all around cool as this aircraft? My second childhood dream is to fly one. I don’t know… maybe one day. But not until we get these movies finished!

Cheers,
Peter J

20 QUESTIONS

It seems like a lifetime ago now, but way back at the beginning of The Lord of the Rings, I agreed to answer 20 questions sent into the Ain’t It Cool website. Harry Knowles sorted through them and gave me his pick, which I did my best to answer, even though we were in the very early pre-production stage.

I thought you might like to do the same thing again with The Hobbit, using this Facebook page. So let’s get into it … if there’s anything you’d like to know about the movies we’re making, please send me questions (on this page) and we’ll start answering 20 of them. Who knows - if we have fun, why stop at 20?

Let’s get it underway. Over to you …

Cheers,
Peter J

Well peeps start asking! :) Click the source.

Your comments on 48 fps

The news about us filming The Hobbit at 48 frames per second generated a lot of comments. Of course, it’s impossible to show you what 48 fps actually looks like outside of a movie cinema, but there were several interesting and insightful questions raised.

We will be completing a “normal” 24 frames per second version—in both digital and 35mm film prints. If we are able to get the Hobbit projected at 48 fps in selected cinemas, there will still be normal-looking 24 fps versions available in cinemas everywhere.

Converting a film shot at 48 fps down to 24 fps is not a hugely difficult process, but it requires testing to achieve the best results. Some of this involves digital processes during post-production. We are also shooting the film a slightly different way, which is a question several of you asked. Normally you shoot a movie with a 180-degree shutter angle.  Changing the shutter angle affects the amount of motion blur captured during movement. Reducing the shutter angle gives you the stroby (or jerky) “Saving Private Ryan” look.

However, we’re going the other way, shooting at 48 fps with a 270 degree shutter angle. This gives the 48 fps a lovely silky look, and creates a very pleasing look at 24 fps as well. In fact, our DP, Andrew Lesnie, and I prefer the look of 24 fps when it comes from a 48 fps master. 

More soon ….

Cheers,
Peter J