Director Peter Jackson returns us to Middle-earth in this rather candid vlog that was released onto the web just earlier today. Though we aren’t privy to specific plot elements, this behind the scenes production video from The Hobbit gives us a glimpse into the weapons and costume work, stunt preparation, and it shows off a number of set designs, many of which are carbon copies from the Lord of the Rings trilogy. We even get to see the cast and crew kick off day one of production in New Zealand. Stars Andy Serkis, Ian McKellen, and Martin Freeman pop up here and there to provide some insight into what goes on during blocking and rehearsing. Let’s hope that ten-minute vlog sessions like this one become a recurring thing for fans hotly anticipating the Lord of the Rings prequel movies. Part 1 of The Hobbit is due out next year.
Tag Archives: The Hobbit
Peter Jackson will shoot ‘The Hobbit’ using 30 RED EPIC cameras
Now that Peter Jackson is the official helmer of The Hobbit, production is ready to begin. Jackson and the creative team have decided to opt for the RED EPIC digital camera to shoot the Lord of the Rings prequel in 3D. The EPIC is the successor to the RED ONE camera, and it boasts 5K resolution, the highest dynamic range of any digital cinema camera ever made, and can shoot up to 120 frames per second. According to RED founder Jim Jannard, Jackson will have “at least” 30 EPIC cameras on hand during production. Jannard says, “The EPIC’s small size and relatively low weight makes it perfect for 3-D – where two cameras have to be mounted on each 3D rig.” Jackson happens to be a big fan of RED cameras, and you can bet he’s stoked to have 30 EPICs when production on The Hobbit starts in New Zealand early next year.
Have an itch to shoot your own footage using the EPIC? A whopping $58,000 will get you an EPIC rig consisting of an EPIC-M body, titanium PL mount, Bomb EVF and 5-inch touchscreen LCD, a REDmote, a four-pack of batteries, a charger, and a solid state storage module with a four-pack of 128GB SSDs. A limited run of EPICs will be made available in December or January for the early adopter filmmakers. Everyone else who’s interested (and miraculously not affected by the economy) will have to wait until at least April to nab a rig.
[Via Engadget]
It’s (finally) official: Peter Jackson will direct ‘The Hobbit’ [Update: Martin Freeman cast as Bilbo]
Peter Jackson, the man who helmed the Lord of the Rings trilogy movie adaptations will be back to direct the two-part prequel series The Hobbit. Originally Jackson was going to serve as executive producer with Guillermo del Toro as director. But when MGM’s financial woes forced production delays del Toro decided to back out of the project leaving the director spot open for some time. Since the beginning of last summer it had been rumored that Jackson would take control of the reigns again, and today Warner Bros., New Line Cinema, and MGM finally confirmed it. In a statement Jackson said, “Exploring Tolkien’s Middle-earth goes way beyond a normal film-making experience. It’s an all-immersive journey into a very special place of imagination, beauty and drama. We’re looking forward to re-entering this wondrous world with Gandalf and Bilbo – and our friends at New Line Cinema, Warner Brothers and MGM”.
The Hobbit will be cut up into two parts (as originally planned by del Toro) and will be shot in 3D. Principal photography begins in February 2011. Ian McKellen, Andy Serkis, and Hugo Weaving are locked in to reprise their roles as Gandalf, Gollum and Elrond, respectively. It has not been confirmed whether or not Ian Holm will return to star as Bilbo Baggins.
Update (10/21): Casting news! Martin Freeman (The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Hot Fuzz) is Bilbo Baggins. The following actors comprise Bilbo’s Company of Dwarves who set forth to reclaim a treasure from a dangerous dragon: Richard Armitage (MI-5, Captain America: The First Avenger) is Thorin Oakenshield, leader of the Company of Dwarves; Aidan Turner (Being Human) and Rob Kazinsky (EastEnders) will play Kili and Fili; Graham McTavish (Secretariat) is Dwalin, John Callen (Power Rangers Jungle Fury) is Oin; Stephen Hunter (All Saints) is Bombur, Mark Hadlow (King Kong) is Dori, and Peter Hambleton (The Strip) is Gloin.
Peter Jackson on Freeman as Baggins: “Despite the various rumors and speculation surround this role, there has only ever been one Bilbo Baggins for us. There are a few times in your career when you come across an actor who you know was born to play a role, but that was the case as soon as I met Martin. He is intelligent, funny, surprising and brave — exactly like Bilbo and I feel incredibly proud to be able to announce that he is our Hobbit.”