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December 06, 1999 - December 19, 1999

12-19-99

Cleaned up Storyboard Pics
Dwane Dipply @ 10:48 pm EST
From: Clinny

Hi, I've cut and cleaned up some of those NZtv storyboard images that have been around for months. You can really see some details now. :)






Images from NZtv.


Great work!

Thanks to Clinny

12-17-99

Script Rumors
Xoanon @ 11:34 am EST
Xoanon here,

Having read what Dernhelm reports, I must say that it's very akin to the scripts that I've read. The decapitation though, that's new to me. So this will be regarded as a serious RUMOR and nothing more.

From: Dernhelm

I've heard some new rumors about the script from an insider.

With Eomer being out, Eowyn becomes queen of Mark, she still marries Faramir though. And it seems to be some change in Eowyns personality, she'll be much tougher, maybe as some sort of mix between Eomer and Eowyn.

Also, the scoring of the shire will be a bit different, as it will not include Grima Wormstounge. He will be blamed by Eowyn for her last living relative's(Theoden) death. And she will find him after Saruman left him, and she will decapitate Wormstounge, Theoden's evil advisor.

12-16-99

Tehanu's Adventure in the South Part 3
Dwane Dipply @ 8:26 pm EST
Tehanu's 3rd report is chalk full of news!

After being in Queenstown for a few days, I've chatted to a few people that know people in the production (well, that's everyone in Queenstown actually) and I can answer some questions that have come up a few times.

1) Moria orcs have scaly skin - greenish, if I remember rightly. The Uruk-Hai are black and smooth-skinned. So, something for everyone there.

2)Legolas is fair-haired not dark, according to an orc I spoke to. You can all expend a lot of Internet bandwidth discussing this, I know. Legolas also wears two throwing-knives in a kind of back-holster (you'll see the blades poking up over his shoulders) and a small bow which is beautifully made with laminated would and finely detailed inlay work. Let's hope we get to see that ín close-up!

3)My source says that Orlando Bloom makes a great Legolas. He also had positive things to say about Liv as Arwen. I know some of you think that I've got a bias here (rah rah rah, everything's going to be great etc.) but if so it's one that all the extras I've spoken to share. Their bias could stem from the fact that they are having such a great time and are totally stoked to be involved in the film. On the other hand to offset that, I know that in New Zealand, the more famous somebody is, the more reluctant we are to be impressed by them. Especially if they're from overseas. So if the local consensus is that Liv is doing a good job, then I'm looking forward to seeing her as Arwen.

4) Moria orc armour is leather and chainmail (actually fabric or knit mesh sprayed to look metallic, so my scepticism about that was unfounded!) with an overall spiky impression. The helmets are hard to see out of. In fact the layers of prosthetics are hard to see out of. Some of them had been in scenes to do with the breakup of the Fellowship, and several of them said that at first they were continually running into trees instead of doing whatever tightly-choreographed fight scene had been planned.

5) I asked about how PJ directed them, and they confirmed the impression I'd got from the 'NZOnfilm' article on the stuntmen: he keeps a close eye on things, but lets people work things out for themselves, and only offers suggestions when the result doesn't work for him. One comment I heard was that he puts a good deal of trust in his assistant directors.

6) Somewone said of Boyd and Monaghan that they seem to have a naturally impish 'hobbit-quality' both in and out of character, and are pretty hilarious.

7) Ears-up for NZers - I heard a RNZ interview on the Kim Hill show with some guy who'd designed armoured boots to protect loggers from chainsaw injuries. The boots were co-designed by Warren Green, who's one of the head armourers for LOTR. He came to armouring from a background in clothing design. I could hear Kim Hill's interest perk up as Warren's current fortunes on LOTR were described. "He must think all his Christmases have come at once!" she said, and I could almost hear her thinking, 'Now THAT would be a good interview subject!. I wouldn't be surprised if she tries to get an interview with him. If it happens, we want to hear about it!


Allergies?
Xtem @ 5:56 pm EST

There have been rumours circulating that Liv Tyler, during filming, accidentally steped on some moss, which she is allergic to, and is subsquently doing the remainder of her parts with blue screen, indoors.

Some reports state that she is doing all these back in the U.S, where she has gone to get treatment for it, others say that while she DID go to the States for treatment, she is now back in New Zealand to complete the filming.

As yet there can be no confirmations about this, or when it took place.

Helms Deep filming schedule
Xtem @ 4:50 am EST

This just in.

Phone lines became extra busy yesterday as film extras where warned (namely Rohan and Orcs) that they will be needed for the filming of Helms Deep during the months of January to March.
Such a long period of time gives indication of something to look forward to in terms of battle scenes, apart from the fact that they will be filming only at night.

Fittings will take place obviously prior to the start of filming, and a specific time and place has already been alloted for this.

Guesses are that filming will start with just the extras first, and then the main actors joining in after their holiday break (between Christmas and the 2nd week of January - delayed due to the flooding of the sets in the Queenstown area). Other speculation is that the extras will have a few days in which to "train" in the arts of warfare, before full filming gets underway.

12-14-99

Tehanu's Adventures in the South Island prt2
Dwane Dipply @ 11:01 pm EST
"I saw a great picture taken from the air by the local paper, Mountain Scene.

They're not willing to part with it though.

The image they have is of the top of some grand stone building with huge statuary on it. It's being built on a knoll near Closeburn. There are blue squares that are being laid out next to it, they look like crash pads, so there might be some flying stunts planned to happen there.

Some people claim that the film co. have bought the property that this new set is on, but their publicist denies this. PJ may have bought a neighbouring bit of land here.

I saw the remains of the set by the Kawerau River, basically some polystyrene steps and bits of masonry, painted to look like slimy stone. Don't know if they'll rebuild in the same place. There used to be a natural stone arch or bridge there and it's been washed away. The whole area is wasted by the floods and the water is still roaring with incredible speed and power all through the gorge, even though it hasn't rained seriously since the floods.

Filming is still going on pretty intensively in the Paradise Valley. People reported seeing the forest filled with smoke during filming one day."


AICN Posts More Set Pics!
Dwane Dipply @ 12:01 am EST
Harry over at Ain't It Cool News has gotten his hands on more set pics taken from what appears to be another magazine:

LORD OF THE RINGS pics... Frodo, Ring Wraiths and Liv.... new stuff
Hey everyone... got more stuff for ya it looks like. Seems ol Hairy Reems, scanned in some pics at higher res and better quality and man... this stuff looks great... Now none of them are final shots. Elijah as Frodo is eating off a styrofoam plate... This is not a scene from the film!!! Actually... none of these are actual shots from the film. Just either publicity shots or smuggled shots... I imagine they were smuggled. But here ya go...


Elijah as Frodo
Elijah as Frodo (25k)
The Nine
The Nine (61k)
Arwen
Arwen (51k)
Nazgul
Nazgul (25k)


12-13-99

Want to meet Tehanu?
Xoanon @ 6:58 pm EST
Xoanon here,

Tehanu needs your help! She has taken human form again and has remained stuck! Her proximity to The Remarkables, the wonderous mountains near Queenstown, has sapped all her magic. As a result she needs shelter in the wonderous land of Queenstown. And she wants to meet all our fans while she's down there!

Tehanu will be at the 'Squealing Pig Cybercafe' today (Tuesday) at 5PM and tomorrow (Wednesday) at 1PM. She's wants to meet all our fans, talk Tolkien and websites and find someone willing to give her human form a place to stay!

The 'Squealing Pig Cybercafe' is located next to the info center at 45 Camp street. Click here for a map.

Click here to email 'The Squealing Pig' and ask for more details.

Click here to email Tehanu to ask her for more details.

Thanks to the manager and staff at 'The Sqealing Pig'.
Spoiler Space (Helms Deep pics below)























More Helms Deep Pics!
Xoanon @ 5:59 pm EST
Helm Deep 1
Helm Deep 1 (17k)
Helm Deep 6
Helm Deep 6 (19k)

Helm Deep 2
Helm Deep 2 (12k)
Helm Deep 3
Helm Deep 3 (17k)
Helm Deep 4
Helm Deep 4 (17k)
Helm Deep 5
Helm Deep 5 (15k)


Tehanu's Adventures in the South
Dwane Dipply @ 10:34 am EST
We started our adventures by climbing to Mt. Owen, in the top of the South Island. It only took about two days to get to where we could see the Owen massif peaks all around us, covered in golden tussock. Fantastic views. Nice to know that PJ and the crew got up here by helicopter in about ten minutes. Later down closer to sea level we recovered from our walk at the Kohatu Tavern. The locals said that the film crew had been helicoptering in and around those peaks for a few weeks up until three weeks before. They filmed in a cave, we were told. We'd seen plenty of caves but none that you could get to without abseiling. One girl at the pub said she'd seen Peter Jackson.

"Where?"

"Over by my Nanna's place."

Right. As though I was going to know.
"Where's that?" I asked

"By the Tapawera campground."

Later we drove on round to Murchison on the other side of Mt. Owen. At the cafe they reckoned that people further up the Matriri valley had seen big lights up around Mt. Owen as well.

I had photos of those peaks - not going to do all that
walking for nothing - but won't be near a scanner for
weeks. Meanwhile, imagine a landscape of fantastic twisted silvery marble peaks sheltering a high rolling basin of golden tussock dotted with tiny tarns reflecting the sky. Below us, clouds churned and boiled as though held back from us by a spell.

No clues on WHAT was being filmed there, something with caves, that gives about three options, so you can make up your own minds when we finally post these photos.

12-11-99

AMAZING SET PICS!!!!
Dwane Dipply @ 10:54 am EST
Arwen - Liv Tyler
Liv Tyler as Arwen (33k)
Arwen - Liv Tyler
Liv Tyler as Arwen
The Riders
Nazgul? (25k)

12-06-99

Exclusive Spy Interview!
Dwane Dipply @ 5:46 pm EST
This exclusive interview with a very relaible source from the set talks about somw sword fighting, Blue Screen CGI and PJ himself!

(Amyd) can I ask you a few questions about the movies?
(Source) Sure, shoot.

A- did you by any chance happen to be on the set when WETA guys were around?
S- Ummmm, a few.

A- Did you happen to be when they did stuff for later post on computers, or was it just model shooting and stuff like that?
S- When there has been cameras present, I've seen guys dressed up as, I assume orcs, but with some of them the standard rubber masks are a bright green; and then we've gone through various practice rallies (sword fights), on a blue-screen set, with the camera set up on some rails, moving to the left, then flying above us, and the wrapping around. I think they may have just been seeing how various things work.

A- Was the camera guided/moved by a human or was it automated, controlled by a computer?
S- Automated, we had to be pretty exact in replicating the strokes (swings) as well

A- you didn't happen to notice the name of the automated camera crane did you?
S- No, too busy watching the other guy's blade. I only really noticed it because of the way the track curved, it looked like a piece of modern art.

A- So, did they happen to have a computer to preview the shots on or were they just recording for later viewing?
S- Oh, they had various monitors, but yeah, I got the opinion they were just looking to see how various moves looked.

A- Did you get to be close to the camera? Did you happen to see what type was it? Arri... Aaton... etc
S- Nope, it all looks the same to me. I was more interested in the buffet table they had at the back of the room. They'd set various things up while we ate and drank. I'm surprised by the amount of food located on any set I've been on. Even for tv commercials. (very true, some buffets are better than the actual production! -Xo)

A- k... did they actually shoot takes? With camera rolling?
S- Well, they played back various shots and asked us to keep out arm in, or step back a bit, at various parts in the rally


A- Did they have a sound crew on location? for live recording?
S- No, no sound, I would have noticed that.


A- Did they use a clapper-board?
S- yup, but I never saw what was on it. They'd say "take" we'd hear a small clap, and then someone behind the monitors, (no, not PJ, I would have noticed that) yelled out Go! Well, action

A- Were you present when they did takes with hobbits or supposed elves, when they would have to use force perspective techniques and all that?
S- I've never seen the hobbits or the hobbit doubles. I've just seen a couple of women dressed as elves talking to each other as I walked by them off set though that was another time, not that day, when I had the second audition.

S- So, were there guys with weird remote controls being agitated around the set when the camera started rolling?
S- Actually, there were people worrying about the lightening of everything, even the blue floor, and they were getting orders about increasing this and dropping that from others behind the monitors.

A- aha... k... that would be the gaffers, electricians and ACs So, did you see Lesnie? the DoP (Director of Photography, AKA Cameraman -Xo)
S- ha, beats me :-) I just recognized the woman from Trio Talent, and they gave us a couple of minders for the group

A- Any particular WETA folks? that you got a name for... recognized/etc...?
S- Nope, didn't recognize anyone else.

A- what did you think about PJ?
S- He was pretty cool and friendly at the second audition. Seemed concerned that if I could see without my glasses, what was I studying, had I seen any of his films.

A- really? what did you say?
S- Yes sir, yes sir, yes sir....

A- so, he really gets involved in almost every aspect of the filming?
S- I said I'd really been fooled by Forgotten Silver, and how I'd wanted a part in the Frightners., Well, that was the first and only time I've seen him

A- oh... he wasn't on the bluescreen set?
S- I didn't see him


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