So hard to keep up! Things are crazy just 10 days before the release of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smuag!
Tons and tons of stuff has happened and most assuredly is happening right now in the world of Tolkien and Peter Jackson fandom! Perhaps most exciting of all was the world premiere of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug in Hollywood last night! Many of the cast and crew were able to attend (full list beyond the break), and I am sure it would have been amazing to attend, but it was also cool to watch it live on YouTube (or Facebook, as the case may be), like I did. To find out more about this and many other things, go beyond the break.
Sorry to say, I have fallen a little behind in keeping up with The Hobbit news for the past few days,
And a lot of stuff has piled up, let me tell you. Instead of writing ten or possibly twenty different posts (yeah, it's that much), I will post all the little stuff beyond the break of this post. So you do not have to deal with infini-scrolling, there will be a lot of links. Why are you waiting? Go beyond the break to hear about all the new interviews, videos, pictures, and more!
Sir Peter Jackson has received New Zealand's highest honor
Last Monday Peter Jackson was awarded with the Order of New Zealand for services to New Zealand. This is the first time the award has been presented to a member of the film industry. Peter Jackson is still a pioneer, from 48fps to being the first movie director to receive the Order of New Zealand!
The Hobbit takes precedence in New Zealand
From Fairfax NZ News: "The public has essentially lost access to Wellington's Town Hall while the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra records the score for the second Hobbit movie."
Among other things, the Town Hall now has increased security, there is no public access, and those who have business there will receive an escort!
A permanent Lord of the Rings Museum to be built somewhere in downtown Wellington
Several years ago, in 2002, and again in 2006, there was a Lord of the Rings exhibition in Te Papa which drew 325,000 visitors. This is only what a small temporary exhibit attracted. Think of how many a permanent museum could bring. Peter Jackson and his team are thinking the same thing. Right now, they are investigating two possible sites, Shed 1 and the old CitiOps building, one of which may soon become a Middle-earth museum!
Have you ever wanted to be a part of Middle-earth? Here's your chance!
Three Foot 7 has an advertisement on Trademe's Job Search calling for more extras for the shooting scheduled this summer for The Hobbit movies! The application is available for download and print, so be sure to fill one out. The only restrictions are that you must be at least 17 years old and live in or near Wellington, New Zealand, aside from being available during the shooting. Go to the advertisement »
See the amazing scenery and geography of the most beautiful island in the world!
Whether you believe it or not, most of the scenes in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey were filmed in real locations in New Zealand. Here is a cool video about New Zealand, home of Middle-earth.
