We learned a lot of new stuff about the movies. For example, as often as not it's not actually Liv Tyler or Ian McKellen or Orlando Bloom you'll see in the LOTR movies, but their stunt doubles. You see, none of the three could ride horses. Unlike Viggo Mortensen, who grew up around horses and even bought the one he rode in the movie at an auction after the filming was done. He even bought another horse for Tyler's stunt woman, who he had become good friends with. Nice to know people with silly money, that's all I have to say.
We also heard lots of details about this and that, half of which I've probably forgotten already, but the level of manipulation and trickery in LOTR impresses me more and more. Also, the lengths they will go to for only a couple of seconds of film, and the incredible attention to detail that Peter Jackson shows throughout, stuff that I haven't come close to noticing when I've seen them, but which a hardcore fan may notice on his 25th showing.
In addition to the locations, we also had a stop at Weta Workshop, where they made all the special effects; everything from prosthetics to make up to digital stuff for the movies. They show a splendid little introductory movie, then you can walk around their store until you bleed from your wallet. I'll probably wake up screaming tonight, after spending 579 Kiwi dollars on this...
Anyways, I highly recommend you take the Rover tour iffin you're ever in Wellington, and for fuck's sake book the full day tour, don't be stingy! You'll have the time of your life, and don't let a little rain put you off.
All LOTR tour pics here.
My precioussssss! I was really done buying when Jack checked his iphone and discovered that a signed book with a drawing of Gandalf in it was still on sale in the store. So I got in and snapped it, I'd like to think right in front of hordes of weeping and wailing LOTR fans. It's apparently made by a very famous illustrator, John Howe. I'd never heard of him, but I still got the book, so neener neener.
Two orcs.
Weta has been involved in a shitload of famous movies, one of the latest was Tintin. They've also made special effects for Xena, King Kong and Avatar, to name a few.
The Great River Anduin.
I was very happy with this shot; the sun shining through the clouds over Rivendell.
Here I'm standing in the spot where they had the balcony at Rivendell. It was done with bluescreen and digital imagery... and some fake bushes and trees.
Some lovely rainforest at Rivendell. This, incidentally, is where they made a fake waterfall and shot the scene where Arwen and Aragorn smooch and Arwen gives up her immortality.
This lovely park is where they shot Isengaard. They brought in their own trees, which were constructed so that they could be raised up again as soon as they were torn down. So what you see in the movies are the same few trees from different angles, being torn down over and over. Also, Peter Jackson and his team always cleaned up after themselves; Jackson's a native and still owns a house in Wellington, so he's interested in preserving the natural beauty of New Zealand.
This is the quarry where they shot Helm's Deep and later Minas Tirith. All done with miniatures and perspective and just a little bit of digital stuff.
The place where they shot the scene where the Hobbits first encounter the Nazgul. "Get off the road!"
Milka from the Netherlands and yours truly illustrate what you can get done with just a simple change of perspective. This is how they filmed the scenes with Gandalf and Bilbo in the first film, there's NO digital imagery involved.
This is the hole where the Hobbits hid. They brought in a tree with big roots so the Hobbits could hide from a horse that was filmed far away and appears through blue screen technology. I get dizzy just thinking about it.
My loot from Weta's store. My preciousssss.
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