Official 'The Hobbit' Thread - Part 2

[Symbiotic]

How far along is production?

 

[redhawk23]

So did you guys watch the 4th production diary? The whole 3d concept art with Howe and Lee was a bit silly.

 

[dark_b]

So did you guys watch the 4th production diary? The whole 3d concept art with Howe and Lee was a bit silly.

it was a joke that a lot of LOTR fans didnt get. in a way scary

 

[DocHoliday]

I'm betting Tintin.

But my God, if it goes in front of SH. A TDKR and Hobbit trailer in front of the same movie!

*explodes*

That would be all kinds of epic. Throw Prometheus in there and my mind is blown.

 

[JakeSully]

I'm betting Tintin.

But my God, if it goes in front of SH. A TDKR, Prometheus and Hobbit trailer in front of the same movie!

*explodes*

Fixed.

 

[redhawk23]

it was a joke that a lot of LOTR fans didnt get. in a way scary

yeah. by the mad skills on them matching each other unless it was just the work of one of them.

 

[Superhero 101]

I am definitely going to watch this film in 3D it is going to be worth it.

 

[Spider-Who?]

So did you guys watch the 4th production diary? The whole 3d concept art with Howe and Lee was a bit silly.

I think that was kind of the point. However, the image looked AWESOME in 3d (I've got a pair of glasses, so I could check it out).

 

[Boom]

How far along is production?

According to Elijah Wood, they wrap principal photography in June.

 

[Octoberist]

So did you guys watch the 4th production diary? The whole 3d concept art with Howe and Lee was a bit silly.

I thought it was cute but the cynic in me think it's counter productive.

 

[tecnowraith]

According to Elijah Wood, they wrap principal photography in June.

For part I or both?

 

[Boom]

Both.

They'll probably have some pickups later on, but the main shoot for both films ends in June.

 

[DoomsdayApex]

According to Elijah Wood, they wrap principal photography in June.

He mentioned last night on The Colbert Report that he was finished filming but he would return back to the set for a visit before May.

How much did he actually film? I would assume his role in this movie was quite small.

 

[Boom]

He mentioned last night on The Colbert Report that he was finished filming but he would return back to the set for a visit before May.

How much did he actually film? I would assume his role in this movie was quite small.

He's only in the framing device, so 2-3 scenes would be my guess.

 

[Boom]

Benedict Cumberbatch talks Smaug:

http://collider.com/benedict-cumberbatch-the-hobbit-interview/127609/

Transcript:

Collider: So what’s it like to voice Smaug in The Hobbit?

Cumberbatch: I’m playing Smaug, I mean I’m physicalizing him as a dragon I’m not just doing the voiceover, so it’ll be a physical role which I’m no stranger to. I did Frankenstein at the beginning of the year with Danny Boyle at the National Theater and playing the creature in that was a very full on and sort of corporeal experience. I can’t wait, but the conversations have yet to start really in earnest because they’ve been doing the first film and I’ve been doing the second series of Sherlock and another series which I’m working on now called Parade’s End for HBO and BBC with Tom Stoppard, and Rebecca Hall co-starring, so it’s a world away but come a month’s time we’ll start conversations probably like you and I are having down the line. I’ve already started working out and doing various movement exercises to get myself limber for that all-important jump suit with balls on it, otherwise known as motion-capture. But I can’t wait, I’m really excited. I go to film it in January.

Kudos to Cumberbatch for correcting his pronunciation of Smaug. It's a common misconception that the name is simply pronounced as "smog." The fact that he was taught to say it the right way (with the "au" sounding like the "ow" in "how") is very reassuring to me.

The man is perfect for this part, and the fact that he is so enthusiastic and excited about the role has me grinning like an idiot.

 

[moviedoors]

That's awesome that he's actually playing Smaug, not just voicing him.

Motion capture is so awesome.

 

[Boom]

The fact that he barely ever mentions The Necromancer makes me wonder if we'll see all that much of that character.

 

[Doctor Jones]

Hey, Boom...

Spoiler

Smog.

 

[Boom]

 

[Sawyer]

I'm betting Tintin.

But my God, if it goes in front of SH. A TDKR and Hobbit trailer in front of the same movie!

*explodes*

Throw in Dark Shadows and I might well climax before the ****ing movie even begins.

 

[Figs]

It's been ages since I last read The Hobbit. How is that actor going to do motion work for a dragon? I don't recall Smaug being a bipedal. Correct me if I'm wrong of course, like I said, it's been a long time since I read that story.

 

[Boom]

It's been ages since I last read The Hobbit. How is that actor going to do motion work for a dragon? I don't recall Smaug being a bipedal. Correct me if I'm wrong of course, like I said, it's been a long time since I read that story.

He'll probably be lying on the ground. In another interview, Cumberbatch talked about how he was practicing moving on his stomach.

I doubt they'll use his legs at all. They're probably going to focus on his body movement, hand gestures, and facial expressions.

 

[Figs]

He'll probably be lying on the ground. In another interview, Cumberbatch talked about how he was practicing moving on his stomach.

I doubt they'll use his legs at all. They're probably going to focus on his body movement, hand gestures, and facial expressions.

Facial expressions and I guess hand gestures make sense. Actual body movement, you would think they wouldn't need a person for that. I think it's going to look a little too weird if it's modeled after a guy trying to squirm on the ground.

 

[moviedoors]

It's been ages since I last read The Hobbit. How is that actor going to do motion work for a dragon? I don't recall Smaug being a bipedal. Correct me if I'm wrong of course, like I said, it's been a long time since I read that story.

Believe or not, this isn't unheard of. Ray Winstone performed the motion capture work for the dragon in Beowulf, and the head movement coach performed multiple creatures in m/c for Avatar, including the Banshees. It's all a matter of tuning the CG characters to react to the info just right to make it work.

Don't doubt the outright magic that WETA will be able to accomplish.

 

[Boom]

Because of how radically different a human is from a reptile, I'm curious as to how much of the motion capture performance Weta is actually going to end up using.

I mean, how do you take facial capture of a human and translate that into a creature that has eyes on the side of its head, a long snout, and no lips?