Official 'The Hobbit' Thread

[Jackasscoley15]

Me too. Although, I did find the Stuart Townsend "announcement" to be hilarious.

 

[Boom]

Well, this is random:

Bret McKenzie confirmed for The Hobbit

Bret McKenzie has been confirmed to appear in The Hobbit movies, Variety magazine has said.

As reported in The Dominion Post last week, McKenzie, who is one half of Flight of the Conchords, will appear in Sir Peter Jackson's two-part film, playing an elf from Rivendell.

Variety reported today he will play an elf called Lindir, which means "song" in the Elvish dialect of Sindarin.

McKenzie had a three-second spot as an elf in the first Lord of the Rings film, and was nicknamed Figwit after a fan
thought "Frodo is great ... who is that" and spawned the acronym.

He reprised his role in the final Rings instalment, where he spoke one line.

A spokeswoman for The Hobbit said she could not immediately confirm Variety's report.

SOURCE: http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/film/4850152/McKenzie-confirmed-for-The-Hobbit

 

[Sgt.Pepper]

Great news. If only Jemaine Clement can appear together along with McKenzie, that would be even more awesome.

 

[Kent]

Jemaine should be a dwarf or a hobbit.

 

[Sgt.Pepper]

Andy Serkis to Serve as Second Unit Director on 'The Hobbit'

Andy Serkis, who played the iconic Gollum in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings, is taking on a new role in The Hobbit 1 and 2. In addition to reprising his role as the tragic creature, Serkis also has been tapped by Jackson to serve as second unit director on the two films, which are now in production in New Zealand.
“I think I understand Peter’s sensibility and we have a common history of understanding Middle Earth,” Serkis told The Hollywood Reporter. “A lot of the crew from The Lord of the Rings was returning to work on The Hobbit. There is really a sense of Peter wanting people around him who totally understand the material and the work ethic."


Serkis has already done some directing, including performance capture on a couple video games including Heavenly Sword. But, he said, “When Peter asked me. There was this email out of the blue. It was a fantastic surprise.”

As for his return to Middle Earth, details are being kept under wraps, but Serkis told THR that his directing responsibilities would go beyond performance capture. “It is wide ranging and encompasses a lot of directing aspects of filmmaking and story. Yes, there is some performance capture, but I will be very much on the live action sets and locations helping Peter to tell the story."
“The learning curve is The Hobbit is being shot in 3D,” he added, noting that the 3D would be used “dramatically, to give a point of view.”
“In the same way Lord of the Rings was an interpretation of the book, The Hobbit is being treated the same way,” Serkis said. “It will be faithfully represented with a fresh interpretation.”

The busy actor just completed shooting his performance in the film. “He is very much a Gollum that people will recognize,” Serkis offered, noting that the character would be seen in his “truest form.”

“When we created Gollum the first time, performance capture was it its infancy,” he said, noting that today, “within the industry, there is more appreciation for it as an acting art form. It’s all about character, learning what the character thinks, feels, how he carries pain.”
Serkis said it’s “thrilling” to reprise the role of Gollum. “I was looking forward to doing it. He never really left me.”

Source

 

[dark_b]

good for promotion.
but i think a guy with more experience will work as the second director on a 400 million production. come on.

 

[CGHulk]

Yeah, hiring friends can go against a film especially if it not their area of expertise. George Lucas hired Ben Burtt as film editor on the Star Wars prequels and look at how those turned out editorially.

 

[Boom]

Eh. I like Serkis. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.

Glad to hear he's finished filming his part. I was concerned that they were going to needlessly expand Gollum's role.

 

[Octoberist]

I think Serkis is a very talented and smart guy - plus he just directed a video game so I too will give him the benefit of the doubt.

 

[Passdom]

So apparently, The Hobbit is going to be shot at 48 fps?

All of this has come out of an email to IF from THE HOBBIT cinematographer Andrew Lesnie:
- Being shot on 30 RED EPIC cameras
- Using Zeiss Ultra Primes, Master Primes and Optimo zoom lenses
- Shooting at 47.96 frames per second
- Using 3ality Digital rigs

http://if.com.au/2011/04/04/article...he-Hobbit-3D-cinematography-set-up/XEGCDWWZHJ

 

[Octoberist]

hmmm

 

[Passdom]

If you want to see first hand the benefits of a faster frame rate on a 3D film, check out this bit from Doug Trumbulls Showscan Digital presentation video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkWLZy7gbLg#t=4m44s

 

[Octoberist]

3D aside, I know that there's a lot more to '24 fps' to give a movie that 'film look' (cinematography, etc) but as long as it doesn't look like those Best Buy HD TV displays (where the HZ are amped up and the movie looks like it's running on fast-forward) I'm okay with it.

I guess I need to see a good example of this.

 

[dark_b]

this example showed why we hate more frames per second.

i just hope that what Cameron wants is what we need. projectors

 

[Passdom]

3D aside, I know that there's a lot more to '24 fps' to give a movie that 'film look' (cinematography, etc) but as long as it doesn't look like those Best Buy HD TV displays (where the HZ are amped up and the movie looks like it's running on fast-forward) I'm okay with it.

I guess I need to see a good example of this.

Those TVs arent a true representation of true high frame rates

They are basically making up non existant frames to fill in the real ones, leading to why it feels and looks so artificial

 

[Octoberist]

If you want to see first hand the benefits of a faster frame rate on a 3D film, check out this bit from Doug Trumbulls Showscan Digital presentation video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkWLZy7gbLg#t=4m44s

Watching the sample, while there's more clarity, I just don't like how the actors moved in the 60 fps. The actors move too 'real time' and looks more like a camcorder with good lighting.

 

[redhawk23]

whoa, I had heard that PJ was pushing to film in the higherframe rate but that the studios were needing to be convinced. I had also heard that those negotiations had fallen through when Jackson was hospitalized.

 

[WarBlade]

good for promotion.
but i think a guy with more experience will work as the second director on a 400 million production. come on.

You might want to look up "Second Unit Director" before thumbing your nose at the idea.

 

[Whiskey Tango]

good for promotion.
but i think a guy with more experience will work as the second director on a 400 million production. come on.

Jesus Christ, it isn't like Pete grabbed some random passerby off the street and gave him a camera.

In film, the second unit is a team that shoots subsidiary footage for a motion picture. Its work is distinct from that of the first unit, which shoots all scenes involving principal actors. Second unit footage typically includes establishing shots, close-ups, inserts, and cutaways.

Second units exist to allow a film's titular director and principal talent to work more effectively and economically, shooting only that footage required of them.

Second unit director is a stepping stone for aspiring directors to gain experience, and is considered above the post of assistant director. Second unit directors who have gone on to become fully-fledged film directors include Barry Sonnenfeld (The Addams Family), John Glen (On Her Majesty's Secret Service), and Ron Shelton (Bull Durham).

 

[Secret Fawful]

I can't wait to go to the theater to see Andy Serkis' directorial debut, whenever that may be.

 

[Boom]

Orlando Bloom talks The Hobbit

Orlando Bloom on The Hobbit:

Question: You were a part of the hugely successful franchises for The Lord of the Rings and Pirates of the Caribbean, and now those franchises are continuing on. What’s it going to be like to see those movies, as an audience member?

ORLANDO BLOOM: Great! I’ve had such a great run with them.

Are you going to appear in The Hobbit?

BLOOM: Yeah, it’s looking like that. I’m really excited about going to see Pete [Jackson] again. It’s still a little up in the air, but the idea of working with Pete is fantastic. I can’t actually really talk too much about it, at this point. I just was given the script to piece through, so it’s quite exciting.

The whole script?

BLOOM: Yeah!

Will you have to do anything to physically prepare for that role again?

BLOOM: Are you telling me that I’ve put on weight, in the last 10 years? I just have to grow my hair really long and blonde again.


Isn’t he a younger version?

BLOOM: Yeah.

SOURCE: http://collider.com/mark-ruffalo-the-avengers-orlando-bloom-the-hobbit/84723/

 

[Octoberist]

I don't mind 48 fps AS Lon it doesn't look like a Britsh TV show.

 

[redhawk23]

I don't mind 48 fps AS Lon it doesn't look like a Britsh TV show.

Is that why British shows look the way they do? I always figured they just sucked at lighting.

 

[Octoberist]

That's why they look like..camcorders or everything is moving 'too' fast.

Unless Cameron somehow eliminates that awful look.

 

[Octoberist]

Who else is getting antsy about the lack of Hugo Weaving news?