Award Winning Weta Digital Ramps Up For AVATAR Sequels

6 Academy Awards for Best Visual Effects. 10 Academy Science and Technology Awards. 6 BAFTA Awards for Best Special Visual Effects. 6 VES Awards for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature.

Yep. Weta Digital knows what they are doing. Peter Jackson's sandbox builds amazing things and now they are ramping up for James Cameron's AVATAR sequels. With over ~$1 billion in production budget for AVATAR and the immense success that Cameron's films enjoy, obviously, his 4 sequels will command the best in the world at what they do. Enter Weta Digital.

Says Cameron: "What Joe Letteri and Weta Digital bring to these stories is impossible to quantify. Since we made Avatar, Weta continued to prove themselves as doing the best CG animation, the most human, the most alive, the most photo-realistic effects in the world. And of course, that now means I can push them to take it even further."

Can you imagine what surprises Cameron and Weta Digital have in store for us in these movies? A lot of time has passed. A LOT. Technology has improved by leaps and bounds. I can't wait to see what these guys have built and are building.

Source: Deadline

Movie Review - THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES - 9.1 Stars!

Peter Jackson has done it again. He has nailed the genre and no one is better on the face of the earth in bringing such to the big screen. Furthermore Jackson is spearheading the future of cinema with his outstanding use of stereoscopic native 3D (using rigs from 3ality Technica) and High Frame Rates (48 fps).

That said, one really does have to watch all three Hobbit movies one after the other to get a sense of story and character development and so as a standalone movie I have to score those aspects much lower than I would if all three movies were one. I would wager most movie goers will have seen the previous two Hobbit movies however and the best way to see the whole story is to watch them all back to back to back.

I won't spoil the movie for those of you who haven't seen it as of yet. I will tell it is more of what you have come to expect from Peter Jackson and company. Thrilling adventure, magnificent characters and epic battles. Everything is as it should be from Howard Shore's magnificent score to the visuals to the acting performances.

I'll briefly diverge here for a moment. The sole operator of movie theaters in my area, Cineplex, has decided to not distribute THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES in HFR in my area - perhaps all of Canada - I'm checking into this. I am extremely disappointed in this decision. They have no competition here and so I have no way of checking out the HFR version of the movie. So I apologize to you that I can't comment on the HFR . I will say that judging from previous movies I have seen I believe variable frame rate will be the way of the future in that portions of movies will be shown in HFR while the remainder will toggle back to 24 fps. This way the effect will not be jarring and HFR will only be used for moments that truly will shine with the technology - such as slow motion.

So what did I love about the movie? Certainly I will elaborate in detail in the comment section below where spoilers are encouraged, but to be honest, I loved the whole thing. I have some questions that I'd like your opinions on (again in the comments) but overall I have seen the movie twice now, one in IMAX 3D and the other in AVX (7.1) 3D and it just keeps getting better.

Some scenes are literally crying out for more - or origin stories - or just singular character stories; essentially I want Jackson to continue to make Middle-earth stories, but with his own original ideas within the world. Again I can't say more here, but I will below.

So the native 3D was outstanding! A perfect blend of function (immersion and excitement) with the practical (forgetting the 3D was even there). In other words, this 3D that was shot on the world's leading native 3D rigs from 3ality Technica was perfectly executed. I saw no flaws to speak of at all. Battle scenes were amazing. Sweeping shots of cities and towns along with the jaw dropping vistas of New Zealand's 3D Middle-earth were inspired and delectable. Intimate character shots were oh so real in native 3D!

The visual effects of the movie were definitely in the genre wheelhouse of Weta Digital and they brought them to us with unreal precision. Suspension of disbelief came easy for me when the extremes were handled with care - from decisive serious scenes to comedic scenes didn't make me think at all about how it was done, but simply to live it.

70% of the initial world box office was generated from 3D ticket sales for the movie, underscoring that 3D is now part of our culture. Can't wait to see what 2015's 3D movies have in store for us!

Sadly, this will be the last trip to Tolkien's world - unless we are very lucky. But it was as if Peter Jackson himself said: "If this is to be our end, then I would have them make such an end, as to be worthy of remembrance."

If you have seen the movie already, then I invite you to read the comments below and join in on the conversation! And if you haven't seen the movie yet... WHAT? What are you waiting for? :-) Christmas? 'Cause you know, Christmas is here...

THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES is now playing in 3D, IMAX 3D, HFR 3D and flat.

GOLD! THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES Will Open $75M+, Already At $122M+ Overseas - Over 70% Of Total From 3D Screens!

This is it guys. The last trip we will have to Middle-earth for a long time. So go out and enjoy it! Peter Jackson's THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES opened last night to massive midnight screenings and is projected to hit north of $75 million for the weekend. Add on the $122 million it has already made overseas and we're well on our way to another gigantic release for Tolkien's imagination. Well mostly Tolkien and some kind liberty by a fella known as Peter Jackson.

After seeing the first two releases in this franchise series, it really makes me wonder what Guillermo del Toro's versions would have been like. More practical effects I'm sure, but what would be the big differences? I'm hoping that perhaps some of those concepts get included in the upcoming trilogy blu-ray set for THE HOBBIT next year. They've got my money already, but that would be the icing on the cake.

Back to the matter at hand - I won't be able to see the finale until the weekend, but Tim says he's seen it already so it will be great to see his review on the movie and the native 3D. Mine will be coming forthwith! Can't wait to see all that native 3D goodness, all from the amazing 3D rigs of 3ality Technica. Bring it on!

Here's the movie's storyline:
From Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson comes THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES, the third in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien.

THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES brings to an epic conclusion the adventures of Bilbo Baggins, Thorin Oakenshield and the Company of Dwarves. Having reclaimed their homeland from the Dragon Smaug, the Company has unwittingly unleashed a deadly force into the world. Enraged, Smaug rains his fiery wrath down upon the defenseless men, women and children of Lake-town.

Obsessed above all else with his reclaimed treasure, Thorin sacrifices friendship and honor to hoard it as Bilbo’s frantic attempts to make him see reason drive the Hobbit towards a desperate and dangerous choice. But there are even greater dangers ahead. Unseen by any but the Wizard Gandalf, the great enemy Sauron has sent forth legions of Orcs in a stealth attack upon the Lonely Mountain. As darkness converges on their escalating conflict, the races of Dwarves, Elves and Men must decide – unite or be destroyed. Bilbo finds himself fighting for his life and the lives of his friends in the epic Battle of the Five Armies, as the future of Middle-earth hangs in the balance.

THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES is now playing in 3D, HFR 3D, IMAX 3D and flat.

First Clip From THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES!

Check the first clip from THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES and Bilbo's bravery in spite of Gandalf's opinion of the situation.

The falling snow in this particular scene is going to add a enchanting piece of realism and immersion in native 3D! Stereographer Sean Kelly (my exclusive interview with him here) and his team using 3ality Technica native 3D rigs and RED Epic cameras are going to nail this movie, I can feel it. Add in the CG snow for optimal immersion and we have a perfect balance for this shot. Can't wait to see in three dimensions!

Here's the storyline for the movie:
From Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson comes THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES, the third in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien.

THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES brings to an epic conclusion the adventures of Bilbo Baggins, Thorin Oakenshield and the Company of Dwarves. Having reclaimed their homeland from the Dragon Smaug, the Company has unwittingly unleashed a deadly force into the world. Enraged, Smaug rains his fiery wrath down upon the defenseless men, women and children of Lake-town.

Obsessed above all else with his reclaimed treasure, Thorin sacrifices friendship and honor to hoard it as Bilbo’s frantic attempts to make him see reason drive the Hobbit towards a desperate and dangerous choice. But there are even greater dangers ahead. Unseen by any but the Wizard Gandalf, the great enemy Sauron has sent forth legions of Orcs in a stealth attack upon the Lonely Mountain. As darkness converges on their escalating conflict, the races of Dwarves, Elves and Men must decide – unite or be destroyed. Bilbo finds himself fighting for his life and the lives of his friends in the epic Battle of the Five Armies, as the future of Middle-earth hangs in the balance.

THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES opens on December 17, a mere 2 weeks from now! See it in 3D, HFR 3D and IMAX 3D.

**WARNING: Obvious spoilers in this clip as it is from the actual upcoming movie! Fair warning.

Fall Stereographer Interview Series - THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES' SEAN KELLY

Our Fall Stereographer Series continues and has a great list of the world's best stereographers and technicians. Our goal is to enlighten you about the modern stereographer, his/her role in major tentpole productions, new technology and expert advice for the up and coming new generation of 3D creators. Be sure to check out all our interviews right here.

Next on tap for our series is stereographer Sean Kelly (THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES, THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG, THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY) who has also worked on some other movies in various capacities that you MAY have heard of, like AVATAR and THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN. How I would dearly love to be a fly on the wall during the production of these movies!! Well, we've got the next best thing in Sean right now...

Here's THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES' storyline:
From Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson comes THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES, the third in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien.

THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES brings to an epic conclusion the adventures of Bilbo Baggins, Thorin Oakenshield and the Company of Dwarves. Having reclaimed their homeland from the Dragon Smaug, the Company has unwittingly unleashed a deadly force into the world. Enraged, Smaug rains his fiery wrath down upon the defenseless men, women and children of Lake-town.

Obsessed above all else with his reclaimed treasure, Thorin sacrifices friendship and honor to hoard it as Bilbo’s frantic attempts to make him see reason drive the Hobbit towards a desperate and dangerous choice. But there are even greater dangers ahead. Unseen by any but the Wizard Gandalf, the great enemy Sauron has sent forth legions of Orcs in a stealth attack upon the Lonely Mountain. As darkness converges on their escalating conflict, the races of Dwarves, Elves and Men must decide – unite or be destroyed. Bilbo finds himself fighting for his life and the lives of his friends in the epic Battle of the Five Armies, as the future of Middle-earth hangs in the balance.

Thanks for making yourself available Sean - I know you are very busy! Let's start off with what is your favorite 3D movie and why?
Sean Kelly: I enjoyed the visuals and story of THE LIFE OF PI. The idea of being left in the middle of a large expanse has always appealed to me in 3D. To me, this is a movie that deserved 3D due to simplicity of the environment for much of the movie and how it played on the fact that we naturally understand the space of a vast ocean. 3D did its job of enhancing an already fantastic story and absorbing the viewer in the drama without asking for any "work" on the viewers behalf. The beautiful visual effects and lack of gratuitous 3D, for 3D sake, did it for me. GRAVITY was also a movie that worked extremely well. Again, the environment of space being a fantastic setting to showcase 3D, albeit, a conversion.

I loved LIFE OF PI! And GRAVITY was amazing with plenty of rendered 3D too. Explain your thoughts on the native 3D vs. 3D conversion debate as it stands with today's technology?
SK: I practice the native style of film making so I am prejudiced towards that. There is no doubt that conversions can be done at extremely high quality. Cost will of course always be a factor in the decision. If a movie is converted without enough money or time, then the final product will suffer. This is not necessarily true when shooting native. In conversions, if each shot is "signed off" by the director when they are 100% happy, and have the proper resources to ensure there is no compromise, there is no reason flawless 3D cannot be achieved. I suspect that often the reason a movie is converted is based on the fear of shooting speed on Set with 3D rigs. I believe this fear is unfounded with todays equipment and crews.

What do you make of the negative comments that Seamus McGarvey has made regarding 3D?
SK: Making a 3D movie was often filled with unknown technical dangers. These can be easily solved now. They can have a roll on effect when shooting starts. Preparation of the rigs to be used and the understanding of their limitations and expected uses is extremely important. On "the Hobbit" we had a very clear understanding of what was expected when shooting started and were lucky enough to have the backup and technical expertise on hand to ensure we were ready. 3Ality and RED were with us from the start so we could discuss, develop and solve issues in a very quick manner. We found that rather than prepping, we used the systems as though we were in a shooting scenario as early in preproduction as possible. This enabled us to encounter not only the time frames needed to put our systems into different configurations, (lens changes, cranes, hand-held, steadicam etc) but also to find 3Dcentric issues that a 2D crew would not normally anticipate. Our aim was to shoot at 2D speed and we were all very proud of the end result. Some of the developments, like wireless steadicam, helped operators continue their jobs without technology becoming a burden. Of course, the post production pipeline also benefited greatly from this pre production approach. To start a shoot, without solving these mainly time issues, understandably leads to problems. These "problems" are solvable and it is very possible to shoot movies, as we have always done in 2D, with the right people, equipment and preparation. It is a pity he had such an experience, it doesn't necessarily need to be that way.

Yes I've heard many, many great things about the technical expertise from 3ality. How to you position China now on the world cinema stage now that they have ~20,000 3D screens in place and growing?
SK: A major improvement! Its great to see how they have embraced the 3D technology and have decided it is the future. I believe they are shooting more 3D than 2D now? And TV content must also be delivered in 3D in many cases. For me it is a natural progression in visual media. We have had the technology to make this possible for many years now and the leaders, like 3Ality, are firmly setup there now. I hope other countries take note that, with good content, 3D is at least equal if not a better experience. They are also a huge market for the West which can always help the bottom line. Too much negative press for 3D worldwide was based on hearsay and faux 3D. Everything is in place for many countries to do the same as China and, also, the 4K TV can only help.

I agree. What brought you to 3D in the first place? (chance, study, interest, etc)
SK: I was a 1st AC based in Wellington. When James Cameron came to town to shoot Avatar I was asked if I would be interested in being a "convergence operator". I very quickly found I enjoyed the medium and learned many valuable lessons under James Cameron. After this I became involved in various projects with local cinematographer Richard Bluck and Peter Jackson. Peter was very innovative and experimented with 3D well before the Hobbit. During these times we used 3Ality rigs and RED cameras. I could safely say I was in the right place at the right time with the right people.

I'll say! James Cameron and Peter Jackson are two of the top driving forces of the 3D industry. What is your preferred set up on set? (camera, rig, lens, etc)
SK: Steadicam. The TS5 lightweight in full wireless mode. prime lens, a few picture receivers set up, our wireless IA/convergence set up, with many players in the scene. I imagine a nightmare for the operator to remember all the lines but the more IA/convergence moves the better. This, when done right, can be seamless and very rewarding as an end result. I think this may be the focus puller in me.

Are there any new stereoscopic technologies coming out in the field that has your interest?
SK: Laser projection for better brightness and bigger dynamic ranges. Colour is such an important part of depth perception so the whiter whites and blacker blacks with a greater controllable range in between will be a benefit to 3D.

When working with optics do you find there is disparity between how long it takes to make a 2D lens change verses a modern 3D set up?
SK: We will always blow our trumpets at this point. The 1st AC's I have worked with are extremely capable. We mainly shoot prime lenses. For them to unhook lens motors, slide two cameras back, remove and remount the new lens, re-hook motors and slide the two bodies back into position takes one to two minutes. The stereographer part of remotely loading the lens data to the rig and then visually aligning the lens in a zero or overlay position takes another couple of minutes. This sounds fast, and it can be. Obviously the physical position of where this needs to occur can add a little time. Many times it can be done quicker and there are tricks with the 3Ality system that means the remote stage done by the stereographer can be done during setup/rehearsal to shorten the time even more.


What would be your favorite shot for 3D and why?
SK: I have always liked a wide lens on a big technocrane move into a full drama shot. A slow move establishing the environment at the head. I like to ignore any so called edge violations in the move. Lots of atmosphere, heavy rain and a finishing point where the negative space can be used. A set with texture and natural depth cues. With luck, no CG elements that weren't expected will appear later!

Obviously 3D has matured since the late 2000's both in technology and expertise. What credentials / experience would you mention that helps separate you from the field and brings you to the top of the industry?
SK: I have been extremely lucky with the people and technologies that have crossed my path. From my first 3D experience with Avatar to the continuing work with experts like Director Peter Jackson, Cinematographer Richard Bluck, Post Production Stereograhper Meetal Gokul, physical and electronic technical expert Dion Hartley, and the farm of experts at 3Ality, I'm just very lucky.

What education would you recommend to up and coming stereographers / cinematographers in today's world?
SK: There are now many 3D courses available worldwide. I don't really have any knowledge of their quality so I can't comment. I am sure there would be excellent ones out there. Or the "hands on" method of contacting anyone who is in 3D. We are an industry of people passionate about what we do. Many of us (if not all) have been helped to get where we are by kind and sharing people and will naturally help others, when possible, into the industry. The problem can be the timing of when that help can be given so keep trying. Also, read about and watch 3D! Lots of it, you need to train your eyes to see it properly. Cinematographers shooting in 3D can be greatly helped by collaborating with a good stereographer. Stereo is only there to enhance what the Cinematographer and Director are out to achieve. It shouldn't be a compromise.

Do you have a post-production software preference for working with the stereo images to do any fine tuning you need to do?
SK: Meetal Gokul is the expert and he is using Mistika from SGO. Park Road Post Production have worked closely with SGO to develop pipelines and workflows with their DI platform Mistika. It has been a strategic partnership for a number of years, providing the solutions that have been needed.

How important is resolution? Would more pixels be more important for stereo 3D? Higher dynamic range? HFR, like what is used in THE HOBBIT trilogy?
SK: Acquisition at higher resolution is a benefit but it is necessary that they go through the entire process to realize their benefit. More pixels only if they are "good" pixels. They must include the best dynamic range, color space and color range. HFR is a given when you see and feel the smoother visual delivery of the movie.

Are there any specialty filters that you find enhance the stereo images? How about specialty filters that you have found should never be used?
SK: We have always shot without filtration. Polas can cause retinal disparities very easily and should therefore be used carefully.

Split focus diopters are a popular tool in 2D. Do you think a director looking for an effect like that can get that in stereo 3D?
SK: That would be something I would like to try. I haven't up until now and would be interested in the result.

Open mic: What is the biggest challenge that you'd like to openly discuss about today's 3D?
SK: Conversion vs Native. Can we find a way to shoot Native in the first place rather than convert later? I still believe that negative space looks better in native capture. Are the producers convinced that the native process is much more expensive? Is 48fps or 60fps the future? Does this slow down the uptake of native shooting due to the post production price and fit out? And subtitle placement??! These questions are part of what keeps the 3D world an exciting place to be involved in as it develops.

Open mic: What are you happiest about in the 3D field
SK: I enjoy the film making process and being part of the creative process. It is good to still be onset and still have the experience of film making. The physical side of shooting native 3D means I can still be up a mountain or beside a river. Knowing that advancements in technology mean that 3D will only become better and more accessible. I love walking onto a new set that will lend itself to good 3D and know that this is where we can make a difference from the traditions of 2D

If there was one thing you could change about the industry what would it be?
SK: The sometimes negative attitude towards 3D. I understand that it is very differcult to make everyone enjoy 3D, but we can help change this pre-conception by making more good 3D. There are very capable Stereographers, Cinemotographers, and Post Production houses who could help in projects that are damaging the 3D reputation. The people and physical technology is already here to be used and New Zealand is a great place to do it.


Thanks so much for your time for this Sean! Speaking for everyone, I wish the best of success for the finale of THE HOBBIT in THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES at the box office and for the award season. I'm sure I'll be in the theater multiple times to relive the experience over and over again just like I did with the first two! For more from Sean, check out Peter Jackson's production video blog #6 right here.

Stay tuned for our next interview in the our Stereographer Series coming soon!

James Cameron Dishes On AVATAR Sequels: "They’re gonna be BITCHIN'!"

James Cameron has come out from his creativity cave to finally give the world some comments on his AVATAR sequels and he doesn't disappoint! What I love about his movies are that they go for broke and leave nothing on the table. It's in your face and authentic. So yes, you can expect to have your mind blown for each and every one of these sequels. 

Here's what he had to say:
“I can tell you one thing about them, they’re gonna be bitchin’. You will sh*t yourself with your mouth wide open.”

Not surprising words to describe his movies - he's earned the right to say them, jokingly or not. More importantly to me, he addressed a technical issue that has been on the top of my mind since I spoke with him after his high frame rate (HFR) demonstration in Vegas. Specifically, whether he was leaning more toward 60 fps or 48 fps. Here's his dish on that:

“My thinking at the time was that 60 (frames per second) might be a better segue to the video market. I’ll be plugging into a system that’s a little more mature, so it makes sense for me to do 48 frames at this point.”

We all know that Peter Jackson's HOBBIT franchise was all shot in native 3D (with those amazing 3ality Technica rigs) and at a HFR of 48 fps. Cameron is giving a nod to Jackson for getting the ball rolling on HFR and it appears as though Lightstorm Entertainment will follow this same path at 48 fps. Further, with Cameron's close friend's franchise finale THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES launching in mere weeks, Cameron also acknowledged that a MAJOR plot point in the original AVATAR originated from Jackson and/or Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens...

“When Neytiri is holding Jake and she’s just brought him back to consciousness, the ‘I see you’ line was suggested by them. It might have been Peter who said that.”

For me, that scene in the trailer where Neytiri holds Jake is the culmination of the entire movie. It was make or break time and the visual effects prevailed big-time. I can't tell you the emotional impact that scene had on me from a creative standpoint. It resonated with me deeply and it still affects my creative writing to this day. So yeah, huge contribution by Jackson and his team on that one, and good on Cameron to give that credit. Man, would I ever like to see a collaboration between Jackson and Cameron on a project - similar to what Jackson has done with Spielberg - but MORE. :-)

More on the AVATAR sequels when I get them.

Source: Empire

THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES Theatrical Trailer is Here!

Tim here, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Theatrical Trailer is finally here! YAY! I've put it above so you can watch it front and center. It's so dark and so intense. This isn't the children's story the book was originally anymore. This film will definitely lead into The Lord of the Rings trilogy. The emotional stakes are high.

My first thoughts are: WOW! Peter Jackson will make his last journey into Middle-Earth an epic one. And it's going to look so good in Native Stereoscopic 3D and High Frame Rates shot on 3ality Technica rigs. About one month to go until this movie is unleashed upon the world, and the anticipation is so great. This trailer gives us only glimpses of what to expect. I plan on being thoroughly surprised by his vision.

The release of The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies arrives in theaters December 17^th, 2014 in IMAX 3D, RealD 3D, HFR 3D.

UPDATE: Theatrical Trailer for THE HOBBIT 3 Coming Nov. 6?

Tim here, and Happy Halloween everyone. It's the last day of October and we still haven't gotten a theatrical trailer for The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies like we thought. TORN is reporting that November 6^th may be the date. Warner Bros. will likely pair it with another big movie of theirs: Interstellar. This is a slight margin of error for PJ's earlier comments this year. We can't hold it against him as we all know delays are bound to happen. Plus today is a special day for him.

We'll keep an eye out and share it with you as soon as it hits. For the meantime enjoy dressing up as your favorite characters from your favorite 3D movies this year... Happy Halloween. And... Happy Birthday Peter Jackson!

The release of The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies arrives in theaters December 17^th, 2014 in IMAX 3D, RealD 3D, HFR 3D.

Must Watch: Hobbitized Air New Zealand Safety Video !

You gotta love the relationship Air New Zealand has with Peter Jackson as they have collaborated before on commercials. AirNZ wraps their planes in Hobbit characters too.

And of course they need to have a Middle-earth safety video as well! So check it out below and, hey, why not entertain a trip to New Zealand? They'll get you there, and back again.

Here's the movie's storyline:
From Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson comes THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES, the third in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien.

THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES brings to an epic conclusion the adventures of Bilbo Baggins, Thorin Oakenshield and the Company of Dwarves. Having reclaimed their homeland from the Dragon Smaug, the Company has unwittingly unleashed a deadly force into the world. Enraged, Smaug rains his fiery wrath down upon the defenseless men, women and children of Lake-town.

Obsessed above all else with his reclaimed treasure, Thorin sacrifices friendship and honor to hoard it as Bilbo’s frantic attempts to make him see reason drive the Hobbit towards a desperate and dangerous choice. But there are even greater dangers ahead. Unseen by any but the Wizard Gandalf, the great enemy Sauron has sent forth legions of Orcs in a stealth attack upon the Lonely Mountain.

As darkness converges on their escalating conflict, the races of Dwarves, Elves and Men must decide – unite or be destroyed. Bilbo finds himself fighting for his life and the lives of his friends in the epic Battle of the Five Armies, as the future of Middle-earth hangs in the balance.

THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES marches into theaters December 17 in HFR 3D, IMAX 3D, RealD 3D and flat.

HOBBIT: DESOLATION OF SMAUG LIVE EVENT

Hey all, Tim here with some thoughts on what I got to see today from THE HOBBIT: DESOLATION OF SMAUG Live Event Preview that happened at 3 PM EST. The Live Event was hosted by Peter Jackson for about an hour, and it included some a sneak peek of the film plus some behind the scenes. For those of you who were unable to catch the event it will was recorded and will be rebroadcast for you to watch at your own leisure starting March 27^th and will be available until May 24^th as the fine text says "Content may not be available after 5/24/13."

What did we see? Well in case there are those of you out there who want to remain spoiler free I will put the spoilerish stuff up in a block that you'll have to highlight in order to read. However, for the non-spoilerish stuff here are my thoughts and some interesting information divulged in during the event:
It started with Peter Jackson and James Nesbitt giving a tour of their post-production facility, including the mo-cap room, editing rooms, and the concept art on the walls. Jackson took questions sent in ahead of time via Twitter, with some video questions that were required to be submitted by March 19^th, and answered some live questions coming off Twitter. A lot of Behind the Scenes footage was shown from the film, and with that some incomplete shots right out of the editing room. These shots gave us our first looks at some new characters in the film including Luke Evans (Bard), Evangeline Lilly (Tauriel), Stephen Fry (Master of Laketown), and the returning character Legolas played by Orlando Bloom. There was also a special guest appearance by Stephen Colbert, who asked Peter a question regarding the movie. Peter in return had a question for him. Jackson showed a bit of the editing process by showing multiple takes of Martin Freeman (Bilbo) delivering a line. He showed which takes they chose in an edited sequence, which included a neat intro to Bard.
Now for the spoiler stuff. Highlight the white block below to read:

SPOILERS... There was a full scene shown between Gandalf (Ian McKellan) and Radagast (Sylvester McCoy) where they investigate the tombs of Dol Godur. It starts with Gandalf investigating by himself and then jumping at the appearance of Radagast. They converse for a bit as we see the expense of the tombs. This would have been a scene in the first movie before it was moved to the second with the decision to have three movies.

Some of the BTS footage that showed possible spoiler stuff was exchanges between Legolas and his father Thanduil (Lee Pace), Tauriel and Legolas fighting orcs, the barrel riding scenes, Bard running around Laketown, etc. There was a lot of footage that went by fast and require a second watching. However, Laketown and the Elven Kingdom of Mirkwood should be great sets. We also saw a small bit of Bilbo in the Lonely Mountain wading through mounds of gold... but no Smaug.

END SPOILERS. Breath easy, and relax. Jackson revealed that we can expect a trailer in the Summer. I know that seems so far away, but it's so that they can complete effects shots.

And that was the special live event preview held by Jackson and team. If you didn't get a chance to see it, and aren't afraid of spoilers, I suggest you check it out when it hits the public web on the 27^th. THE HOBBIT: DESOLATION OF SMAUG hits theaters December 13, 2013!

Spielberg Hopes TINTIN 2 Will Release In 2015

We have been waiting for some sort of confirmation of the release year for the TINTIN sequel that will be directed by Peter Jackson and produced by Steven Spielberg. Well the later just confirmed that 2015 still is the date that everyone is aiming for and hopefully they can swing that.

THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN went on to make $374 million worldwide so one can see why a sequel is in the works. Clearly the overseas market is the driver here with that box office totaling almost $300 million itself.

Here's what Spielberg had to say:
"Peter Jackson is directing the next one, I’m producing. We have a script and we’re going to start performance capture probably at the end of this year. Don’t hold me to it, but we’re hoping the film will come out around Christmas-time in 2015. We know which books we’re making, we can’t share that now but we’re combining two books which were always intended to be combined by Herge."

Can't wait to hear about the first details of the followup. Which books do you think they will be using? Good question! 

Source: Indiatimes via The Film Stage

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Hits Shelves 3/17, Plus Sneak Peek

Tim here. Very exciting news today!!! First we know the date when The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will hit shelves on 3D Blu-Ray and DVD: March 17^th, with an early digital release on March 12^th. Plus came word of a special sneek peek of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug on March 24^th at 3PM Eastern/12PM Pacific.

Here's the official Press Release:
From Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson comes “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” a production of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM), arriving on Digital Download on March 12th and on Blu-ray Combo Pack, Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack and 2-Disc DVD Special Edition on March 19th from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. All disc versions feature UltraViolet and over 130 minutes of bonus content. The first of a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien, “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” which is nominated for three Academy Awards*, is an epic adventure that immerses audiences once again in the fantastical world of Middle-earth. The March 19th home entertainment release will be followed by an Extended Edition in time for the holidays.

In addition, Peter Jackson will host a live first look at “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” the second film in The Hobbit Trilogy, on Sunday, March 24th at 3:00PM Eastern/Noon Pacific. Content will be streamed live and an edited version will be archived on the Trilogy’s official website. Access to the live event will be limited to holders of an UltraViolet code available by purchasing “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” Blu-ray Combo Pack, Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack or 2-Disc Special Edition DVD. Select digital retailers will issue access codes upon purchase of the film.
Visit www.thehobbit.com/sneak for more information.

BLU-RAY AND DVD ELEMENTS

“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” Blu-ray Combo Pack, Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack and DVD Special Edition contain the following special features:
Full Suite of Peter Jackson’s Production Videos. Enter Middle-earth of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey as Academy Award-winning Director Peter Jackson takes you behind the scenes, on location and amidst the star-studded cast in a series of video journals that puts you in the forefront of latest in filmmaking with more than two hours of additional content. Highlights of the journals include:

Start of Production

Location Scouting

Filming in 3D

Post-production Overview

Wellington World Premiere

DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION ELEMENTS
On March 12th, “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” will be available for download from online retailers including iTunes, Xbox, PlayStation, Amazon, Vudu and CinemaNow.
The film will also available digitally in High Definition (HD) VOD and Standard Definition (SD) VOD from cable and satellite providers, and on select gaming consoles.
ULTRAVIOLET
*UltraViolet allows you to collect watch and share movies and TV shows in a whole new way. Available with the purchase of specially marked Blu-ray discs, DVDs and Digital Downloads, UltraViolet lets you create a digital collection of movies and TV shows. Services such as Flixster and VUDU allow you to instantly stream and download UltraViolet content across a wide range of devices including computers and compatible tablets, smartphones, game consoles, Internet-connected TVs and Blu-ray players. Restrictions and limitations apply. Go to www.ultraviolet.flixster.com/info for details. Learn about VUDU compatible devices at www.vudu.com.

BASICS

Product		SRP
Blu-ray Combo Pack		$35.99
Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack		$44.95
2-Disc Amaray Special Edition (WS)		$28.98

3D Month Continues! Jim's 2012 Top Ten 3D Movies Vs. The Results Of Our Reader's Poll!

Ok, so my list has no bearing on who is going to win awards at the 3D Creative Arts Awards for 2012 (only 2 weeks away - can't wait!), but I do have my opinion and where better else to voice it than right here?

Keep in mind my ratings combine my feelings for not only how good the 3D was but also the movie itself (which is different than what I did last year).

Without further ado, here are my selections - have at it! Let me know how yours differs or how much you perfectly agree with me :-)

Top Five 3D Conversions - Re-release:
1. TITANIC 3D
2. BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
3. FINDING NEMO
4. MONSTERS INC
5. STAR WARS EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE 

Top Five 3D Conversions:
1. THE AVENGERS
2. JOHN CARTER
3. WRATH OF THE TITANS
4. MEN IN BLACK 3
5. FRANKENWEENIE

Top Five Native 3D Movies:
1. THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY
2. LIFE OF PI
3. PROMETHEUS
4. THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN
5. CIRQUE DU SOLEIL: WORLDS AWAY 

Top Five 3D Animations:
1. RISE OF THE GUARDIANS
2. BRAVE
3. ICE AGE: CONTINENTAL DRIFT
4. THE LORAX
5. HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA

Top Ten Combined:
10. RISE OF THE GUARDIANS
9. CIRQUE DU SOLEIL: WORLDS AWAY
8. WRATH OF THE TITANS
7. JOHN CARTER
6. THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN
5. TITANIC 3D
4. THE AVENGERS
3. PROMETHEUS
2. LIFE OF PI
1. THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY

Ang Lee's LIFE OF PI was absolutely brilliant and on any other year would have easily took top place for me, but wow - Peter Jackson's HFR 3D was spellbinding! My jaw hadn't been locked open like that since AVATAR. Congratulations to all of my top ten list and more for an outstanding year in 2012. And 2013 promises us even more excitement!

Click to enlarge

And here are the results of the MarketSaw Reader's Poll asking the question: "What was your favorite 3D movies of 2012?"

It looks like we were in agreement on THE HOBBIT but you guys have PROMETHEUS in second spot ahead of LIFE OF PI. While I thoroughly enjoyed Ridley Scott's return to sci-fi, Pi's adventure was enough for me to move it ahead. To each there own - you can't go wrong with any of these top ten movies!

It was surprising to me is how well DREDD fared with you though. I found the 3D was headache inducing but perhaps that was my particular screening. In retrospect though, the CG shots were spectacular in 3D and then when we flipped back to native 3D, it went back to mundane for me. I enjoyed JOHN CARTER and WRATH OF THE TITANS so much more. Do I want more of Karl Urban's Dredd though? Darn right. I want better 3D next time too. DREDD didn't make my top ten.

Stay tuned for our annual MOST ANTICIPATED list of movies for 2013 coming up soon!

Three Great BTS Videos of THE HOBBIT Visual Effects!

Hey all, Tim here, and I came upon an article written for the LA Times Hero Complex that has an interview with THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY visual effects supervisor Joe Letteri. I've embedded the videos below, but you can also view them along with reading the full interview here.

The interview may be familiar to MarketSaw readers, but the videos are amazing. They show great behind the scenes processes used by WETA Digital to bring the amazing digital characters in THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY to life. It's a task just bringing Gollum to life, but to also have to bring the Goblin King and Azog to life along with all the other digital characters is an amazing feat for one film. A job well done.

It should be noted that besides being nominated for their visual effects work on THE HOBBIT: AUJ, WETA is also nominated for their contributions to Prometheus and The Avengers, however AUJ is the only one that had all the work done in one place... at WETA. WETA's work on THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY is my pick for Best Visual Effects at the Academy Awards for this last year.
 

THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY is still in theaters in 2D, 3D, IMAX 3D, and HFR 3D. It's on route to make $1 Billion at the worldwide box office. If you haven't had the opportunity to check it out yet, there's no better time than now.

THE HOBBIT Pushes On At Box Office - Sees Mountain Of Gold Coming...

First Look At Bilbo In THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG

Peter Jackson's THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY is doing very well at the box office thank you very much. After a solid week earning $113,152,900, Bilbo and company settled down to a cool $10.2 million yesterday solidly smacking the competition, namely the Goblin King, Jack Reacher and This is 40 - not necessarily in that order.

Here's the domestic breakdown:
1. THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY  $10.2m
2. JACK REACHER  $5.1m
3. THIS IS 40  $3.7m
4. RISE OF THE GUARDIANS  $1.6m
5. THE GUILT TRIP  $1.5m

So how is THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY doing verses THE LORD OF THE RINGS franchise domestically? Very well again! It was the top of the family for Days 1 and 2 then slipped to second for Day 3. It was bringing up the rear for Days 4 to 7 and was third on day 8. Of course it's not a great comparison due to which days of the week were holidays and which were not, but at least we know THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY is in the same ballpark as LOTR movies so that means that parity or beyond is certainly achieveable for the first outing of dwarves.

Worldwide is amazing too. THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY has $123m from domestic coffers but also $138m from international tallies for a total of $261m already. Yes. $1 billion is reasonable and certainly $900m is achievable. JOURNEY also puts the follow up movies in a very good place and as the action picks up so should the business side of it's show business.

I'll have more numbers when they fall into place. Stay tuned!

Stats Source: Box Office Mojo

Movie Review: THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY - 9.5 Stars!!

We've waited a LONG time for this movie to come out, the first of three from Peter Jackson and company. The wait was worth it. Remember when all of this was just a pipe dream and the legal issues between New Line Cinema and Peter Jackson seemed insurmountable. Then I received those emails from my source within Jackson's camp that hinted at a silver lining. Of course I immediately passed them on to you: That the hobbit was going to go ahead; Peter Jackson will direct; it will be three movies not two or one; and they will be shot in native 3D. Sure there were distractions along the way but the end result was exactly what my source had told us from day one: We'll be getting what we've always dreamed of.

And now that day has come. I must admit when I first saw the HFR opening scenes I do not know exactly what to expect. To the untrained eye which most of us has, the characters seem to speed up and slow down and even simple camera panning had issues with uneven, at times jerking motion. It sounds worse than it is. I will be the first to say I was nervous. In all the reviews that I had read prior to seeing the movie there was no indication that you would get used to what you're watching on the screen. But I am here to reassure you today that you will indeed get used to what's on the screen and moreover you will be engulfed in such a realistic journey that it may bring tears to your eyes. You WILL get used to the HFR experience, some faster than others. I have yet to see HFR a second time but when I do I will let you know if my eyes get used to the experience faster the second time.

Once my eyes adjusted after perhaps 10 min. of watching the movie I was only reminded of the HFR experience a handful at times afterwards mainly during periods of the movie that were slower so I had time to think for myself. But oh the times when I forgot about the HFR and just was completely immersed in flying over the group of dwarves, Gandalf and Bilbo as they travel towards the lonely Mountain. I'm not ashamed to say I had tears in my eyes at that moment. We are witnessing the dawn of a new generation of cinematic experience in HFR. When I spoke with James Cameron at Cinemacon and what he showed us his HFR 3D testing, I was floored - and that was with simple slow-motion clips from a closed set. Peter Jackson has given us a full cinematic experience of one of the most beloved classic stories ever told and combining that with 3-D and HFR was pure genius.

Where shall I begin? Good question. I think I have to start with the tip of the hat to Peter Jackson and the sheer will and determination of the man to get this production underway from the seemingly insurmountable obstacles in his way is nothing short of amazing. New Zealand could not ask for a better ambassador to represent them on the world stage. His vision, his loyalty to Tolkien, his creativity along with Fran and Phillipa and not to forget Guillermo del Toro, and his bottomless pit of energy that Jackson can draw upon must be pointed out in any review of the hobbit.

Who would've thought that this small island nation could not only compete with the likes of Hollywood but surpass them. I don't believe there's anything untouchable for Jackson and his team. What a remarkable statement. Watching THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY and seeing the maturation of Jackson's directing style meshed with the new technologies that his team are introducing was mesmerizing. The sweeping camera motions over the heads of the dwarves in the Goblin King's cavern immediately brought to mind to me motion capture at its best. I lost some of the suspension of disbelief at that moment because I knew how Jackson was shooting it and I was analyzing it, but to the average theater goer that won't be an issue at all. Their jaws will just be open and tiny bit; eyes wide open.

So let's dissect the movie with my 'infamous' Star Analysis method. First let's talk about the story – obviously Jackson and his team adapted the story from Tolkien's THE HOBBIT and in order to make three movies about the tale may be stretching it a bit. Clearly he had more resources than just the story though - I'm sure the appendices will come into play, especially in the third movie. But I appreciated all the time spent in showing the audience what a comfortable life Bilbo has prior to Gandalf and the dwarves showing up at his door. It can't be overstated that Bilbo's life was turned completely upside down. And then there's the matter of introducing all these short characters and that the new generation of moviegoers may have never seen THE LORD OF THE RINGS, so their introduction to Gandalf and Bilbo must consider that. Not to mention the shire and the whole of Middle-earth. So with these issues in consideration I think Jackson and his team did a remarkable job with the adaptation thus far of the hobbit. I gave the story a 92% leaving plenty of room for improvement but reflecting upon the challenges that must've gone into AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY. I love that Bilbo made a very uncomfortable decision to join the dwarves of course, and he really doesn't know what he's getting himself into. But I think coming in contact with the ring emboldened him whether he wanted it to or not. Remember from THE LORD OF THE RINGS how the ring affected Bilbo in the end; it wasn't pretty.

I thought the acting and character development held up very well despite the restrictions of all the prosthetics that had to be in place due to the high frame rate production. I thought the various personalities of the characters had ample opportunity to shine especially Thorin Oakenshield. and what can you say about Ian McKellen? I feel every time we see him on the big screen is a gift to the culture of mankind – he is that good.

Here is the first facet of the film that I thought truly deserved a near-perfect mark. Suspension of disbelief. The Elf's home Rivendell in particular was breathtaking. Through Jackson's HFR experience and the expertise displayed in the perfect stereoscopic 3-D cinematography with 3ality Technica, we have the opportunity to step through the silver screen and be one step closer to the world of the directors mind. Sure AVATAR was amazing and I'm convinced that AVATAR 2 and 3 with their high frame rate will be remarkable as well, but let's face it this was our first HFR experience and I for one am ecstatic about where we're going. you may have read what some other critics have complained about and I really don't think that they've given the format chance at all. Some of these critics have forgotten how to suspend their disbelief when they are presented with such jaw dropping beauty in a new technology such as HFR. To them I say open your minds and don't poison the thoughts of your readers with an ignorant response.

The directing of Peter Jackson was near perfect and I think Andy Serkis is truly coming into his own as a director and of course he is the single best motion and performance capture artist alive today. I think the single most exciting thing about this category of my review is seeing how Peter Jackson is maturing at the helm. I can just see him playing in this giant sandbox of creativity with these toys of high technology always within reach of him. I can only imagine what experiences he has in store for us down the road with the story. His new use of motion capture and his virtual camera utility added a huge boost to my reception of AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY.

The movie score of Howard Shore was the near perfect complement to the visual treats presented. While at times I thought the music extended a bit too far, I loved the new melodic thrusts for THE HOBBIT. And I thought the audio clues from the Lord of the rings were brought in and is suitable and tasteful manner so that it didn't overly influence the movie. I thought there might be a risk of that in watching some of the trailers and I certainly did not want to see a prequel to the Lord of the rings. I wanted to see and hear the hobbit trilogy. And that folks is what were getting.

Next is the cinematography. Andrew Lesnie has nailed it. First of all I have to say that his marriage of motion and performance capture prowess with his classical use of traditional lensing has produced a timeless piece of work. It's rare that someone can not only use but excel at blending the two into something compelling. All too often either the visual effects or the technical execution of directing photography takes center stage while something else visually suffers. Not so with an unexpected journey – we're not only getting a movie here, were seeing history in the making.

The visual effects of the deus ex machina Great Eagles was one of the highlights of the movie for me. The majesty of these beasts were captured impeccably and my thoughts roamed to what we can expect from Jackson for the presentation of Smaug. I can only imagine how Smaug will soar. You can't help but think it's the Eagles multiplied 100 fold. The goblin King looked amazing as did the trolls. You can watch a featurette of how they created the trolls using motion capture here. The hint of what the necromancer looks like excites me too.

Finally I bring you the perfect stereoscopic 3D experience. Not once did I experience disbelief in the movie based upon the 3-D. The expertise and obviously the 3D rigging equipment from 3ality Technica combined with the Red Epic cameras proved to be a match made in Middle-earth heaven. There does not seem to be anything that we can't do now in 3D. Impressive with me was that there was no fogging on the screen from any source of light. This always bothers me and every time I see it I shudder. Not this time. Again I must bring up the sweeping, outdoor aerial shot over the shoulders of Gandalf, Bilbo and the dwarves as they ran along a craggy hill because the 3D truly brought it home. The HFR sharpened the screen into reality but the 3D pulled us in. I gave the hobbit: an unexpected journey 100% score for their stereoscopic 3D. I expect more of the same for parts two and three.

I thought I would reprint what Steve Schklair of 3ality Technica had to say to me about HFR and it bears serious thought:
"Every change in cinema technology has come with negative comments and naysayers. This includes the advent of color, sound, digital, and 3D. If you remember back to the early days of digital, there was a company selling a process that would artificially insert weave, grain, scratches and dirt into a pristine digital image so that it would have a “film look”. Motion artifacts in 2D are distracting, and in 3D they are especially distracting. Shooting HFR makes for better images and sharper less distracting pictures. Because it does not look like what people are used to, it comes with the same detractors as did color, sound, digital, and 3D. I agree with Peter Jackson in that you have to see an entire movie at 48 and not just a few minutes. When you become immersed in the story, the difference in look will become secondary to the story. Eventually, like all new technologies in our business, it will become the accepted norm. History shows that to always be true."

In closing I have to say I'm disappointed with a number of my peers who call themselves movie critics and supposedly are supposed to represent the good interests of the moviegoing public. The vitriol I have read about THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY has been uncalled for in my opinion. I think the public should be made aware of the fact that their eyes will take some time to adjust to the HFR experience and I suspect everybody will be different in how they do so. I would estimate that most audience members will be fully adjusted to the experience within 5 to 15 minutes. Some will be shorter and longer than that but I suspect most will fall within that window. And I can't emphasize this enough: It is worth the wait. You will be transported. Like never before. And whatever you hear, THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY is certainly cinematic - in fact it is the new definition of cinema - everyone else must catch up. It's history in the making. Don't miss out on this once in a lifetime experience. Enjoy!

THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY is playing now in HFR 3-D, IMAX 3-D, RealD 3-D, and flat. I give the movie 9.5 stars out of 10.

Thanks so much to Empire Theatres for the amazing screening! The HFR experience was remarkable, the projection was bright and the service impeccable as always. I'll be seeing the movie again in IMAX!

Hobbit Featurette: The Making Of The Trolls And The Giant Cavern Of The Goblin King! Friday Numbers Are In!

Take a look at this very cool featurette of how Peter Jackson's creative geniuses have crafted the very realistic trolls and Goblin King Caverns in THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY.

I thought the scenes mentioned in this featurette were among the best of the movie and certainly bears the time it takes to watch this thing.

My review of THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY is coming later today (Sunday) so stay tuned.

World wide reaction to the movie has been amazingly good: Friday totals are in at $37.5 million pointing at a $100 million weekend - easily a new record. A $200 million worldwide tally is certainly possible as well by Monday morning!

So here's the featurette! Enjoy!!

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey TV-Spot #13 & "Misty Mountains" Song

Tim here, and if you're like me you're sick of seeing short clips and TV spots for THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY and just want to see the whole thing. Well in less than 2 days you'll be able to. In the meantime you can enjoy another TV spot. This one is filled with great new shots, at least. And it has a few descriptive words to express our visually great it is. THE HOBBIT'S Facebook page calls this one #13:

Plus you can enjoy a clip of the Dwarves singing "Misty Mountains" in full 1080 HD! I get chills watching this. Can't wait to see it on the big screen in 3D and HFR.

Get ready for some great filmmaking in stereoscopic 3D at 48 frames per second! THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY hits this Friday, December 14^th, with advanced screenings tomorrow and midnight showings.

Latest Hobbit TV Spot Brings Hint of Smaug & More

Tim here with the latest TV Spot from THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY. I guess this is Spot #9, although by now it's getting hard to keep count. In it there are certainly SPOILERS, and as a result readers should beware if they want to have a clear viewing experience.
The quick, non-spoiler filled, synopsis is an action teaser with the statement "On December Fourteenth see the journey that started it all."

**For spoilers highlight the following text:

In the teaser we see hints of Smaug in a shroud of smoke and fire barreling towards Dale. There are brief glimpses of the great worm's wing and tail. Then later we see what appears to be the famous Battle of Azanulbizar, or possibly some other conflict between Dwarves and Goblins. However, I will guess that it is that battle because that's likely to be the major battle we see in the first film. And lastly we get a closer look of Dol Godur and what appears to be Radagast approaching it across a bridge. Creepy. 

 **End spoilers. Here's the TV Spot:

Awesome! I can't wait for the film. Again it opens December 14^th.

Watch First Clip AND The Red Carpet LIVE From THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY's Premiere!

Awesome day for Hobbit types today! Top of the list is to watch the very first clip (40 seconds) from THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY and then settle in to watch the red carpet arrivals for the movie's premiere in New Zealand!!

Here are the event details:

3:50 pm NZDT – Show Opening / Welcome
4:00 pm NZDT – Neil Finn Performance (*set includes a performance of Song of the Lonely Mountain from the official soundtrack)
4:30 pm NZDT – Talent arrivals, red carpet interviews & crowd interaction
6:30 pm NZDT – Official Speeches
7:00 pm NZDT – End of Show

The show will be replaying twice after the live coverage ends.


The red carpet coverage starts at 6:50pm Pacific and it is the second video clip in this post. No need to say more - you know what to do! ENJOY!!

Hit the jump for more...