It’s been a few months since we’ve been whisked to New Zealand via the magic of InterWeb video for the chance to visit with Peter Jackson and The Hobbit cast and crew. The latest entry to the blog is now online over at the movies’ Facebook page.
This time, we’re given a whistle-stop tour of the Stone Street studio facility that Jackson and his team first began to build for** Lord Of The Rings**. These days, it has expanded vastly from its beginnings as a former paint factory, with the original stage basically, in Jackson’s words, a “tin shed” and the newer filming areas crammed with the very latest in movie making technology.
But it’s not just the stages: we get a fantastic glimpse into the entire kingdom, dropping in on various department heads and some members of the cast including James Nesbitt and Luke Evans. Oh, and Empire favourite Richard “Bigatures” Taylor of Weta, who makes for a typically enthusiastic host during his segment.
It really is a must-see for anyone who likes the cinematic LOTR universe and wishes they could live at the studios. You may not be able to stay, but at least it’s fun to visit. And all credit to Jackson, along with his vid crew, for making these behind the scenes glances truly entertaining.
As if you'd really forgotten, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey arrives on December 14, with There And Back Again on screen on December 13, 2013.