Kiwibloke » peter jackson

The Hobbit Movie Take One (Video)

GregR — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 13:59:52 +0000

Sir Peter Jackson has released the first in what is a series of behind the scenes video logs of the making of “The Hobbit” movie, the fourth in the Lord of the Rings series of movies.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJjyxeOwaY0

The 10-minute piece takes a walk through of Hobbiton otherwise known as the B Stage in Miramar Wellington, as well as the various departments that go into making a huge movie. Included in this is Sir Ian Mckellen and Martin Freeman (The Office). Of interest is the number of people personally invested in the success of the movie.

The Journey is the reward….

Weta Legs – A World First in Costuming and Creature Performance (Video)

GregR — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 23:14:09 +0000

Weta Legs are a unique, low profile, professional grade reverse leg stilt for creature and costume performances in movies, television, theatre, circus, street performances and other creative performances.

Something previously reserved for commercial film and television projects, they are the first of their kind available commercially to the public.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8ki9Ij2jt8

District 9 – An Allegory for What? (Video)

GregR — Sat, 02 May 2009 22:07:10 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKtnlXZ8RJ4

The new movie District 9 from Peter Jackson and Neill Blomkamp looks to be the real sleeper hit of 2009. If you are into socialogical science fiction, this is it.

Peter Jackson Talks Lovely Bones

GregR — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 12:31:38 +0000

Uploaded on Flickr by Kevissimo

While the rest of use are worrying about the economy and whether we have jobs, there is one person who is having one hell of a year and has so much work he does not know what to do. And that is Mr Peter Jackson of Manuka St, Miramar Wellington.

While tackling two Tintin Films and two Hobbit films and over $500M in movie making purchase orders, Mr Jackson talked to USA Today.

On the subject of novel adaptation:

In the case of The Lovely Bones, I felt that it was subject matter not often dealt with in film, and with a tone that is also rare. Losing loved ones is something we all have to deal with, and when that story is partly told from the loved one’s point of view, it becomes quite interesting â€” especially with Susie’s sense of humor. Add to that the fact that Susie is killed by a man living just down the street, and it now becomes a very unique thriller.

Over at Slash Film he discusses three different Tintin films:

We were originally planning three to be in production at the same time in different stages, and we may well do that. At the moment we have this one and the studio[s] is financing the second one as well, which is in pre-production.

There is also speculation online about who exactly will direct the third film, the first being Spielberg and the second Jackson.

With the release of Lovely Bones in November and District 9 in August, the team at the arguebly the number one motion capture production house in the world have their work cut out.

Hobbit Will Be Two Movies But….

GregR — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 12:38:19 +0000

According to Empire Magazine, the second Hobbit Movie will now not be a 60 filler between The Hobbit and Fellowship of the Rings but:

â€œWeâ€™ve decided to have The Hobbit span the two movies, including the White Council and the comings and goings of Gandalf to Dol Guldur,â€ says Del Toro.

â€œWe decided it would be a mistake to try to cram everything into one movie,â€ adds Jackson. â€œThe essential brief was to do The Hobbit, and it allows us to make The Hobbit in a little more style, if you like, of the [LOTR] trilogy.â€

Unfortunately that is only a teaser, for the full story you need to buy the 20th Birthday Edition of the Empire Magazine, which Steven Spielberg will be guest editing.

Also in this edition is more Peter Jackson goodness. They also cover the The Adventures of Tintin:Â The Secret of the Unicorn in detail.

48 Hours of Furious Filmmaking in New Zealand

GregR — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 12:11:11 +0000

This years 48 hours of Film-making is back on in New Zealand. The challenge is for independent teams (not Peter Jackson or the Weta guys)Â to create a short form video over one weekend.

The filmmakers do not know what genre they will required to create until the start of the competition. All creativity including the writing, story boarding, shooting and post production must occur within the 48 hours beginning Friday 8th May 2009. Each team competes within 7 city groups, Auckland, Hamilton, Gisborne, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin as well as another group for Out of Towners.

A few days later the short films will be shown to the audience in heats to play off for a chance to be in the City finals where they will be judged by a team of professional film makers. The competiton includes winners for each city group as well as a crazy Peter Jackson Wildcard competition. So get out your VHS copy of Meet the Feebles.

Last year over 600 teams competed in the competition creating a range of films, you can view all the winners in the screening room here.

Some of the guidelines include:

DO NOT take prop guns/knives/weapons out in public places. This is a really bad idea that could end up with you being arrested or worse. Even if you have notified the police that this is what you are planning on doing, they have to respond if someone claims to have seen someone with a weapon and doesn’t understand you are making a film, and it will be a hassle. Just don’t do it. The police have been pretty accommodating but after previous armed offender call outs you may just find yourself being charged or at the very least getting a large bill for wasting their time.
Unless you have a pyrotechnics licence and a registered safety officer on set, DO NOT consider trying to do any sort of real explosion, we don’t care how small. If you want to do anything but it doesn’t look or feel safe – just don’t do it. Don’t be stupid. Play smart, play safe.

Last years winner were a group of faux street rappers doing a finger dance face off. Here is the 2008 winning film F*Dance from Puppy Guts in Wellington.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrDQlGRUAMQ

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Richard Taylor and Weta Workshop Honored (Video)

GregR — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 12:48:07 +0000

Uploaded on Flickr by kalavinka

Richard Taylor the the Weta Workshop team were honored this week at World Class New Zealand Awards.

Taylor co-founded special effects company Weta Workshop in 1994, along with Tania Rodger and film director Peter Jackson. Taylor has won five Oscars during a career for films such as The Lord of the Rings trilogy, King Kong and Heavenly Creatures.

The awards were presented on Wednesday night at aÂ gala dinner in Auckland:

For the last 15 years Weta Workshop – a special effects facility of which Taylor co-founded and is the creative director – has created models, makeup and monsters for movies like the Lord of the Rings trilogy and King Kong.

“He’s internationally recognised, he’s won five Oscars, so he’s hugely famous. He’s done such a fantastic job for New Zealand and really put New Zealand on the map,” says KEA’s global chairman Stephen Tindall.

The awards were organized by Kea New Zealand (of which Kiwibloke is a member) to promote World Class Excellence and creative talent in New Zealand.

THE WINNERS

2009 World Class New Zealand Awards

Richard Taylor, supreme winner.
Ray Avery, biotechnology.
John Buchanan, finance, investment and business services.
Jane Hunter, manufacturing.
Peter Hunter, research, science, technology and academia.
Phillip Mills, new thinking.
Craig Nevill-Manning, information and communications technology.
Karen Walker, creative industries.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdm62G4BCYk

Peter Jackson’s District 9 On The Way

GregR — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 19:32:09 +0000

Uploaded on Flickr by Roninspoon

Early last month we covered a story about District 9, a sci-fi movie produced by Peter Jackson’s Wingnut Films and directed by South African Neil Blomcamp.

It seems that Sony has been previewing the movie for the industry.

Firstshowing has an update on District 9 which is due out later this year:

The footage started out like any typical documentary on third world conditions and rufegees, with locals talking about how they don’t like them. Above the city a giant alien space ship sits dormant, which is what they originally arrived on. But what are their intentions? Well, in one scene where we finally see the aliens as the MNU police attempt to tell them they must leave their shanty home, they find some sort of odd device. It’s not a weapon, which is what they’re usually all about. But in looking at it, it explodes and some liquid flies into the face of the man holding it. He’s taken to a hospital and things begin to go crazy.

Over at hollywood insider they have more details:

….which is based on a series of short videos Blomkamp had created for advertising Halo 3. The film itself concerns a South African refugee camp for aliens called District 9, and it resembles a combination of 28 Days Later and Cloverfield. Sony execs are psyched about the project and it could prove to be one of the big surprises of the summer. These days, that’s a hard feat to pull off.

Slash Film has a good description of District 9.

If Peter Jackson’s history is anything to go by, this will be the sleeper of the year.

Speculation on Hobbit Trilogy

GregR — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 03:41:13 +0000

Uploaded on Flickr by Blake Lawrence

Speculation has risen online that there is a planned third movie in the Hobbit series adding to the two movies already in the works from Peter Jackson. As we had reported earlier, Jackson and Del Toro are well under way with a remake of the original Hobbit book and another creation that spans between “The Hobbit” and “Fellowship of the Rings”.

According the TheOneRing, another third movie is in the works based on previously unreleased material from the Tolkien Estate:

Our insider also mentioned some legal wrangling with the Tolkien Estate to acquire additional rights to materials not currently under license which would provide the bulk of the plot for the third movie.

If speculation is correct, this trilogy will rival in size and scope the first trilogy fondly known as LOTR by fans. The LOTR trilogy has grossed world wide in excess of $US 3 Billion and is the 15th, 2nd and 8th highst grossing movies ever.

Weta Cast – EpisodeVII – The Wotty Cast

GregR — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 23:13:59 +0000

Magnus and Daniel interview Martin Baynton about Weta’s and Pukeko Pictures’ brand new children’s TV series The WotWots. It turns out to be one of our best interviews yet – pre-school television is truly the mother of all creativity! Ironically.

Del Toro Right Choice for Hobbit

GregR — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 13:43:17 +0000

Uploaded on Flickr by leperking

Award Winning Director Guillermo del Toro and Kiwi Director Peter Jackson are being roundly praised as they embark on a remarkable story telling adventure with not only the The Hobbit, the fourth in the series of Lord of the Rings series, but a production which will deal with the 59-year period between â€œThe Hobbitâ€ and â€œThe Fellowship of the Ring,â€ the first of the â€œLord of the Ringsâ€ trilogy.

According to David Bentley:

Spider-Man director Raimi told Empire magazine: “I thought that The Hobbit was just a fantastic icon of fantasy literature. I love that book and I’m a giant fan of the Lord of the Rings movies.

The Hobbit itself follows the quest of hobbit Bilbo Baggins to win his share of the treasure guarded by the dragon Smaug. Bilbo returns from that quest in year 2942 of the Third Age, and leaves the Shire in 3001 after passing on to Frodo the ring he had obtained in 2941. It’s his leaving The Shire that is the start of The Fellowship of the Ring movie, the first of the trilogy helmed by Peter Jackson.

Del Toro moved New Zealand for four years to work with Jackson and his Wingnut and WETA production teams. He will helm the two films back to back â€“ telling the story of â€œThe Hobbit,â€

New Line is overseeing development and will manage the production. â€œThe Hobbitâ€ and its sequel are being co-produced and co-financed by New Line Cinema and MGM, with Warner Brothers distributing domestically and MGM distributing internationally. Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh are executive producing the films.

The OscarÂ®-winning, critically acclaimed â€œThe Lord of the Ringsâ€ trilogy grossed nearly $3 billion worldwide at the box office. In 2003, â€œThe Lord of the Rings: The Return of the Kingâ€ swept the Academy AwardsÂ®, winning all of the 11 categories in which it was nominated, including Best Picture â€“ the first ever Best Picture win for a fantasy film. The trilogyâ€™s production was also unprecedented at the time.

Here is some youtube goodnews on Del Toro:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5wjKkLh-rY

Peter Jackson To Bid on Two New Planes

GregR — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 21:28:50 +0000

Whilst Wall St types and car executives are busily ridding themselves of executive jets, Lord of the Rings Director Peter Jackson is looking at purchasing two new planes including a rare Simmonds Sparan Series One.

Jackson is the chair of the 14-18 Aviation Heritage Trust, a small group of WW1 collectors that own over 30 aircraft including the only remaining Italian 1913 Caproni Ca 22. Part of the collection is current on display at the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre in Blenheim.

Jackson is expected to bid on the Simmonds Sparan Series one because of it’s rich providence. It is the only Simmonds Spartan 1929 flying in the world. Built & designed in the Simmonds Aircraft factory in the U.K. The factory produced only 49 Simmonds Spartans but this aircraft is the only airworthy aircraft (ZK-ABK), the only other aircraft is in bits and pieces. This particular aircraft was built as a three seater in the factory, only 3 of the 49 aircraft were 3 seater factory built.

Simmonds Spartan Series one three seater

LOT A1 – SIMMONDS SPARTAN 1929

(Note: This aircraft was a re-build of the original aircraft that crashed in 1940).

The only Simmonds Spartan 1929 flying in the world. Built & designed in the Simmonds Aircraft factory in the U.K. The factory produced only 49 Simmonds Spartans but this aircraft is the only airworthy aircraft (ZK-ABK), the only other aircraft is in bits and pieces. This particular aircraft was built as a three seater in the factory, only 3 of the 49 aircraft were 3 seater factory built, therefore it is very rare.

Only 49 of these aircraft were built and they were initially used for joy rides at 1 pound sterling for a 10 minute trip. The two passengers would sit in the front with the pilot behind.

Later on other Spartans were manufactured by a different factory (other than Simmonds) of which only 2 of the aircraft made here remain in the world.

It was originally built in 1929 and was purchased by New Zealand Airways in the same year.

The aircraft was used by New Zealand Airways as NZ’s first passenger aircraft, based in the Dunedin-Christchurch region at 5 pounds sterling per hour. New Zealand Airways originally had seven Simmonds aircraft in their fleet.

Of interest is that the designer of the Spartan, Oliver Simmonds, was the aerodynamicst to R J Mitchell (who designed the Supermarine Spitfire) up to 1928 and was heavily involved in the S4 built by Supermarine for air racing. There is a rub off for Oliver as no doubt his work for Supermarine would have featured in the Spitfire design. Possibly this is the reason the Spartan flies so well.

The Test Flying Schedule has been completed and the Certificate of Airworthiness from the Civil Aviation Authority is about to be issued

Registration: ZK-ABK.
Designer: Oliver Simmonds.
Manufacturer: Simmonds Aircraft LTD.
Weston, Southampton, England.
Build date: 29th July 1929.
Serial number: 46.
Production number: 49.
Fleet number: ONE of seven.
Specification: Last of 3 factory built three seaters.
First flight in NZ – Approx. 18/11/1929.
C of A issued: 18/11/1929.
Disposal: 1936.
Rebuilds: FOUR (Engine failures).
Latest Test Flight: October 2008.

Auction estimate $250,000-350,000 NZ Dollars / about $125,000 US – (Note: As of 3/2/2009 the conversion rate for the NZ Dollar is 1 (NZD) = 0.4917 (USD

Peter Jackson’s Lovely Bones Tipped for Oscar Nomination

GregR — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 17:36:22 +0000

Uploaded on Flickr by yotambientengosuperpoderes

“Lovely Bones”, the story of a young girl who has been murdered and watches over her family – and her killer – from heaven has been tipped for a nomination this year in the Academy Awards:

Among the Oscar contenders for best picture, for example, are Peter Jackson‘s “The Lovely Bones,” Clint Eastwood‘s untitled project, Martin Scorsese‘s “Shutter Island,” Rob Marshall‘s “Nine,” Ang Lee‘s “Taking Woodstock” and Stephen Frears’ “Cheri.“

The Oscar winning “Lord of the Rings” scripters Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens adapted Alice Sebold‘s best-selling novel, “The Lovely Bones.” Jackson — who also won Oscars for directing and producing the third film in the ‘Rings’ trilogy — performs the same roles here. Oscar nominee Saoirse Ronan (“Atonement”) is the murdered girl who watches over her grieving parents — Oscar nominee Mark Wahlberg (“The Departed”) and supporting actress winner Rachel Weisz (“The Constant Gardener”).

You can check out the full tipping here.

Game Company Pitches for Peter Jackson’s Hobbits

GregR — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 01:15:26 +0000

Uploaded on Flickr by Dunechaser

Over at CrispyGamer they are reporting that TT Games is pitching for the rights for the up and coming rights issue for Peter Jackson’s Hobbit:

Even more interesting than the leak of the two games currently in development, though, is Parkerâ€™s claim that she has â€œalso recently been working on In-Game animation for the upcoming Hobbit Demo using Motion Capture Data in Motionbuilder, to be presented to Peter Jackson as a pitch for obtaining the license to the upcoming Hobbit films.â€ With the news this morning that the video game rights to Jacksonâ€™s Lord of the Rings movies has reverted back to Warner from EA, itâ€™s hard to imagine Warner and Travelerâ€™s Tales passing up the chance to give Frodo, Gandalf, and the rest of the Fellowship the LEGO treatment.

[Crispy Gamer]

Weta Workshop Whats Wot

GregR — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 13:09:25 +0000

TVNZ, Weta Workshop

Peter Jackson owning,Â Academy Award winning, King Kong making Weta Workshop brings to lifeÂ WotWots, a new television series for preschoolers. Filmed at Wellington and Auckland Zoos, this homegrown series follows the adventures of two adorable siblings from outer space, SpottyWot and DottyWot. These delightful creatures come to explore planet earth in their steam-powered spaceship and arrive in the middle of a zoo.

The series marks the second venture into children’s television for Richard Taylor’s Pukeko Pictures, following the global success of Jane and the Dragon, and sees him again collaborate with Jane’s author Martin Baynton. Taylor and Jackson co-foundered Weta along with Tania Rodger.

More than 36 people have spent two-and-a-half years working on the series, comprised of 10-minute episodes:

“Every single frame is individually animated,” he explains. “Even for something that may seem so simple and small, it’s a surprisingly complex task. Especially trying to get it to this level of finish.”

Taylor intends for the WotWots to have the same appeal to adults as to youngsters and ultimately suitable for feature film treatment. The success of Jane the Dragon proves there is plenty of room for quality preschool content.

Taylor also admits he is a big fan of Thunderbirds, as is Kiwibloke.

Uploaded on Flickr by ZardozSpeaks

Jeff and Lady Penelope.

Kiwibloke » peter jackson

The Hobbit Movie Take One (Video)

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