Building a Real-Life Hobbit House

by Atul
from http://www.geekfill.com/

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Evangeline Lilly Cast As An Elf In The Hobbit

Author: Josh Tyler
From: http://www.cinemablend.com/

Liv Tyler won’t be in The Hobbit. While her Arwen character is an ancient immortal and thus technically alive at the time this prequel story takes place, Tyler confirmed awhile back that she hasn’t been asked to show up on set. So if you’re looking for a new female elf character to replace the Arwen in these new Middle Earth movies, who do you cast? Evangeline Lilly, of course. She’s like Liv Tyler, except without the Aerosmith connection.

Hobbit director Peter Jackson confirmed her involvement today on his Facebook page. Lilly has been hired to play a character newly created specifically for the feature version of The Hobbit. She’ll be a Woodland Elf named “Tauriel”. That name even has a translation already, because of course that’s how back-story obsessed author J.R.R. Tolkien would have wanted it, were he the one inventing this new elf-babe. PJ says “Tauriel” means “daughter of Mirkwood”. So now you have a pretty good idea of where she lives.

The addition of Lilly is important, not only because she’ll look good in pointy ears, but because it could help solve one of the 4 big story problems we predicted Peter Jackson would encounter in adapting Tolkien’s book for the screen. If Evangeline’s role is big enough, it could help clear up problem #4, which is that the original Tolkien version of The Hobbit contains no female characters. None. In Hollywood, the general consensus seems to be that girls need someone to identify with, if you want them buying tickets.

Evangeline isn’t the only person getting in the Middle Earth makeup chair down in New Zealand. Jackson has also confirmed the casting of actor Barry Humpries, to play the Goblin king. This is a villain character encountered by Bilbo and his Dwarf companions on their journey. You won’t see a lot of him, but he does play a pivotal role in the story. Jackson says he’ll portray the character “in much the way Andy Serkis created Gollum”. In other words, you won’t actually see him on screen, but you will see a computer generated character created based on his performance.

Peter Jackson’s First Hobbit Set Update

From: http://furiousfanboys.com/

Peter Jackson has updated his Facebook page with the first real update from the set of The Hobbit, and in addition to revealing a pic from the set; he confirmed they are shooting the movies at 48 frames per second.

Shooting and projecting at 48 fps does a lot to get rid of these issues. It looks much more lifelike, and it is much easier to watch, especially in 3-D. We’ve been watching HOBBIT tests and dailies at 48 fps now for several months, and we often sit through two hours worth of footage without getting any eye strain from the 3-D. It looks great, and we’ve actually become used to it now, to the point that other film experiences look a little primitive. I saw a new movie in the cinema on Sunday and I kept getting distracted by the juddery panning and blurring. We’re getting spoilt!

As for the image on the monitors…it sure does look at lot like Bilbo is exploring a certain cave. Jackson promises a video update very soon, and we’ll let you know as soon as it’s up.

The Hobbit Begins Filming, First Photo From The New Zealand Set!

Author: Josh Tyler

From: http://www.cinemablend.com/

It’s an exciting time to be a movie fan. Filming on the first of The Hobbit films began today in New Zealand. To celebrate the production has not only released a first look at director Peter Jackson climbing back into his Hobbit hole, but they’ve also launched an official Hobbit production blog.

The first three Lord of the Rings movies revolutionized the way fans connect with the movies they’re excited about with unprecedented, never before since duplicated access behind the scenes video, images, and access straight from the New Zealand set. Since then Hollywood has drifted away from letting us all in to the world behind the screen, but hopefully The Hobbit blog will bring it all back. To kick things off, here’s your first look at Peter Jackson on The Hobbit set!

Peter Jackson re-enters Bag End.

If those photos look at all familiar, it's probably because Peter Jackson took a very similar photo during the start of filming on Lord of the Rings, now more than a decade ago. Here's that photo of Peter Jackson in Bag End, striking a similar pose while filming Fellowship of the Ring:



For more on The Hobbit, including the movie's new official synopsis and complete cast list, visit its page in our Blend Film Database.

Peter Jackson Won't Replace Guillermo Del Toro On 'The Hobbit'

'Lord of the Rings' director and 'Hobbit' producer won't direct, manager says.

By Gil Kaufman

From: http://www.mtv.com/

After years of delays and behind-the-scenes battles, the long-awaited, two-part "Lord of the Rings" prequel is searching for a new director after Guillermo del Toro dropped out of the project over the weekend.

One thing seems sure, "LOTR" director and mastermind Peter Jackson, who is producing "The Hobbit" films, doesn't appear to be in the running to step back into the director's chair for the project.

Jackson's manager, Ken Kamins, told Entertainment Weekly over the holiday weekend that he spoke to his client about taking over the project. "As for Peter directing, that's not something he can consider at this time as he has other commitments to other projects," Kamins said. "But make no mistake, Peter and [producing partner Fran Walsh's] commitment to the franchise is total and they will do everything necessary to protect the films and the investment made by New Line, [parent company] Warner Bros. and MGM."

Plans called for representatives of the studios to meet this week with Jackson and Walsh to discuss who might step into Del Toro's shoes. The production of "The Hobbit" has been a long and winding road, and given the huge time commitment to filming two "Hobbit" films back-to-back, Del Toro said in a press release posted on TheOneRing.net on Sunday that he could not wait any longer for filming to start.

"In light of ongoing delays in the setting of a start date for filming 'The Hobbit,' I am faced with the hardest decision of my life," he said. "After nearly two years of living, breathing and designing a world as rich as Tolkien's Middle Earth, I must, with great regret, take leave from helming these wonderful pictures. I remain grateful to Peter, Fran and Philippa Boyens, New Line and Warner Brothers and to all my crew in New Zealand. I've been privileged to work in one of the greatest countries on Earth with some of the best people ever in our craft and my life will be forever changed. The blessings have been plenty, but the mounting pressures of conflicting schedules have overwhelmed the time slot originally allocated for the project. Both as a co-writer and as a director, I wish the production nothing but the very best of luck and I will be first in line to see the finished product. I remain an ally to it and its makers, present and future, and fully support a smooth transition to a new director."

Pre-production on the two "Hobbit" movies, currently slated for release in December 2012 and 2013, has been going on for several years. Just last week, Del Toro, 45, told EW that he's been toiling for two years in New Zealand with Jackson's team designing the creatures, the sets, the wardrobes and action sequences.

Jackson weighed in on the news as well, telling TheOneRing.net, "We feel very sad to see Guillermo leave 'The Hobbit,' but he has kept us fully in the loop, and we understand how the protracted development time on these two films, due to reasons beyond anyone's control — has compromised his commitment to other long term projects. The bottom line is that Guillermo just didn't feel he could commit six years to living in New Zealand, exclusively making these films, when his original commitment was for three years. Guillermo is one of the most remarkable creative spirits I've ever encountered and it has been a complete joy working with him. Guillermo's strong vision is engrained into the scripts and designs of these two films, which are extremely fortunate to be blessed with his creative DNA. Guillermo is co-writing 'The Hobbit' screenplays with Philippa Boyens, Fran Walsh and myself, and happily our writing partnership will continue for several more months, until the scripts are fine tuned and polished. New Line and Warner Bros. will sit down with us this week, to ensure a smooth and uneventful transition, as we secure a new director for 'The Hobbit.' We do not anticipate any delay or disruption to ongoing pre-production work."

Check out everything we've got on "The Hobbit."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

LOTR Fan Builds Bag End Hobbit Dollhouse

From: http://www.odditycentral.com/
By: Spooky

After reading the Lord of the Rings trilogy, over 20 times, Maddie Chambers decided to take her passion for the LOTR saga to the next level, and created a dollhouse replica of Bilbo Baggins’ Bag End.
This mother of twins took on the hobbit house project when her boys were just 1 year old. At first, she thought she’d just build a hill with a round door, like the one of Bag End, but being a perfectionist, Maddie kept thinking of things to add. First she decided to make a removable roof, then she started drawing up the project, and adding more rooms, until she put it in her mind to build a replica of the Bag End featured in the LOTR movies.
Between taking care of her two children, and keeping the house from falling apart, Maddie Chambers managed to create her hobbit house replica, in just one year. If you think that’s a long time, you must know the whole thing is hand made, from the house itself, to the dollhouse furniture, and even the tiny food. And she only worked two hours a night, and during nap times. But Maddie says she’s always been a crafty person and this was a labor of love.
For more details about the building process, and even more photos of the Bag End dollhouse, head over to the blog Maddie set up for her impressive project. All I can say to this true geek is CHAPEAU!

The Rebuilding of Hobbiton Has Begun!

Source: TheOneRing.net

July 18, 2009

TheOneRing.net reports that rebuilding of Hobbiton has begun for the filming of The Hobbit and its sequel. The first film is scheduled for a December 2011 release, followed by the second film in December of 2012. The site says:

The re-building of Hobbiton has begun, with the planting of hedgerows and fruit trees. An extension to the path that passes in front of Bag End has been marked out also. There will be several new Hobbit holes dotted along its length.

Click the pic below for three more photos!

"Hobbits" Were Separate Species, Skull Suggests

John Roach
for National Geographic News

January 23, 2009

The skull of the so-called hobbit discovered on the Indonesian island of Flores in 2003 suggests its owner was an archaic human ancestor, not a diminutive or diseased modern human, according to a new study.

(Read "The People Time Forgot: Flores Find" in National Geographic magazine.)

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The conclusion stems from a comparison of the skull to the noggins of modern humans and apes, as well as the fossil brain cases of early human ancestors.

"The shape of the skull is consistent with what we would expect for a small archaic Homo," said Karen Baab, a biological anthropologist at Stony Brook University in New York State. The genus Homo includes modern human beings as well as close relatives like Neanderthals and Home erectus.

Baab is the lead author of the study, published online in the Journal of Human Evolution.

(Related: Flores hobbit-like human picture gallery.)

Heady Debate

The paper is the latest volley in the debate over what, exactly, the tiny, 18,000-year-old fossils represent.

The hobbit, which was about the size of a modern three-year-old child, was originally hailed as belonging to a heretofore unknown species, Homo floresiensis. (Related: "'Hobbit' Human Was Unique Species, Wrist Bones Suggest" [September 20, 2007].)

Skeptical scientists have offered alternative identifications, suggesting, for example, that the hobbits were diminutive modern humans with a genetic disease that causes small brains, called microcephaly.

(Related: "'Hobbit' Humans Were Diseased Cretins, Study Suggests" [March 6, 2008].)

Abnormal or Just Uneven?

The new research focuses on the asymmetry—or unevenness—between the left and right sides of the hobbit's skull.

A paper published in 2006 concluded the skull is highly asymmetrical, consistent with abnormal development—a condition that would invalidate use of the skull to represent a new species.

The new study also finds the skull asymmetrical, but within the range of healthy human ancestors.

What unevenness exists, Baab said, can at least partially be explained by the process of fossilization.

Robert Eckhardt is a professor of developmental genetics and evolutionary morphology in the kinesiology department at Pennsylvania State University and co-author of the 2006 paper.

In an email, he dismissed the fossilization explanation and said the marked asymmetry "is strong evidence for developmental abnormality."

Robert Martin is the curator of biological anthropology at the Field Museum in Chicago, Illinois. He said, though the paper examines skull shape and size, it ignores the tiny, asymmetrical brain, which could be seen as evidence of microcephaly.

"Why does this individual have such a tiny brain?" he said.

"If it was three million years old, it wouldn't be a problem. The problem is it is only 18,000 years old and it sticks out like a sore thumb."