Estamos en el chat de Weta, que ya ha empezado, y vamos a intentar transcribir toda la conversación entre los fans y Peter Jackson/Guillermo del Toro. Podéis seguirlo refrescando esta página:
wetahost: Here`s the first question: 20 - Will you be doing less location shooting this time because your set builders, digital effects teams etc have become so proficient?
Peter_Jackson: We have them in a super exciting count down form and will start with Q20. We have chosen 1 questino but in the case of these 20 they represent many 100s of similar questins.
wetahost: 20 - Will you be doing less location shooting this time because your
set builders, digital effects teams etc have become so proficient?
Peter_Jackson: Middle-earth is location, with very few structures really. It`s a
natural countryside and that`s where a lot of shooting will take place.
Guillermo_del_Toro: Location will be favored and real set construction.
Guillermo_del_Toro: I love REAL set construction and think that sets are very important part of the storytelling and scope of a film...
bmeade: Are we starting?
Peter_Jackson: Hi bmead - we are underway, great for you to join us!
Guillermo_del_Toro: We are,. Welcome-
AnthonyPearson: What are your plans with the casting of Bilbo Baggins? Is Ian Holm still an option?
Guillermo_del_Toro: The fact that Ian Holm is SO memorable means that PJ, Fran and PB did their job right. We will utilize him in some fashion for sure but the difficulty of th erole will be better assesed after we do the script (s).
DavidPlaice: Will there be any locations outside New Zealand, e.g. the Welsh Marches for The Shire?
Peter_Jackson: Hi David - It is unlikely we will need any locations outside of NZ which has always been the perfect Middle Earth. there is nothing yet that tolkien has described that we haven`t managed to find in this amazing little country and I expect the Hobbit to be no different.
Guillermo_del_Toro: NOne being considered at the moment.
aust: Will Howard Shore be returning to do the score?
Guillermo_del_Toro: Yes- absolutely, Shore is teh VOICE of these films and we will absolutely be invited back. Peter and Fran have talked to him a couple of times already and Ive exchanged emails about the subject. He will return.
nolcai: Hello. Are you planning to use some location in italy?
Peter_Jackson: Hi nolcai it is unlikely we will shoot any of the Hobbit of Italy, but I would love come to Italy for a vacation, you should tell me the best places to visit.
Guillermo_del_Toro: Not really- But I love Italy...
Peter_Jackson: Lets go to Q19 now
wetahost: 19 - May i congratulate on your new appointment as director of The
Hobbit, Guillermo. My question is to Guillermo, what can we expect
from your vision and approach with this picture and I`m guessing there will be alot of dark elements to this film, but how far will you go in terms of horror and violence?
Guillermo_del_Toro: I hope that Mirkwood can be pretty scary but not graphic, I hope
Riddles in the dark has an element of fear and suspense and to be
deeply atmospheric but still allow the ingenious, engaging contest to
take place. And Smaug should be all shock and awe when he unleashes his
anger so, it will be pretty intense but not gorey.
icaroz: Will the Ring trilogy get a blu-ray release around the time of Hobbit? or sooner?
Peter_Jackson: Hi Icaroz - We are working on a blu ray version of the LOTR trilogy with Warner Bros at the moment, not sure when it is due for release. It certainly won`t be this year.
KenshinIV: What are the chances Ron Perlman will be voicing Smog?
Guillermo_del_Toro: At this time the voice of Smaug is down to a very few choices in my head and I have a completely specific one, Ron has a good chance but I have other plans for RP... we will see...
Galdor_Felagund: Will you use the Hobbit holes usd in LotR?
Peter_Jackson: Hi Galdor-Falagund - yes we hope with the permission of the land owner that we will rebuild Hobbiton bigger and even better than what it was for LOTR in exactly the same location
Peter_Jackson: Here is Q18
wetahost: 18 - Peter & Guillermo: What do you envision Gandalf`s role will be
in this film? He seems to go off on his own and disappear in several sections of the book. Do
you want to stay faithful to that or give him a more active role? How
do you think you`ll ingratiate his character into an effective,
cinematic storyline?
Guillermo_del_Toro: I believe that Gandalf is meant to be used in that way- coming and
going in and out of the narrative. If anything, this creates the
perfect setting for those “gaps” to be bridged by the second film…
mwilcox: Will you be filming the Hobbit in 3D?
Guillermo_del_Toro: At this stage it is too early to tell, but no plans are being made for that at the moment...
RSG1050: Mr. del Toro, have you started keeping a notebook of sketches on this film yet?
Guillermo_del_Toro: I have started already and shared some of the design a=ideas with Alan Lee and John Howe during a very excited lunch in London.
RobbieM: Will Ian McKellen return as Gandalf?
Guillermo_del_Toro: Absolutely!!
Peter_Jackson: Hi Robbie - absolutely
Peter_Jackson: Here comes Q17
wetahost: 17 - Dear Peter Jackson, I enjoyed your cameos in the LOTR movies,
Will you have a cameo in this Hobbit, and what character would you like
to play?
Peter_Jackson: I actually haven`t thought about it. My convention is to do cameos
in films I direct. I don`t know if that extends to films I produce. I
guess we`ll find out. I love Hobbits! I am a Hobbit, in very many
respects, as were my parents. Tolkien wrote about a type of people he
knew, in pre-war England, and somewhere along the line, he must have
bumped into my relatives!
Guillermo_del_Toro: Unllike Peter, I`m a Dwarf ( a coarse creature I am)- but I studiously avoid cameos…
Jessalyn: When do you expect filming to begin?
Peter_Jackson: Dear Jesslyn - at this point in time the plan is to write for the rest of this year and start early conceptual designs. 2009 will be dedicated to pre-production on both movies and 2010 will be the year we shoot both films back to back. Post productin follows one film at a time with The Hobbit being released Dec 2011, and F2 release Dec 2012. That is the schedule in about as much detail as we have ourselves at the moment.
Peter_Jackson: And Q16 ...
wetahost: 16- Peter: What was it about Guillermo that made you feel he was the
right guy to continue on the saga of Middle-earth? Are the two of
you on the same page for the vision, direction, and style that these movies will have? If the two of you disagree on a point, who wins out?
Peter_Jackson: I`ll talk more about this in a later question, but watching his films, he has
respect for fantasy. He understands it, he`s not frightened by it.
Guillermo also understands character, and how the power of any movie is
almost always linked to how closely we empathize with characters within
the story. His work shows great care and love for the main characters
he creates. He also has supreme confidence with design, and visual
effects. So many film makers are scared of visual effects - which is no
crime, but tough if you`re doing one of these movies!
If we disagree, the director has to win, because you should never force
a director to shoot something they don`t believe in. But we`re both
reasonably practical and ego-free, and I believe that if we disagree, we
both have the ability to
express our differing theorys - state our case, like lawyers - and
between us, work out what`s best for the movie.
Eriol: So what age rating are you aiming at?
Peter_Jackson: Hi Eriol - the rating will be the same as the Trilogy, PG13 on both movies
Guillermo_del_Toro: An intense PG-13...
Reguba: Will the Hobbit get an extended edition like LOTR?
Peter_Jackson: Dear Reguba - interesting Q. The truth (and this is the truth) is that you don`t plan for extended editions up front an extended edition is the result of left over scenes that have been deleted out of theatrical cut. In an ideal world the script is written lean and tight and therefore there are no scenes left on the cuttring room floor and therefore no extended edition. However when writing 3 epic LOTR films there was no way we could keep the writing process as lean, so the extended edition was a result of seeing our thought process during the writing and shooting play itself out on screen with scenes we no longer needed when we finally cut the films together. Whether there will be an extended edition of the Hobbit will depend entirely on the final theatrical cut and what we have left over.
Guillermo_del_Toro: That one is REALLY too early to answer... but being a DVD freak (now a B-Ray freak) I think that if you have enough alternative material you can make it accesible on DVD (or B-R) format... Is not a priori that one decides this.
Peter_Jackson: Now for Q15
wetahost: 15 - Will you be using the same production team ie. Special
effects, art directors, cinematographers, composer etc..
Guillermo_del_Toro: Many of them will be back. I will supplement the FX departments,
the design departments (with very interesting names), but the crew will utilize as many of the original elements as possible.
elffan9: Will we be seeing Legolas in Mirkwood?
Guillermo_del_Toro: We all think that this is a very interesting idea but the scripts are in process so- sorry,.. too early to tell.
Peter_Jackson: And now Q14
wetahost: 14 - In the Hobbit book, we have talking trolls and the Eagles and
Smaug talks as well, however in the LOTR Trilogy, trolls did no more
than grunt, Fellbeasts screamed, and the Eagles, who
were meant to talk, just stayed silent. How much will the portayle of
such animals change in the Hobbit?
Guillermo_del_Toro: I think it should be done exactly as in the book- the “talking beast”
motif has to exist already to allow for that great character that is
Smaug. It is far more jarring to have a linear movie and then – out of
the blue – a talking Dragon.
Yetzi: did you start casting for the 13 dwarves?
Guillermo_del_Toro: Nope- no catsing has started yet.
Guillermo_del_Toro: Casting- I mean... BUt some people have thrown their helmet in the ring.
Peter_Jackson: Hi Yetzi - no casting has commenced and won`t until the scripts are written. We have had chats with one or two ofthe LOTR actors however but the casting will be driven largely by the writing and it is impossible to cast 13 dwarves without knowing their personality and characters. We anticipate we won`t be in serious casting mode for these movies until well into next year.
Peter_Jackson: Now for Q13
wetahost: 13 - Hi. Do you intend to play this one by the Book (The Hobbit that
is) and make it a very light childrens tale on film, or do you plan to
stick with the much darker treatment- in keeping with
the LotR films - particularly the latter ones. My personal preference
would be for the latter - cannot see how eg. the Rivendell Elves could
regress from their nobility in LotR to those "...Tra-la-la-la...."
singing versions which wer in teh Hobbit Book. Thank you.
"Tra-la-la-la" singing
Guillermo_del_Toro: We’ll see about the “Tra-la-la-“ later- but the book, I believe, in
echoing the “loss of innocence” England experienced after WWI, is a
passage form innocence to a darker, more somber state- The visual /
thematic progression should reflect that in the camera style, color
palette, textural choices, etc.
Peter_Jackson: As I said earlier, I personally feel that The Hobbit can, and
should have a different tone. The "tone" of these stories shouldn`t be
defined by the pressure our characters were under in LOTR. The world is
a different place at the time of the Hobbit. The shadow is not so dark.
However, what should stay the same is the reality of Middle-earth, and
the integrity we bring to it as film makers.
Shane: Will the two movies be shot at the same time?
Guillermo_del_Toro: The idea is to shoot them "back to bacK" with a small break to breathe and to reconstruct certain sets and have time to reasses... But a schedule of a year is expecvted.
Peter_Jackson: Hi Shane - Yes the movies will be shot back to back and the shooting of the movie will be driven by which actors are working with us at a given time and what locations we are in. For instance, if we are shooting hObbiton scenes for Hobbit movies we would also shoot Hobbiton scenes for F2. So during our year of filming we will be shooting both movies at the same time out of sequence.
reel1: Hi, Guys. Was it intentional to release the first Hobbit film on the 10 year anniversary of FOTR?
Peter_Jackson: Dear Razor - No this is the first time I have actually thought about it ... that is nice I will claim credit for the idea from this day forward
Peter_Jackson: Q12 ....
wetahost: 12 - Peter: During production of the trilogy, there were days where
there were several filming crews working simultaneously, with
different people directing. Would you ever want to head up a crew and
direct the shooting of a scene for a day?
Peter_Jackson: Most directors prefer to direct everything themselves. I thought I
could on LOTR, but very quickly found out that the sheer scale
prevented it. Instead of a 15 month shoot, we would have shot for 3
years! Guillermo always shoots his own material, so we`ll do our best
to construct a schedule that allows him to do that. It will depend a
lot on how the scripts break down.
I`d happily shot some second unit stuff, anytime Guillermo asked me to. But
let`s see what happens.
Mr.Movie: Are you already go to New Zealand, Mr.Del Toro ?
Guillermo_del_Toro: Yes- Ive been actually been thyere already -secretly- shh- and will be there shortly after HELLBOY II opens and will be getting a LOT of frequent flyer miles in the next few months-
Peter_Jackson: Hi Greg - F2 is referring to Film 2
wetahost: 11 - Guillermo del Toro is an accomplished director. I just wondered
whether ok not, he will bring more prostetics, animatronics and
physical effects to the film, as he does with such films as Hellboy and Pan`s Labyrinth (which are great films by the way)? Or will Weta Digital still have their work cut out for them with VFX?
Peter_Jackson: Here comes Q11
Guillermo_del_Toro: I plan to mix CGI and PHYSICAL in such a way that your eye wonders which is which- keep you mind busy but NEVER allowing for the weaknesses of either tool to take over. Yes, I have, by trial and error, learned that both tools need to be mixed and how much they must
be mixed to succeed in creating environments and living creatures. WETA is the lead house, absolutely but we will expand the creature team and beef up the prosthetics team. Imagine a physical creature with a radio controlled muscle / facial system but with partial CGI
replacement on the head or mouth, etc and you’ll start to get the idea…
Guillermo_del_Toro: And now for the question...
Vampireta: So how was your first meeting with each other?
Peter_Jackson: Hi Vampierta - The first time I remember meeting Guillermo was at Bob Shay`s hosue during a LOTR party. Obviously at that time we had no concept of what the future held!!
Guillermo_del_Toro: We finished a tray of shrimps together and agreed that NEW LINE should keep hiring round, bearded directors with funny accents...
Peter_Jackson: Q10 ....
wetahost: 10- Hi there, thanks for giving this opportunity. my question: will
Alan Lee and John Howe be on board again? I really admire their work.
good luck for this project and have a lot of fun.
Guillermo_del_Toro: As aI said, I had a marvelous lunch with John and Alan in London a few days ago
and we all got very excited as we discussed my ideas on Smaug,
Mirkwood, etc They are most definetly back!
Peter_Jackson: Impossible to imagine it without them!
Trotter_the_Ranger: What will be the title for the second movie?
Guillermo_del_Toro: Too early- but not "H2 Electric Boogaloo" that has been discarded.
Peter_Jackson: Hi Trots - the second movie doesn`t have a title yet and probably won`t until we write the script. As you will see we have the incredibly boring name Film Two which I assure you will not last for very long. Just bear with us.
tigerlily: Hello Beren, as no bugger is going to answer our questons we may as well talk to eachj other! I guess we should have submitted questions earlier on as it seems they are being answered!!!
Peter_Jackson: Hi Tiger Lily - the buggers in Wgtn and London are wading through 6000 Q as best we can. Every Q answered represents a number of similar questions.
Guillermo_del_Toro: As they say in Family feud: "Survey Says:"
Peter_Jackson: Q 9 ...
wetahost: 9 - Peter, perhaps you could clarify what your role will be in the
production of these films: What exactly does an executive producer do?
Will you follow that model or "forge your own path?" How will
Guillermo`s role and your role be different? Do you plan on writing the
script again with Fran and Phillippa?
Peter_Jackson: Truth is "Executive Producers" do a range of things on movies from
a lot to virtually nothing! I see myself being one of a production
team. My interest is helping Guillermo make the very best films he can.
I love writing and I`m looking forward to that. Guillermo will be
writing, along with Fran, Philippa and myself. As a director, I could
never direct something I didn`t have a hand in writing, and we`re not
expecting Guillermo to do that either. If the director is part of the
writing, it means he was there when the discussions took place, story
decisions were made ... he knows why things are the way they are, and
what they need to achieve. Everything is in a script for a reason, and
only by being part of a writing team (or writing it yourself), do you
really understand the intention of every beat.
I see my role as being part of that writing team, which will create the
blueprint, and then helping Guillermo construct the movie. I want
Guillermo to make his movies, and I want to make sure we end up with a
5 movie series that`s as good as it can possibly be.
Merlkir: any ideas about the talking wargs? the wargs in hobbit are remarkably different from the "hyena" ones in the LOTR movies.
Guillermo_del_Toro: Absolutely: they will be different from the Hyena ones established in the Trilogy- they will be faithful to the creatures in the book and will be redesigned accordingly.
lordlinton: Loved the video diaries for King Kong, will you guys be doing something similar for the Hobbit?
Peter_Jackson: There is a lot of questions about production diaries for the internet - the truth is that Guillermo and I haven`t even discussed this topic yet, now do we have a real plan in place for the internet and DVD side of the film. You have to realise that although this was announced and is all round the world we are at the very beginning of the process just starting to think about the scripts. We are not trying to fob anyone off but we simply haven`t got that far in the process yet and it is a plan we will put into place during the course of 2009.
wetahost: 8 - I always thought creating Gollum would pose a great artisic
challenge to the artists whose job it would be to adapt the Lord of the
Rings. With the Hobbit I believe Smaug will pose one of the
great challenges. Now we have all seen dragons in movies. But for the
Hobbit I personally am excepting nothing less than unbelievable . Were
will you go for inspiration? What styles will the art dirction look
at? Personally I can see a lot being done with the setting from Pan`s
Labyrinth. Thank you and good luck to you all.
Guillermo_del_Toro: This is a big one-- Allow me to quote form my random responses at Onering.net…
I am a big Dragon fan. I`ve said it before- And I was fortunate
enough to be born a Dragon in the Chinese Horocope...
And although its always impossible to agree on the "greatest" of
anything, I bring forth these two as the main film contenders for that
title: Eyvind Earle / Disney`s Maleficent dragon ( a triumph of
elegance of color and design) and Vermitrax Pejorative from
Dragonslayer.
In my opinion, every other design has borrowed heavily from these two.
I plan to create something new and groundbreaking.
Smaug should not be "the Dragon in the Hobbit movie" as if it was just
"another" creature in a Bestiary. Smaug should be "The DRAGON" for all
movies past and present. The shadow he cast and the greed he comes to
embody- the "need to own" casts its long shadow and creates a thematic
/ dramatic continuity of sorts that articulates the story throughout-
In that respect, Smaug the CHARACTER is as important, if not more
important, than the design. The character will emerge form the writing-
and in that the Magnificent arrogance, intelligence, sophistication
and greed of Smaug shine through-
In fact, Thorin`s greed is a thematic extension of this and Bilbo`s
"Letting go" and his noble switching of sides when the dwarves prove to
be in the wrong is its conceptual counterpart (that is a hard one to
get through, Bilbo`s heroism is a quiet, moral one) and the thematic
thread reaches its climax in the Bilbo / Thorin death bed scene.
Anyway, back to Smaug: One of the main mistakes with talking dragons is
to shape the mouth like a snub Simian one in order to achieve a dubious
lip-synch. .. A point which eluded me particularly in Eragon, since
their link is a psychic one.
To me, Smaug is the perfect example of a great creature defined by its
look and design, yes, but also, very importantly, by his movement and
-One little hint- its environment - Think about it... the way he is
scaled, moves and is lit, limited or enhanced by his location, weather
conditions, light conditions, time of the year, etc. That`s all I can
say without spoilers but, if you keep this curious little summary
you`ll realize several years form now that those things I had in my
mind ever since doodling the character as a kid had solidified waaay
before starting the shoot of the film.
A big tool is also how and when he is fully revealed. I could give you
specifics- beat-by-beat in fact (I`m geeking out to do it), but...
I will say no more in order to save you from ruthless spoilerage (we
have a few years to go, you now...?) and increased anxiety.
Let me, however, say that this is actually one of the points I feel
most enthusiastic about.
As to his voice- well, each reader has a Smaug voice in his / her head,
just like you always do when "hearing" a great character in a book.
I have mine... and it will be revealed in time...
manuthevif: Guillermo, Will Peter be directing Hellboy 3 at some point?
Guillermo_del_Toro: Offers have been made but he remains elusive- we will be in talks soon.
swjedi18: Will be seeing The While Council in The Hobbit?
Peter_Jackson: Hi swjedi18 - To early to say before the scripts are written but it is definitely an idea we are discussing.
Guillermo_del_Toro: There`s a very good chance if the "gaps" are filled in some form in either narrative. Too early...
Peter_Jackson: Now for Q7
wetahost: 7 - how important is it to you to create overall consistency between
Peter`s LOTR films and Guillermo`s? in terms of the actors, look and
feel, scenery, score, fx -- is your aim to have
them stand on their own or sync up with the trilogy?
Guillermo_del_Toro: I believe that it’s a little bit of both- the world must feel like
the same world. The aspect ratio, music, essential established costume
and production design trademarks but I would love to bring a lot of new
flavours to the table. THE HOBBIT is, in essence, an overture to a
massive Symphonic work so main themes are reprised but new modulations
and new colors are introduced, thematically and texturally.
Peter_Jackson: I love Guillermo`s symphonic allusion. The "overture" can have a
different flavour, a different texture, yet be a carefully crafted
introduction to what`s to follow. Film Two is perfect to dramatise the
shift in Middle-earth that propells us into the dark days of LOTR. If LOTR is World War One, then the Hobbit is like an Edwardian
adventure tale, set in the days before world notices the looming storm
clouds.
Junaid: Is The Hobbit harder or easier than LOTR to adapt as a script?
Peter_Jackson: Hi Junaid - Both are equally difficult to be completely honest. The Hobbit has its own unique problems, different to those of LOTR.
Guillermo_del_Toro: Not easy- I tell you that-
eter_Jackson: Here comes Q6 ...
wetahost: 6 - Will Weta be releasing figures for this film like it did with
Kong and Narnia?
Guillermo_del_Toro: I would hope so!! I want them all!!
Galdor_Felagund: How does Christopher Tolkien feel about the two new films?
Peter_Jackson: Hi Galdor - Christopher Tolkien did not wish to be involved in the LOTR movies and I would assuem his feelings are the same with these two films. I totally respect him for that since he is looking after the legacy of his father`s books and does not wish to be involved in someone else`s interpretation of those stories.
Peter_Jackson: Here comes Q5
wetahost: 5 - Having recently reread the Hobbit with my children, it strikes me
that the Hobbit contains a fairly linear story that doesn`t necessarily
follow the "three act" formula typical of movies. What do you see as
the biggest challenge adapting the story to the big screen?
Guillermo_del_Toro: There are so many- I am all for trying to preserve every idiosyncrasy
the novel has- the very things that seem “unfilmable” and that – in my
mind- will make it thrilling as a film. The novel is much, much more
inventive and dislocated in its narrative (Bilbo being hit by a rock
during the Battle) than you may think at first. I think that you can
treat a classic like a museum piece –stuffed and mounted- or you can
make it a living, breathing narrative that is unfolding right then and
there.
Peter_Jackson: Structure is important in film, but as Guillermo says, there`s
often structure to be found in the most unlikely of places! It`s quite
possible to build a structured story and retain idiosyncrasy. It`s
going to be part of the joy of writing this.
Lukas-Eldarion: Will you do another chat later on in the process?
Guillermo_del_Toro: Gladly- gladly- Im in!!
Peter_Jackson: Hi Lukas - we would love to this has been a lot of fun. Let us just get the last of the official questions out because we are working down to the most popular ones in the final few
Peter_Jackson: Now for Q4
wetahost: 4 - Will Gollum play a role in the second film? If not, any plans
to find a different role for Andy Serkis? Because, and I think most
will agree with me, everything is better with more Serkis.
Guillermo_del_Toro: Yes! As all of you know, Gollum has a rather fascinating arch to go through
and his alliance to Shelob or his period of imprisonment in
Thranduil`s, etc but it is early still- so early in fact that to reveal
more would tie our hands and be counterproductive.
Guillermo_del_Toro: There can never be "too much Andy"
Peter_Jackson: Now for Q 3
wetahost: 3 - Hello from New Orleans! What production challenges do you feel
will be different for The Hobbit and the sequel compared to the experience of making The LOTR?
Peter_Jackson: Yikes! Every film is a challenge. I always say that making a movie
is like film school - you`re always learning. But unlike most schools,
you never get done with it. You never learn everything. Over time, you
get to anticipate problems a little better - but new ones hit you. You
get to figure out solutions, but there are always extreme problems you
could never guess.
One of the things I`m going to enjoy in this experience, is that I`ll
be better placed to help anticipate the problems and fix them. When
you`re directing, you`re right at the coal face, always exhausted,
often emotional - and I`ll enjoy being a couple of steps back from that
and simply helping where I can. Having done it 3 times as director,
there`s a lot I know that can help smooth the way for Guillermo.
Peter_Jackson: And we will now do 2
wetahost: 2 - Hello Mr. Jackson and Mr. Del Toro! Thank you very much for this
time. My question is one that I think you will hear alot of from many
of us...from what material will you pulling the second movie from? I
know it`ll be great with you two on board, but I am mighty curious. I
am a huge fan of both of you and I look foward to more Tolkien films!
Guillermo_del_Toro: The idea is to find a compelling way to join THE HOBBIT and FELLOWSHIP
and enhance the 5 films both visually an in their Cosmology. There’s
omissions and material enough in the available, licensed material to
attempt this. The agreement is, however, that the second film must be
relevant and emotionally strong enough to be brought to life but that
we must try and contain the HOBBIT in a single film.
Peter_Jackson: I`m really looking forward to developing Film Two. It gives us a
freedom that we haven`t really had on our Tolkien journey. Some of you
may well say that`s a good thing of course! The Hobbit is interesting
in how Tolkien created a feeling of dangerous events unfolding, which
preoccupy Gandalf. There`s an awful lot of incident that happens during
that 60 year gap. At this stage, we`re not imagining a film that
literally covers 60 years, like a bio-pic or documentary. We would
figure out what happens during that 60 years, and choose one short
section of time to drop in and dramatise for the screen. I`m really
interested in how it effects The Hobbit - do we show what happens to
Gandalg during his trips away? We`ll see. We may well have seeds for
Film Two that we`ll subtly sow during The Hobbit.
Peter_Jackson: Lets do a few more random questions before the final grand question.
wetahost: Hi Guys my question comes in two parts. Firstly will we notice a
significant shift in visual style from LOTR
to the Hobbit due to Guillermo`s unique asthetic? And if so will there
be a complete re-imagining in the design of places seen in both books
(ie Bag End and Rivendell) due to this differing style?
Guillermo_del_Toro: GDT The basic designs, the preestablished designs will be only “updated” insofar as the epoch difference. Half a century more or less which in Middle Earth terms is not that much but- think about how much our world has changed from – say 2001 to now… The new settings and designs should blend in enough not to feel like a completely different world but yes, the movies are bound to have some distinctive stylistic imprint.
wetahost: Gentlemen, a two part question. 1st, shooting on film or HD? 2nd,
scope or flat?
Guillermo_del_Toro: I normally use 1:85 but I thoroughly plan to respect Peter’s choice of format used in the Trilogy (2:35:1) but it is my intention, for now, to shoot this on film, not HD.
wetahost: How will the new Gollum differ from the
Gollum of the LOTR trilogy, if at all?
Guillermo_del_Toro: Once again, only in the passage of time (he’s half a century “younger”) but it will be Andy and the established design will be our Template
wetahost: Will the Mirkwood Elves be different from
the Rivendell Elves of the LOTR trilogy?
Guillermo_del_Toro: That is definetly my intention but I cannot reveal anymore at the moment.
wetahost: Considering that you`re stretching The Hobbit into 2 movies can we assume that Beorn will be featured and
will not be given the Tom Bombadil treatment?
Guillermo_del_Toro: I may be in the minority, but I absolutely LOVE Beorn and I intend to feature him in the films. BTW I also like TB quite a bit…
wetahost: I would love to know how you are going to
deal with goblins in the movie. Will they look like the smaller orcs
in the
LOTR movies or are you going to make a completely new design?Also
will everything look like it did in the LOTR movies or will you be
redesigning it to fit your vision?
Guillermo_del_Toro: This is an area in which I hope we can expand and enhance a LOT from the established designs in the Trilogy. I plan to come up with a very strong, new treatment for the Goblins. I also think the Wargs should be readdressed for their role in The HOBBIT.
wetahost: One thing I love about watching movies
from different film makers is seeing their own visions put on
screen. But since these HOBBIT movies are
being made to tie in with the LOTR series, does this mean Mr. Del
Toro`s wonderfully imaginitive vision will be limited to follow the
rules set up by Mr. Jackson?
Guillermo_del_Toro: It is my privilege to roam through roads previously traced but I definetly intend to take you to new and exciting places that the Trilogy did not explore. Nevertheless it is our intention that, once done, the 5 films will play like a symphonic work that seamlessly transports you through this world.
wetahost: Hi there,i`m Beren from Romania and i`d
like to ask Mr. GDT if he plans to use(as PJ did) extensive matte
paintings
and "big-atures" to portray the vast panoramas and cities of
Middle-earth or the more simpler CG effects?Thanks and cheers.
Guillermo_del_Toro: Peter and I both love “old school” techniques. I adore physical miniatures and try to use them as much as I can and have a bit of a fetish about that. Matte Paintings and “Big-atures” will definetly be in these.
wetahost: Question for Guillermo, assuming they are all returning to write the screenplay, will you be writing alongside Peter, Philippa and Fran also?
Guillermo_del_Toro: I intend to. Their input in the literary creation of the screenplay is a must. I depend on them and expect to spend many delightful months wandering through Middle Earth.
Peter_Jackson: Writing a screen play with a group of collaborators is like the Lennon McCartney collaboration .... sometimes one or two people do more than others on certain parts of the process and vice versa, it all comes out in the wash and we share equal credit in what everyone has done, with 4 of us we will be able to divide the work up in interesting ways and everyone will be able to help craft these films.
wetahost: I`d comment on the awesomeness of director
choice, but I`m sure that gets old. Concerning The Hobbit and the numerous Dwarves, I was wondering if all of them are going to find their way into the film. In Lord of the Rings, you had 9 in the Fellowship, but you had three movies to flesh them out. In the Hobbit, you have 13 Dwarves and one film to throw them all in. I`m definitely hoping to see all 13 make their way in, but what are you doing about this?
Guillermo_del_Toro: Tolkien wrote 13 dwarves and I intend to use 13 dwarves. I am, in fact, thrilled to keep them all and have them be distinguishable and affecting as characters. Much of the drama and emotion in the last third of the book and film will come from them.
wetahost: Guiilermo, I have always thought of you as a visionary director, and I love your work- could you please tell me what was the deciding factor that made you agree to direct The Hobbit?
Guillermo_del_Toro: Of all of Tolkien literary work I was only familiar with THE HOBBIT. I purchased it at age 11 and it struck a chord with me but, back then, I failed to connect with the Trilogy and the Silmarillion (Which now I find delectable) eluded me. I found them –unlike the HOBBIT- to be “too dense” for my young mind. I dreamt of Mirkwood and Smaug for ages (in fact, a Smaug-like dragon was scripted as part of the “fairy tale” Ophelia narrates to her brother in PANS LABYRINTH and was sculpted but was cut for budget reasons) but when I saw Peter undertake the Trilogy I thought thet the HOBBIT would never come to be for me. The proposition of spending half a decade crafting these films received- as Peter will atest- a 5 second “YES” from me. To people in my industry I’m usually a guy that tries to generate his own projects and I remain very elusive when people try and attach me to big projects. For decades I have passed on films of enormous scope but this is a fantastic privilege and I immediately said “Yes”.
wetahost: My question is, when Del Toro has acknowledged his disdain for
Hobbits and "sword and sandals" fantasy, how can he do justice to the
movie? Why can`t Peter direct it himself after The Lovely Bones? He can
direct these 2 movies and then direct the 3rd Tintin movie.
Peter_Jackson: Writing a screen play with a group of collaborators is like the Lennon McCartney collaboration .... sometimes one or two people do more than others on certain parts of the process and vice versa, it all comes out in the wash and we share equal credit in what everyone has done, with 4 of us we will be able to divide the work up in interesting ways and everyone will be able to help craft these films.
wetahost: I`d comment on the awesomeness of director
choice, but I`m sure that gets old. Concerning The Hobbit and the numerous Dwarves, I was wondering if all of them are going to find their way into the film. In Lord of the Rings, you had 9 in the Fellowship, but you had three movies to flesh them out. In the Hobbit, you have 13 Dwarves and one film to throw them all in. I`m definitely hoping to see all 13 make their way in, but what are you doing about this?
Guillermo_del_Toro: Tolkien wrote 13 dwarves and I intend to use 13 dwarves. I am, in fact, thrilled to keep them all and have them be distinguishable and affecting as characters. Much of the drama and emotion in the last third of the book and film will come from them.
wetahost: Guiilermo, I have always thought of you as a visionary director, and I love your work- could you please tell me what was the deciding factor that made you agree to direct The Hobbit?
Guillermo_del_Toro: Of all of Tolkien literary work I was only familiar with THE HOBBIT. I purchased it at age 11 and it struck a chord with me but, back then, I failed to connect with the Trilogy and the Silmarillion (Which now I find delectable) eluded me. I found them –unlike the HOBBIT- to be “too dense” for my young mind. I dreamt of Mirkwood and Smaug for ages (in fact, a Smaug-like dragon was scripted as part of the “fairy tale” Ophelia narrates to her brother in PANS LABYRINTH and was sculpted but was cut for budget reasons) but when I saw Peter undertake the Trilogy I thought thet the HOBBIT would never come to be for me. The proposition of spending half a decade crafting these films received- as Peter will atest- a 5 second “YES” from me. To people in my industry I’m usually a guy that tries to generate his own projects and I remain very elusive when people try and attach me to big projects. For decades I have passed on films of enormous scope but this is a fantastic privilege and I immediately said “Yes”.
wetahost: My question is, when Del Toro has acknowledged his disdain for
Hobbits and "sword and sandals" fantasy, how can he do justice to the
movie? Why can`t Peter direct it himself after The Lovely Bones? He can
direct these 2 movies and then direct the 3rd Tintin movie.
Guillermo_del_Toro: Okay- If by “Sword and Sandal” you mean “Sword and Sorcery” I stand by the general lines of my statement in 2006. But allow me to reproduce the following paragraph from ONERING.net and expand it-
Since the age of 4 I became an avid reader and collector of books; manuscripts, pamphlets, first editions, small press or worn-down paperbacks... they all find a home at my library which has grown so cumbersome and obtrusive that I had to move to a separate home from the family one...
For many decades my main area of interest has been horror fiction: Algernon Blackwood, Arthur Machen, MR James, LeFanu, etc and classic Fairy tales and literature about the engines of Myth: unabridged Grimm, Andersen, Wilde, Bettelheim, Tatar, etc
Now and then I indulge in Science Fiction (not hardware oriented but more humanistic things) and thus I count Bradbury, Ellison, Sturgeon and Matheson amongst my favorites.
My area of interest gets much narrower when we deal with another genre... the genre that is shelved under Fantasy.
As a youngster I read Moorcock, Clark Ashton Smith, Lord Dunsany, Lloyd Alexander, Fritz Leiber, Marcel Schwob, RE Howard and a few others.
Nevertheless I was never propelled into an aleatory addiction to sub-genres like Sword & Sorcery or indiscriminate fantasies about magical this or that- Like any other genre or subgenre there`s a great abundance that makes it hard to discern when a new "trilogy" or "chronicle" comes from as genuine a place as Tolkien`s or derives from genuine fervor -religious or otherwise- like C.S. Lewis` did.
But here I am now: reading like a madman to catch up with a whole new land, a continent of sorts- a Cosmology created by brilliant philologist turned Shaman.
As if he grasped an existing universe outside our Platonic cave, Tolkien channels an entire world, weaving expertly from myth and lore. The oustanding virtue is that all this scholarly erudition doesn`t reduce his tales to mere Taxidermy. He achieves an Alchemy all of his own: he writes new life in the freshly sculpted clay of his creatures.
I have, through the years become familiar with the very roots of Tolkien`s myths and the roots of Fafhrd or Elric or Hyperborea and many a time I have relished the intricate ways in which demonic wolves, shape-shifter and spindly-limbed pale warriors can be woven into those many tales that become, at the end, the single tale, the single saga- that of what is immortal in us all.
In creating Pan`s Labyrinth I drank deep of the most rigid form of Fairy Lore and tried to contextualize the main recurrent motifs in an instinctive rhyme between the world of fantasy and the delusions of War and Politics (the grown man`s way of playing make-believe) and in re-reading THE HOBBIT just recently I was quite moved by discovering, through Bilbo`s eyes the illusory nature of possession, the sins of hoarding and the banality of war- whether in the Western Front or at a Valley in Middle Earth. Lonely is the mountain indeed.
When that statement was made- at different times during PANS LABYRINTH’s promotion, many a time I made the distinctive call to say that althought I had not read Tolkien outside THE HOBBIT I had been fascinated by the Trilogy films. A statement that I already had the chance to make in 2005 when PJ, Fran and I met about HALO.
So, no, generally I am NOT a “Sword and Sorcery” guy or a “Fantasy” guy- By the same token, I`m not a sci-fi guy but I would make a film based on Ellison in a second- or on Sturgeon or Bradbury or Matheson. I`m not into Barbarians with swords but i would kill to tackle Fafhrd and Grey Mouse... and so on and so forth... I`m a believer but not a Dogmatic.
Allow me to put a final, finer point to our discussion. The aesthetics of HELLBOY II are completely Pop and color-saturated, much more comic book / modern than I would ever use in THE HOBBIT but- I spend two years creating a world of Fairies, Elves, Trolls, etc
Two Years. A career / creative decision that precedes any inkling of THE HOBBIT. I wrote the script years before I met with PJ or Fran. In other words I dedicated the last 6 years of my career (between PL and HBII) to create Fantastical world inhabited by Fairies, Fauns, Ogres, Trolls, Elves, etc
In that respect- I guess I am a Fantasy guy when the particular world appeals to me. Back in the Jurassic Period (1992 / 1993) when CRONOS won the Critic’s Week at Cannes I was referred to as an “art house guy”- I followed that with a giant cockroach movie that proved successful enough to spawn two sequels and allow me to co-finance THE DEVILS BACKBONE which send me back to being an “art house guy”. Then I did BLADE II and people thought of me as an “Action guy”- PJ went through a similar mercurial career with HEAVENLY CREATURES, BAD TASTE, DEAD ALIVE, etc I squirm away from a tag and I hope I can avoid being just a “Fantasy guy” after PL, HBII and H…
I do the tales I love (regardless of what shelf Barnes & Noble classifies the book under) and I love the HOBBIT.
I love it enough to give it half a decade of my life and move half a world away to do it.
Peter_Jackson: Having directed the LOTR Trilogy, I really felt that I put my heart and
soul into dramatising this world and story, only a few years ago. The idea
of going back in and essentially competing against my own movies, seemed to
be an unsatsifying way to spend the next 5 years. However, I love Tolkien
and care deeply about the movies we made. I couldn`t bear the idea of
somebody else making them without our involvement. Being a writer and
producer is the perfect way for me to work here. Guillermo has the ultimate
responsibility of directing, and for him it`s easier to make these movies
feel different, simply because he`s not me, and he therefore has an original
vision, with new ideas to offer.
Believe me, I thought long and hard about this, and what we`re doing here
will result in better movies, I promise you. And that`s all that counts!
Peter_Jackson: OK we are almost done here folks and we have our last Q which was the most popular Q from the 1000s of people who sent Qs in advance.
wetahost: 1 - Which of the actors from LOTR will be back to reprise their roles
in The Hobbit and its companion film?
Guillermo_del_Toro: Obviously, at this stage, the second film is still being figured out-
so the actors that have been approached may or not have appeared in the
HOBBIT as a literary work but still may appear in the second film as it
“blends” into the Trilogy and expands. Therefore what can be said is:
Unequivocally, every single actor that originated a role in the Trilogy
will be asked to participate and reprise it. If Health, availability
or willigness become obstacles – and only in that case recasting would
be considered.
Peter_Jackson: Like Guillermo says, apart from extreme circumstances, we would
never recast a character who appeared in the LOTR trilogy. You can read
The Hobbit and pretty much see which characters play a part. The
unknown facter is Film Two, which we are still developing. If we wished
to write one of the LOTR characters into the narrative of Film Two, we
would only do that with that actors blessing, and willingess to take
part. Otherwise we`d take the writing in another direction.
Guillermo_del_Toro: Time is up-
But I can proudly say that only a FEW asked "How can I be an extra?" so my heart swell withy pride with the many questions that you were kind enough to submit- More chats and wandering in the message boards await us- See you soon...
Peter_Jackson: So that is it for us for this morning or this evening, or middle of the night wherever you are. We are sorry that is all we could get through but we did try to have each of the Qs represent similar things that many of you have asked. So hopefully it gives you a little bit of info. As I said the truth is there are a lot of unanswered Qs for us as well at this stage of the process. We will know a lot more once the scripts are written which is the next job that we will be doing and it will take most of the rest of this year I imagine. Hope this has been helpful and thank you for all the incredible support now and in years gone by. Best wishes, Peter J.
Guillermo_del_Toro: May the hair on your toes, etc-
Peter_Jackson: The transcript of this chat will be available here on the Weta site in a few hours time. Everyone here at Weta is looking foward to continuing this relationship with you throughout the hobbit experience and there are a lot of fun surprises to come over the next 4 years.
Guillermo_del_Toro: Viva WETA and the many "toys" they make! And may Cthulhu give me more shelves to put them on...
Bueno, eso es todo. De todos modos, copiaremos la transcripción "oficial" que se publicará en la página de Weta dentro de unas horas. Bien, ¿qué os ha parecido? ¿Alguien se anima a traducirlo para aquellos que no sepan inglés?
Confirmando en parte lo que ya sabíamos, pero añadiendo algunos detalles, Peter Jackson ha hablado con la revista Empire. Al parecer, El Hobbit (que comenzará a rodarse en Wellington el próximo año 2010) será una única película presentada en dos partes, y no dos películas independientes autocontenidas como se pensaba hasta ahora.
Cuando el proyecto se anunció en 2007, el plan era realizar dos películas: la primera basada totalmente en El Hobbit, y parte de la historia (junto con otros escritos de J.R.R. Tolkien) serviría para dar pie a la segunda película, que iba a ser el nexo entre El Hobbit y la trilogía de El Señor de los Anillos. Pero Jackson ha dicho que El Hobbit va a ocupar las dos películas: "Hemos decidido que sería un error intentar comprimir todo en una sola película [...]. En esencia, lo que se pretendía era hacer El Hobbit, y esto nos permitirá realizarlo, si lo preferís así, en un estilo más parecido a la trilogía [de El Señor de los Anillos]".
Pero hay algunos detalles que aún no han comentado ni Guillermo del Toro ni Peter Jackson. Se supone que, por estas fechas, ya debían haber terminado el guión de las dos películas, pero si han tomado esta decisión y la comunican ahora, mucho nos tememos que llevan bastante retraso (es decir, que hasta ahora no han conseguido que todo El Hobbit encaje en dos películas). Además, para confirmar esto, recordemos que el año pasado Del Toro dijo que esperaban empezar con el reparto (casting) a finales de 2008, y que esperaban darnos alguna sorpresa. Pero de momento, no se ha hablado absolutamente nada de esto de manera oficial. Ni siquiera Ian McKellen, quien con casi toda seguridad volverá a encarnar a Gandalf el Gris, ha dicho que esté confirmado al 100% (ni ninguno de los actores de la trilogía que pudieran tener un papel en El Hobbit, como pudieran ser Hugo Weaving - Elrond - o Cate Blanchett - Galadriel). De hecho, incluso Christopher Lee - Saruman - parece dispuesto a rodar siempre que no le hagan viajar a Nueva Zelanda. Pero, ¿han empezado realmente a pensar ya en el reparto, o siguen intentando encajar el libro de Tolkien (y sus propias invenciones, podemos darlo por sentado) dentro de dos películas? Todo indica que es esto último. Habrá que esperar...
... y no todo lo que dice os va a gustar. El guión está entregado a la productora, pero las fechas de rodaje y de estreno conocidas hasta ahora no son válidas, pues no hay anuncio oficial de ningún tipo. Y seguimos sin conocer a Bilbo.El guión de la segunda película de El Hobbit está terminado y entregado a la productora, según ha confirmado el propio Peter Jackson (uno de los cuatro guionistas, junto con el que será director de las dos películas, Guillermo del Toro, y sus anteriores colaboradoras en El Señor de los Anillos, Fran Walsh y Philippa Boyens) en una entrevista a Moviefone. En esta completísima entrevista, Peter Jackson confirma algunos rumores (y temores) que traen de cabeza a los fans.
El primero y principal: La semana pasada, Jackson y los demás guionistas han entregado el primer borrador del guión de la segunda película, con lo que la productora ya tiene los dos guiones. Esto supone que ¡por fin! la productora (Metro Goldwing Mayer, con enormes problemas financieros actualmente) está en disposición de dar luz verde al proyecto (o no). Pero atención a lo que dice Peter Jackson: hasta ahora, no había fecha oficial de comienzo de rodaje, ni de estreno de las películas, ya que el estudio no ha dado luz verde al proyecto. Por tanto, los rumores sobre si el rodaje iba a empezar en mayo, en junio o en septiembre, son falsos. Mientras el estudio no anuncie oficialmente que el proyecto va a realizarse, ni siquiera podemos estar seguros de que el rodaje vaya a comenzar, y menos a corto plazo (seguid leyendo).
Y esto nos lleva al segundo gran anuncio que se esconde en esta entrevista: Ni siquiera las fechas de estreno "conocidas" hasta ahora, deben ser tenidas en cuenta. Se suponía que las dos películas de El Hobbit se estrenarían en diciembre de 2011 y diciembre de 2012, respectivamente. Bien: olvidadlo por ahora. Hasta que no tengamos la deseada "luz verde" del estudio (si es que la MGM logra salir de su bancarrota, no lo olvidemos) no vamos a saber cuándo se estrenarán, previsiblemente, estas películas.
"Todo se está retrasando un poquito" dice Jackson, y añade que "la gente parece creer que se ha hecho algún tipo de casting secreto", pero no es así. "Estamos en el proceso de presupuestar las películas, y espero que consigamos un presupuesto con el que el estudio esté contento, y entonces ellos den luz verde a las películas, para poder anunciar las fechas del rodaje. Siendo optimista, creo que estaremos ya rodando a finales de año. Imagino que en octubre o noviembre, pero no lo estoy anunciando", dice prudentemente.
Al preguntarle a Peter Jackson sobre el reparto de la película, y sobre todo, si tienen ya al actor que interpretará a Bilbo Bolsón, Jackson da una pista sobre cuánto más vamos a tener que esperar hasta que el estudio haga un anuncio oficial: "Imagino" - dice Jackson - "que si el estudio nos da luz verde el próximo mes o dentro de dos meses, entonces espero que podamos hacer algunos anuncios del reparto, supongo, alrededor de mediados de año". Fijaos que ni siquiera habla de Bilbo. Esperemos que esos "algunos anuncios" que espera poder hacer allá por junio o julio (si es que eso es "mediados de año") no sean los ya conocidos de Gandalf, Elrond o Galadriel, porque los fans pueden montar en cólera... Pero habrá que esperarse incluso eso, porque Jackson comenta también que ni siquiera esos actores están ya seleccionados oficialmente...
En otro orden de cosas, Jackson se ha permitido una especie de broma o licencia, al afirmar que conoce al actor que sería el perfecto Bilbo, pero que es imposible: una versión joven de Ian Holm. Afirma haber visto películas de cuando Ian Holm tenía 30 años, y le considera ideal para el papel... pero claro, hoy día Ian Holm (con casi 80 años) no puede interpretar al joven Bilbo. Es gracioso que lo comente, pero también lógico (para no ofender a Holm ni a ningún otro candidato al papel) y desde luego, no resuelve nada a estas alturas.
En fin, ahí tenéis las declaraciones de Peter Jackson, y son mucho más "oficiales" que todos los rumores que hemos tenido en los últimos meses... desde que se anunció que Jackson, Del Toro, Walsh y Boyens iban a empezar a escribir el guión. ¿Qué os parece?
El director neozelandés Peter Jackson no descarta dirigir él mismo El hobbit tras haber abandonado el proyecto el realizador mexicano Guillermo del Toro por los retrasos y problemas financieros de la productora.Arbedain nos ha enviado el enlace a esta noticia publicada en Noticias Yahoo!, que "anarroseamos" (o sea, que reproducimos íntegramente) a continuación:
"Si eso es lo que tengo que hacer para proteger la inversión de Warner Brothers, obviamente ése es uno de los ángulos que miraré", afirmó en una entrevista publicada hoy por el diario local "Dominion Post".
No obstante, el responsable de la trilogía de "El señor de los anillos" recordó que ha firmado contratos como guionista y director para dos películas con estudios de Hollywood que posiblemente no den su visto bueno.
En cualquier caso, Jackson confió en que la salida de Del Toro no acabe con la película, de la que es productor ejecutivo junto a su esposa Fran Walsh.
"No queremos dejar que esto afecte a nuestro progreso. La clave es que no queremos dar por cerrado el proyecto", que se podría empezar a filmar en noviembre si para entonces han hallado un nuevo director, añadió el director "kiwi".
Del Toro anunció ayer su marcha de "El hobbit" porque el rodaje se encuentra en punto muerto desde hace meses por los problemas financieros de la productora Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM), que comparte los derechos con Warner Brothers.
MGM tiene una deuda de 3.700 millones de dólares y está sometida al control de una serie de fondos de capital riesgo que exigen reducir costes y se oponen a una ampliación de capital que podría acelerar el proyecto.
"El hobbit" tiene previsto su estreno para 2012, pero según Del Toro, necesita al menos 300 días de rodaje durante dos veranos australes en Nueva Zelanda, el país natal de Jackson y donde se rodó toda la saga de "El señor de los anillos".
La falta de opciones para encontrar un director hace que PJ sopese hacerse con las riendas.El Hollywood Reporter, en su blog Heatvision, anuncia que Peter Jackson se encuentra estos días en negociaciones con Warner y New Line para hacerse cargo de la dirección de las películas de El Hobbit. Los problemas para este proyecto tienen su orígen en la situación económica en la que se encuentra la MGM, la cual ha dado lugar a numerosos retrasos en la producción de las películas. Hace unas semanas saltaba la noticia de la renuncia del director Guillermo Del Toro por dichos retrasos (aunque sigue participando en la escritura del guión), y a estas alturas hasta el mexicano tiene ya nuevo proyecto, una nueva adaptación de Van Helsing.
Viendo que otros posibles candidatos como Sam Raimi (tiene previsto estrenar en 2013 la adaptación del videojuego Warcraft) y el último nombre que había sonado Neill Blomkamp (tiene preparado Elysium para 2012), también parece haberse retirado de la terna, deja muy pocas posibilidades de encontrar un director que se comprometa para los próximos años. Esto podría haber hecho que Peter Jackson cambie su postura para tomar la dirección de la nave, recordemos que PJ está preparando la producción de una de las películas de Tintín. Los próximos días parecen ser claves para el rumbo de El Hobbit.
Peter Jackson decía esto hace unas semanas en un diario neozelandés: "Si eso es lo que tengo que hacer para proteger la inversión de Warner
Bros. entonces es obviamente una posibilidad que estudiaré". Además mantenía las fechas de estreno de las películas, diciembre de 2012 y 2013.
Siete sindicatos de actores hacen boicot contra El Hobbit, y Peter Jackson amenaza con llevarse la producción a Europa.Esto parece el cuento de nunca acabar. Cuando por fin parecía que algo se empezaba a mover en la dirección correcta para sacar las películas de El Hobbit adelante, llegan las noticias de estos días. Algunos no lo podréis creer, pero siete sindicatos de actores de Estados Unidos, Australia, Reino Unido y Canadá han recomendado a sus afiliados que no firmen ningún contrato para rodar El Hobbit. Tan crudo como lo estáis leyendo. Y para colmo esta recomendación ha sido secundada por la Federación Internacional de Actores y sindicatos tan importantes como al SAG.
¿Y qué ha llevado a los sindicatos de actores a algo así? Pues que los productores de las precuelas se han negado a firmar un acuerdo con los artistas locales de Nueva Zelanda. ¿Y por qué? Pues por la crisis, para variar: La MGM no tiene dinero para garantizar el salario o unas condiciones de trabajo válidas a los actores (al menos, por el momento) e incluso no garantizan un pago en compensación, en caso de que finalmente se cancelaran las películas. O sea, que la MGM no puede pagar por ahora, y los actores han dicho que así, ni se molesten en llamar.
De hecho, los sindicatos han ordenado a sus afiliados (que, al parecer, incluirían a actores como Cate Blanchett o Andy Serkis, Galadriel y Gollum en la trilogía de El Señor de los Anillos) no sólo que no firmen, sino que les informen de cualquier movimiento o contacto de los productores. Y a los que firmen sin hacer caso de lo que ordenan los sindicatos, se les castigará suspendiendo al afiliado, multándolo o incluso expulsándolo de su sindicato.
Pero no se vayan todavía, aún hay más. ¿Qué ha respondido Peter Jackson a todo esto? Recordemos que, hoy por hoy, Peter Jackson se ha convertido en la única esperanza que le queda a El Hobbit de salir adelante. Bien, pues Jackson, lejos de amilanarse, ha amenazado con llevarse la producción allí donde los sindicatos no tienen nada que decir. Ha criticado que "es muy fácil ondear la bandera en favor de los trabajadores y apuntar a los grandes estudios", lo que a su juicio están haciendo dichos sindicatos, y que "las “demandas” de la MEAA no son razonables ni pueden ser consideradas - por ley - y que por tanto las únicas opciones que quedan serían cancelar El Hobbit, o más probablemente llevar la producción a Europa. Esto podría ocurrir muy fácilmente. Me han contado que Disney no va a hacer tampoco más películas en Australia precisamente por lo frustrante de la actitud de la MEAA". Si se llevara la producción de Nueva Zelanda, Jackson avisa que eso dejaría a su país "en el más completo ridículo internacional en el ámbito cinematográfico", y que así "comenzará un largo período de sequía cinematográfica en el país, puesto que no se darán rodajes de envergadura en muchos años". Y si lleva razón, la economía Neozelandesa podría verse muy afectada, pues dejaría de ser un paraíso para las producciones cinematográficas (lo cual empezó, precisamente, con El Señor de los Anillos).
¿Qué os parece todo esto? ¿Acabarán alguna vez los problemas? ¿Podría rodarse El Hobbit en Europa, de la mano de Peter Jackson?
En efecto, ya es oficial: En una nota de prensa, New Line y Warner Bros. han anunciado que: EL GANADOR DEL OSCAR PETER JACKSON DIRIGIRÁ THE HOBBIT (EL HOBBIT) EN DOS ENTREGAS, que además serán en 3D.
Y es que en realidad, hasta este momento (aunque muchos no podáis creerlo) nada de todo eso era seguro. Aquí habíamos comentado hasta la saciedad que El Hobbit se haría en 2 partes; que tras la marcha de Guillermo del Toro (quien, por cierto, no ha dirigido nada desde hace mucho tiempo... y seguro que ahora está pensando que podría haber esperado un poquito más) sería Peter Jackson el director... pero nada de esto era oficial hasta hoy.
La nota de prensa en inglés la podéis leer en TheOneRing.net, pero aquí os resumimos los aspectos más importantes:
El rodaje comenzará, en efecto, en febrero de 2011, y las películas se estrenarán en el formato de moda, en Digital 3-D, usando cámaras y la última tecnología estereoscópica para crear una experiencia de altísima calidad y de agradable visualización. Los productores están muy felices de contar con Peter Jackson como director, puesto que para ellos es una garantía de éxito (bueno, vale, esto no lo dicen en la nota de prensa), y se deshacen en elogios hacia el director neozelandés, que volverá a llevarnos a la Tierra Media junto con Gandalf y Bilbo... aunque aún no sepamos quién serán los actores que los interpretarán (de nuevo: lo de Ian McKellen aún no está confirmado oficialmente, aunque parece bastante seguro).
New Line gestionará la producción, Warner Bros Pictures llevará la distribución en EEUU y la MGM la distribución internacional. Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh y Carolynne Cunningham también producirán los filmes, con Phillippa Boyens como co-productora y Ken Kamins como productor ejecutivo.
Poco más se puede sacar de la nota de prensa, pero es tranquilizador (para quienes queremos ver las películas, que habrá gente que no opina igual) tener, al fin, confirmada la luz verde, y la primera fecha (el inicio del rodaje). Pero no hay más: ni presupuesto de las películas, ni fechas de estreno, ni actores, ni nada. Luego dirán que nos alimentamos de rumores... pero es que, a falta de pan... ;-)
Peter Jackson nos muestra en un nuevo vídeo en Facebook los preparativos del rodaje de El Hobbit, algunos escenarios e incluso algún ensayo de una escena muy esperada por todos.Lo prometido es deuda, como dice el propio Peter Jackson en su página de Facebook. Hace unos días anunció que iba a publicar el primer vídeo desde el set de rodaje de El Hobbit, y acaba de hacerlo. Dura aproximadamente 10 minutos y contiene multitud de imágenes de escenarios que ya nos son familiares, como Bolsón Cerrado y Rivendel, y otros nuevos como la cueva de Gollum. Echaremos un vistazo a parte del vestuario, aunque hay diseños que han ocultado a propósito. Aquí tenéis el vídeo:
Pero tal vez lo más "auténtico" del vídeo es uno de los primeros ensayos de la escena con la que, realmente, comienza la aventura: la "Reunión Inesperada" en casa de Bilbo con los trece enanos. Vemos a todos y cada uno de los actores que interpretarán a los enanos, Ian McKellen (que intercambia algunas divertidas palabras con Peter Jackson). El vídeo concluye con imágenes del primer día del rodaje, y finalmente escuchamos la frase que todos estábamos esperando, y que seguramente os llenará de emoción mientras se abre la puerta de Bolsón Cerrado: "In a hole in the ground, there lived a Hobbit..."
ACTUALIZADO - En este enlace de Facebook podéis ver el vídeo en alta definición (merece la pena, de verdad)
El director Peter Jackson da un golpe en la mesa. Así responde el cineasta que se atrevió a llevar al cine la más grande obra de ficción de todos los tiempos, y que ha conseguido que familias enteras y gente que jamás habra visto una película de fantasía se siente en una butaca para ver más de 10 horas de maratón de El Señor de los Anillos de J.R.R. Tolkien.
Tras el Hobbit-en-la-CinemaCon-2012>avance de 10 minutos sobre el que hemos hablado estos días, algunos críticos y bloggers han pedido a Jackson que eche marcha atrás y que vuelva al formato tradicional de 24fps para presentar su nueva superproducción, basada en la novela El Hobbit y que supone una "precuela" de El Señor de los Anillos (ya sabemos los lectores de Tolkien que, en realidad, ESDLA fue escrito como secuela tras el éxito de El Hobbit). La respuesta del director no se ha hecho esperar. En unas declaraciones a Entertainment Weekly ha constatado que no hay marcha atrás:
"Nadie va a parar. Esta tecnología va seguir evolucionando. Al principio es inusual porque nunca has visto una película así. Es literalmente una nueva experiencia pero, ya sabéis, la experiencia de disfrutar una película no es sólo eso [...]. Será una experiencia muy diferente a la que supone un montaje hecho rápidamente en una presentación técnica."
Sobre la gente a la que no le ha gustado, indica: "No puedo decir nada, igual que no puedo decir nada de la gente a la que no le gusta el pescado. No puedes explicarles por qué el pescado te sabe bien y por qué deberían disfrutarlo".
Mucho más atinado estaba después, cuando hablaba de lo críticos que habían sido alguno de los asistentes al avance: "Un par de los comentarios más negativo salidos de la CinemaCon dijeron que en la escena de Bilbo y Gollum [que tuvo lugar más tarde en la presentación] ya no les importaba y que se habían acostumbrado. Esas escenas estaban a la misma velocidad de 48 frames que el resto de la cinta. Me pregunto si ahí se estaban fijando en el diálogo, los personajes y la historia. Eso es lo que sucede en la película. Te acostumbras a ello".
La apuesta de Jackson por esta tecnología es muy alta, por lo que estamos viendo. Él y otros cineastas (encabezados por James Cameron) están intentando innovar en la forma en que vemos el cine, que lleva siendo casi la misma desde hace más de 70 años. Su apuesta es El Hobbit, desde luego. Y como se decía ayer, para los que quieran disfrutar de estas películas en el formato tradicional de 24 fps, habrá multitud de cines donde se proyecte así. Ya juzgaremos nosotros mismos cómo se ve y se disfruta mejor.
En unas declaraciones en su página de Facebook, Peter Jackson ha aclarado varios puntos que han estado de boca en boca estos días en la Comic Con (y, por ende, en toda la red).
Lo primero que ha comentado es que el próximo videolog aparecerá dentro de poco, y que esperan completarlo con algunas cosas que están extrayendo de la propia Comic Con. Incluso especula con que están pensando en incluir algunas partes del metraje que van a proyectar allí en San Diego, dentro del propio videolog. ¿Qué os parece? ¿Estáis preparados para ver unos cuantos "spoilers"? Supongo que la mayoría sí (a falta de trailers...).
Y sobre el trailer, precisamente, PJ ha comentado justo a continuación y muy muy brevemente que saldrá en septiembre.
"Para concluir" (ha dicho más o menos cuando iba por el primer tercio de su artículo XD) se centra en su decisión de proyectar el metraje seleccionado para la Comic Con a 24fps y en 2D. Lo justifica basándose en que no quiere que las críticas se deban únicamente a aspectos técnicos, como ocurrió tras la CinemaCon. Quiere que la gente vea a los actores, la escenografía y, en definitiva, la presentación, sin dejarse distraer por los 48fps ni el 3D.
Concluye (esta vez sí) vaticinando que el año que viene por estas fechas, habrá más películas rodándose con este formato (a 48fps). Todo depende, muy posiblemente, del éxito de la primera parte de El Hobbit. Veremos qué sucede.
TheOneRing.net anuncia un cambio en la portada del cuarto libro de "El Arte de...", de las películas de Peter Jackson.
Tal y como nos anuncian nuestros compañeros de TheOneRing.net, el cuarto libro de la serie "El Arte de El Señor de los Anillos", ha cambiado su portada, tal y como podéis ver aquí. En lugar de los Nazgûl tal y como Frodo los ve al ponerse el Anillo Único, la ilustración de portada reflejará el vuelo de los Nazgûl sobre sus bestias aladas, sobre Minas Tirith, que dará comienzo a la Batalla de los Campos del Pelennor.
Sobre la pregunta que algunos de vosotros nos habéis formulado, acerca de si este libro será traducido a nuestro idioma, tenemos respuesta oficial de la Editorial Minotauro: "Ediciones Minotauro no va a publicar el nuevo libro de Arte de las películas de El Señor de los Anillos, ya que se trata básicamente de una selección de lo mejor de los tres volúmenes ya editados con la inclusión de algunas ilustraciones que se eliminaron de esos mismos volúmenes."
Hace ya cuatro meses, os comentábamos en esta noticia que Peter Jackson había demandado a New Line por los beneficios de La Comunidad del Anillo. Ahora (con bastante retraso), muchos medios de comunicación se están haciendo eco de la noticia, aportando nuevos datos sobre el litigio.
Arthalion nos ha enviado estos datos actualizados, y también en el foro se está comentando esta noticia:
Peter Jackson, acusa a los estudios de Hollywood de haberlo estafado, según publicó ayer The New York Times .
Los abogados de Jackson creen que New Line Cinema, que pertenece a Time Warner, le estafó hasta 100 millones de dólares. De acuerdo con la demanda presentada, la empresa pagó mucho menos de lo que correspondía por los derechos de venta de los DVD con las cintas de la saga, libros, figuras, juegos y otros productos.
Al parecer los derechos no fueron cedidos en un proceso público al mejor postor, sino que fueron adjudicados secretamente a filiales de New Line Cinema.
La demanda alega que dicha competencia le hubiese permitido a Jackson obtener mayores beneficios, puesto que sus honorarios estaban vinculados a las ganancias netas generadas por la cinta.
La demanda se limita a los beneficios obtenidos por la primera cinta en la saga cinematográfica, La comunidad del anillo .
"No estamos de acuerdo con la demanda y nos defenderemos de forma enérgica", dijo Richard Socarides, portavoz de la firma.
Un representante legal de New Line Cinema, cuyo nombre no da The New York Times , acusó a Jackson de "codicia".
"New Line ya le ha transferido tanto dinero, que con ello se podría reconstruir Bagdad, pero sigue sin ser suficiente para él."
Aparte de las ganas que me dan de preguntarle al representante legal de New Line por qué Bagdad está destruído (y si tiene algo que ver Peter Jackson en el tema), y si los beneficios de New Line han sido mayores o menores que los de Peter Jackson, lo cierto es que (ciñéndonos a la noticia) ya se han empezado a barajar cantidades: Jackson afirma que aún se le deben al menos 100 millones de dólares. Tenéis más información en el enlace que ha proporcionado nuestro compañero Broceliande en el foro, al International Herald Tribune.
Estamos en el chat de Weta, que ya ha empezado, y vamos a intentar transcribir toda la conversación entre los fans y 
Confirmando en parte lo que ya sabíamos, pero añadiendo algunos detalles, 
La falta de opciones para encontrar un director hace que 
Siete sindicatos de actores hacen boicot contra 
En efecto, ya es oficial: En una nota de prensa, 
El director 
En unas declaraciones en su página de Facebook, 
TheOneRing.net anuncia un cambio en la portada del cuarto libro de "El Arte de...", de las películas de 
Hace ya cuatro meses, os comentábamos en 
Mapa de la Tierra Media con Google Maps
