Hobbit gets greenlight.. Shooting in February IF...

[Joseph Hutson]

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118025794.html?categoryid=13&cs=1&ref=vertfilm

"The Hobbit," which has been stuck in limbo for many months, has received a greenlight from co-financers New Line and MGM to start shooting in February -- as long as the studios can sort out a thorny dispute with actors unions.
Though neither studio had any comment, sources close to the situation indicated Friday that the studios have agreed on an official go-ahead on the back-to-back films.

The Screen Actors Guild had no comment Friday. SAG and half a dozen actors unions had advised its members last month to boycott "The Hobbit" due to a dispute between producers and the New Zealand actors union, which is alleging that local performers are treated unfairly and deserve a union contract.

Additionally, Peter Jackson's deal to direct the films has closed, an informed source said Friday. Jackson, who's writing and exec producing, had responded to the unions' boycott by threatening to move the production from his home country of New Zealand to Europe.

Jackson's been widely expected to direct since Guillermo Del Toro's departed the from the director gig in May.

Preproduction on the films has been underway for many months in New Zealand, where Jackson shot the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy for New Line. Del Toro, who committed to direct "The Hobbit" pics in 2008, said in May that sets, wardrobe, animatics and planned battles sequences had all been fully prepared.

Financial difficulties faced by MGM, which owns half of the project, have also added to the uncertainty over "The Hobbit." More than 100 MGM's debtholders were asked last week to approve a pre-packaged bankrupcty plan that would wipe out the equity and leave Spyglass Entertainment execs in charge with a 5% stake, but Lionsgate Entertainment has proposed a merger that would give debtholders a 55% stake.

"The Hobbit" films are based JRR Tolkien's epic fantasy novel about the adventures of Bilbo Baggins, who obtains the ring that was the centerpiece of "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy of books and films.



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[Tom Lowe]

I think this film -- based on the story/novel -- should be one film, not two. Also it should not be shot with human actors, aside perhaps from Gandalf, Bard, etc. Hobbits are not meant to look like humans, but rather, like Hobbits. In my personal opinion, this film should be made with technology similar to what Cameron used in "Avatar."

I see this a very significant problem, if Jackson matches the style of this film to the look and actors of LOTR. I would see that a missed opportunity and a major mistake.

 

[Shawn Nelson]

the sacrilege of the idea of 'Hobbit' looking like 'Avatar' makes me want to hurl .

Anything but human actors would just stink of artificial blah, I dont want a cartoon here!

The bigger question is just how much of a Red guy is PJ, does he use Epic or go back to film?

 

[Stuart Hooper]

I think humans are the way to go; after all the Hobbit is part of the history of the Lord of the Rings and I was pretty pleased with those movies.

I think doing two films instead of one is probably unnecessary, but they'll glady get my $10 for both...

 

[Jeff Coatney]

They should shoot Epic HDRx. Why wouldn't they? Unless somebody has their thumb on the scale- which, in Hollywood, is likely- if not probable.

And please... "Avatar" tech in small doses. What I like about LOTR is the dirt and organic feel of the film.

Shooting Epic on this would be a huge endorsement of the tech. I'm sure Red would bend over backwards to make it happen.

 

[Tom Lowe]

the sacrilege of the idea of 'Hobbit' looking like 'Avatar' makes me want to hurl .

Anything but human actors would just stink of artificial blah, I dont want a cartoon here!

Shawn, I didn't say it should look like Avatar, only that it should use the same technology as Avatar. Keep in mind that the technology I am referring to is almost the EXACT same technology that was used for Gollum in LOTR. I don't think you want humans to play Gollum, do you? Gollum was in fact the first real example of the type of technology I am referring to. Cameron just refined it and called it Performance Capture. Also, I think it goes without saying that this film will be 3D, after Cameron changed the landscape with his use of that technology in Avatar.

 

[Filip Orlandic]

New Line and MGM have officially greenlit "The Hobbit" with shooting starting in 3D in February and Peter Jackson directing.

I like this !

 

[Shawn Nelson]

Shawn, I didn't say it should look like Avatar, only that it should use the same technology as Avatar. Keep in mind that the technology I am referring to is almost the EXACT same technology that was used for Gollum in LOTR. I don't think you want humans to play Gollum, do you? Gollum was in fact the first real example of the type of technology I am referring to. Cameron just refined it and called it Performance Capture. Also, I think it goes without saying that this film will be 3D, after Cameron changed the landscape with his use of that technology in Avatar.

Gollum was easily the weakest element of the LOTR and the biggest thing that will age it and make it look like a POS in due time. So much so that I really hoped they saved their layers and data and can eventually re-render LOTR with a new Gollum.

The Hobbit in 3d would be such a POS. Hobbit is supposed to be a timeless classic, I deeply feel 3d would be such a deep and abiding shame. Talk about crushing the cinematography...

 

[Tom Lowe]

The Hobbit in 3d would be such a POS. Hobbit is supposed to be a timeless classic, I deeply feel 3d would be such a deep and abiding shame. Talk about crushing the cinematography...

Then you are angry about this film from Jackson? It's going to be shot in 3D.

 

[Shawn Nelson]

Then you are angry about this film from Jackson? It's going to be shot in 3D.

ah shit, are you serious? I'd heard they were considering it, that'd be such a travesty.

 

[Sam Eilertsen]

I've always been a little nervous about this film. The Hobbit is radically different than LOTR in tone and in scope, and I'm afraid that since the LOTR movies were so successful they will feel the need to alter The Hobbit quite a bit to make it conform more to the LOTR branding. Part of the reason I loved LOTR was that they managed to stay very true to the books AND make very good movies, and I'm afraid they won't manage to strike the same balance with The Hobbit.

 

[Jeff Kilgroe]

I've always been a little nervous about this film. The Hobbit is radically different than LOTR in tone and in scope, and I'm afraid that since the LOTR movies were so successful they will feel the need to alter The Hobbit quite a bit to make it conform more to the LOTR branding.

Agreed. And it's been makes me cringe every time I hear that Jackson is "writing the story". OMG... What is there to write? It's already written, unless.... :leaving:

 

[Tom Lowe]

In fact "The Hobbit" is one of the most perfectly crafted stories I've seen in the last hundred years. It's a wonderful and perfectly sized story. It does not need to be rewritten, nor stretched out into two parts. The beauty of the film is that it has a nearly perfect story arc.

This would be like taking Hemingway's "Old Man and the Sea" and making it into two films! IMO, Jackson has shown a lack of discipline in the past.. making King Kong about an hour longer than it needed to be. "The Hobbit" should be kept tight and epic, just like the novel. It's a fantastic adventure!

 

[Shawn Nelson]

I really hope they decide against 3d, that would be sort of the antithesis of making a timeless film.

 

[Tom Lowe]

I really hope they decide against 3d

That will not happen.

 

[Gavin Greenwalt]

I really hope they decide against 3d, that would be sort of the antithesis of making a timeless film.

Close one eye. Problem solved! Or go see it in 2D. Either way. You can either be a whiny... or pretend it's not in 3D. The choice is yours.

Sorry to be short but I'm out of patience for pointless bitching about stereo. Some people really like it. Some don't. Unless Peter Jackson does a bunch of shots with swords poking the screen (which I'm sure he won't) nothing is lost except the studio pays more for their VFX and post expenses.

In other news... I guess all the forced perspective hobbit shots won't work now. That'll increase the budget a little. Then again most of the movie is with a hobbit and dwarves so that will make things easier than a mixed race party in LOTR.

 

[Gavin Greenwalt]

Keep in mind that the technology I am referring to is almost the EXACT same technology that was used for Gollum in LOTR. Gollum was in fact the first real example of the type of technology I am referring to. Cameron just refined it and called it Performance Capture.

Actually if I remember correctly Gollum's expressions were almost entirely hand animated from reference video since facial capture wasn't up to the task yet.

Weta didn't start performance capture in earnest until King Kong. Also Cameron didn't invent performance capture or the term. They did do some cool new innovative things with it but the tech was already being employed pretty broadly. The first serious film to use performance capture is unfortunately probably Polar Express which was released a year before Avatar production began and popularized the term "Performance Capture" in the media.

Unless you're referring to the rendering technology in which case, yes they were both I believe mostly rendered in Pixar's Renderman.

 

[Mark L. Pederson]

Hobbit is supposed to be a timeless classic, I deeply feel 3d would be such a deep and abiding shame. Talk about crushing the cinematography...

Shawn - with all due respect - we have not even scratched the surface of what can be done in 3D from a creative standpoint. How many really talented, great directors have shot in 3D so far?? - you can count them on one hand. The bar is pretty low at the moment IMO.

That's going to change fast - and dare I suggest - you are going to see some amazing 3D.

To suggest that because a film will be shot in 3D - it can not have stunning cinematography - is simply a false statement.

 

[Hrvoje Simic]

The Hobbit in 3d would be such a POS. Hobbit is supposed to be a timeless classic, I deeply feel 3d would be such a deep and abiding shame. Talk about crushing the cinematography...

that'd be such a travesty.

Why ?

 

[Subhadip Sen]

On the other hand, 3D calls for more intricate compositional skills. Often, shallow DOF is overused to isolate and frame the subject (in conjunction with tight close-ups). No such shortcuts for 3D. You have to frame depth through mise-en-scene, composition and perspective. Mark is spot on - there's immense potential for visual innovation in 3D. Let's wait and see how it evolves.