Sometime before or after the Christmas timeframe I'm supposed to do another Q&A with Peter Jackson about what is going on with his films. He last told me that once the 3 script version was all finished up would be best, because then he would know what to say. In addition he had told me that modeling and pre-effects work was going very good. That designing was moving along very well, and so on. So until then we'll have to settle for little peeps like this one here, so enjoy...
Hey, long time reader, first time sender if you hadn't realised by now. Okay new stuff from the local paper on Lord Of The Rings. The main bit of the article was about Jackson getting a $400 limited edition LOTR book, but I guess they couldn't resist asking about the movies. This is what he had to say. "We are in script-writing hell." I had to laugh. I think I'll do the article justice if I just copy verbatim what it says.
Jackson - "We are not being so archaic with the Hobbits' dialogue, but at the same time we are certainly not being modern colloquial either....the older characters like kings and wizards, we're writing in the same style that Tolkien used."
It goes on to say some of the script will be in elvish with English subtitles which I think is quite a kewl move. And most importantly, casting has begun. And his own words, just to remove some fears people had, he's mostly using unknowns. On the SFX side the article said development work on sets and software was almost done and that Minas Tirith was in the process of being designed.
Okay, that's about it. Everyone seems to use pseudonym when writing you, so you can call me Chopcloud.
and then a fella by the name of Paul (think DUNE) sent in the following which is the entire article....
(from "I'll treasure this copy - Jackson", Megan Lane, Arts Reporter - Evening Post 2/12/98)
Work on turning the J R R Tolkien trilogy into a $260 million film was "going good - we're in scriptwriting hell at the moment, trying to turn this into a movie."
The scripts are due to in February so the 13 month shoot can start mid 1999 - the first film will screen round Christmas 2000.
In writing the scripts, Jackson and Fran Walsh have been faithful with Tolkien's way with words.
"We're not being quite so archaic with the Hobbit's dialogue, but at the same time we are certainly not being colloquial either. Some of the older characters [like] kings and wizards, we're writing in the same colloquial style Tolkien used."
Parts of the script will be in elvish with English subtitles. The elvish language was invented by Tolkien. At least six people around the world claiming to be able to translate it have contacted Jackson, including a media shy Wellingtonian.
"What we are doing is to write the English version, get that workig properly first, then contact our elvish experts and get advice on language and guidance on how to pronounce it."
Casting has begun. Jackson plans to use mostly relatively unknown actors. Audiences wouldn't identify them with previous roles and they were more likely to commit to 13 months in New Zealand, he says. But he won't name names - "that would immeadiately bump their price up".
Development work on sets and software to pitch thousands of computer generated soldiers into battle was almost done. The special effects crew - numbering about 70 and growing - had started designing the city Minas Tirith.
