Evangeline Lilly Spotted in Wellington

Three months after the birth of her baby boy, 'Lost' star Evangeline Lilly is the latest 'Hobbit' celebrity to have been spotted in New Zealand's capital of Wellington, following reports of Orlando Bloom, Stephen Fry, James Nesbitt, and Martin Freeman already being in the area. This past Sunday (August 21), she was seen going for a walk with her newborn child and boyfriend, Norman Kali.

Lilly, well-known for her role as Kate Austen on the ABC drama Lost, went on a self-imposed hiatus back in 2009.

"People are excited to try on the next chapter of their lives," she told New York Magazine. "This show is all-encompassing. We have had very little experience outside of the show during the last six years because it's just so demanding. It requires so much of us. So, it's exciting to have your freedom back, essentially."

Lilly is now in New Zealand to begin filming for Peter Jackson's highly anticipated adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, in which she will be portraying the Elf maiden Tauriel. 

“Her name means ‘daughter of Mirkwood’ and, beyond that, we must leave you guessing!" said director Peter Jackson back in June. "What is not a secret is how talented and compelling an actress Evangeline is. We are thrilled and excited she will be the one to bring our first true Sylvan Elf to life.”

A spokesman for Jackson stated that filming had resumed last week and will continue until December.

Meet the Hobbits Behind 'Road to the Shire' in our Exclusive Interview

They're down right funny and make the most entertaining videos, all for one purpose: to find their way back to the Shire. The guys behind the Road to the Shire are on a mission to raise $10,000 to ensure their safe travel to New Zealand, where they hope to gain Peter Jackson's attention and secure roles in The Hobbit films. In this interview you get to know the guys behind the project and their hopes for the future.

Who are the three "Hobbits" behind 'Road to the Shire'?

(Left) Berilac (Beri) Bramble of Willobottom: Mitch Stephens

A fairly normal kid from Utah, Fellowship of the Ring was the first novel he ever read and got him hooked on reading. He's an Advertising student at BYU and just finished his first Iron Man triathalon Coeur d'Alene ID.

(Center) Olo Toadfoot (Toad): Jonathan Wright

An advertising and public management grad student at BYU, he was born and raised in Georgia via Hawaii. He's a fierce whittler and loves creating things out of wood as well as making art. Loves music and skateboarding. Grew up listening to mom telling him stories about LOTR.

(Right) Olo Bracegirdle of Hardbottle: John D. Storey

An OG from the OV...comes from the Ogden Valley in northern Utah where his family has been their for like 6 generations. He loves hip hop, making videos, trying to rap, cats, and of course LOTR. His family is known for the delicious black angus Storey raised beef. Best hamburger you've ever tasted. 

(For further reading on their Hobbit life-stories, visit their Bio page.)


Why have you decided to take on this venture?

We love this movie and love the idea that fans can play a role (however small) in this historic event. It's a win win for us, fans, and the production because its a great promotional piece. We're not asking for major story changes--just to be involved...maybe some screen cred.

What will the $10,000 cover?

First and foremost its a way to get Peter's attention. Second to make the documentary and fund the trip/production cost for 3 hobbits. If Peter invites us we might not need the 10gs. We are definitely committed to the funds ourselves. Toad's ready to raffle his car for a dollar entry fee. Beri is raffling his TV right now.


What's your plan once your goal of $10,000 is raised and you find yourself in New Zealand?

We plan on going on location either by invitation or persuasion and documenting the entire journey for a short film.


You have made some very funny and entertaining videos, any others in the works?

Absolutely. We are cooking up some direct message short videos made specifically to reach out to celebrity Tolkien fans who can help get our message out to the masses.


Have you been contacted by any of Peter Jackson's connections?

We've spoken to a guy at Key Creatives who handles the management for Peter Jackson. We're still lookin to get in touch with PJ's people. We recognize it's still early in the game.


What was it that inspired you three to start the Road to the Shire campaign?

A couple things. First we love LOTR and we all have our own connections with the stories. Second one day we were sitting in a guest lecture where the speaker was talking about going out and making your dreams happen. He said you shouldn't wait for projects to be handed to you. We took that seriously. One night Toad was catchin up on some DVD extras from LOTR and realized the Hobbit would soon be in production. He got online searching info about the films all night. The next day, after a conversation with Beri, the concept for Road to the Shire was born. What could be cooler than engaging the fans that love and patron these films?

We just want people to know that when it comes to passion for these films we've definitely got it. We may not be the best J.R.R. scholars but we can match anyone's passion. We love it and are willing to put everything out there to make this happen. We feel like their are tons of people who either inwardly or outwardly love this epic and can resonate with our cause.

Follow Road the the Shire on Twitter.

Donate and help send Olo, Beri, and Toad back to the Shire.

Stephen Fry and Luke Evans Have Arrived in New Zealand

After a break from the first leg of production, there are signs that The Hobbit is getting ready to start filming again. In just the last 24 hours both Stephen Fry and Luke Evans have landed in New Zealand to begin preparing for their roles. 

Left: Stephen Fry/ Right: Luke Evans

Fry is playing the part of the Master of Laketown, an elected official inclined to look out for himself rather that others. Evans' role is Bard the Bowman, described to be a grim-faced man but of a good, steady character. Much to their fan's delight, both actors have been "Tweeting" their New Zealand experiences on Twitter. Check out some of their posts below:

@Mr_Luke_Evans Luke Evans

photo shoot for Dazed and Confused with awesome photographer Rankin tomorrow in LA before I fly to NZ for the Hobbit. Bring on the Bard!!!!! (July 30)

@stephenfry Stephen Fry

Flying from Cape Town to Jo'burg to Sydney to NZ tomorrow. Will be Tuesday by the time I land in Wellington. Hobbitry beckons. (July 30)

@stephenfry Stephen Fry

Landfall! It's Tuesday here in NZ. Just after midnight. Lordy. (Aug. 1)

@stephenfry Stephen Fry

So here I am in New Zealand. Brightish but not freezing. Time difference a little alarming. We're 11 hours ahead of UK time, so 10:05 now (Aug. 1)

@Mr_Luke_Evans Luke Evans

lovely dinner with the fascinating mr fry and charming mr jackson this evening. (1 hr. ago)

Follow Stephen Fry on Twitter.

Follow Luke Evans on Twitter.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey hits theaters December 14, 2012 followed by The Hobbit: There and Back Again premiering Decemeber 13, 2013.

Orlando Bloom Currently Headed to New Zealand?

There's a tiny rumor going around that Orlando Bloom is currently New Zealand bound to shoot his scenes for Peter Jackson's The Hobbit films. It was set off by a very small blurb at the bottom of a  Miranda Kerr interview conducted by In Style Magazine (Australia). 


"Simultaneously, Bloom arrives in New Zealand to reprise his role from The Lord of the Rings trilogy—the flaxen-haired elf, Legolas—in 'The Hobbit'."


The statement is referring to Miranda Kerr's July schedule but there is no exact date given. Nevertheless, tongues have wagged, articles have been written, and the word is out that Legolas, the woodland elf, is returning to Middle-earth.


The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is scheduled for release on December 14, 2012, and The Hobbit: There and Back Again on December 13, 2013.

James Nesbitt's Possible DVT Diagnosis

According to an article posted by Independent.ie, James Nesbitt, playing Bofur in Peter Jackson's The Hobbit films, is suffering from DVT. Deep Venous Thrombosis is a forming blood clot usually found in the legs, as is the case with Nesbitt. The condition is being blamed on the actor's frequent flights between the UK and New Zealand, where The Hobbit is being filmed. This report came after witnesses saw Nesbitt severely limping at a charity golf match. No word yet on what this means for Nesbitt's future travel between the two countries.


Filming of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (scheduled for release on December 14, 2012) and The Hobbit: There and Back Again (December 13, 2013) is due to continue filming again this October 2011 after a brief hiatus to allow Martin Freeman (playing Bilbo Baggins) to film the hit UK TV show Sherlock’s second season.


The staff here at Middle-earth News wishes James Nesbitt all the best and a very speedy recovery. If you would like to send him a "get well" message leave one on our comment section below. Once we've gathered a good amount we will send them to Peter Jackson so he may forward them onto James Nesbitt.

The Lord of the Rings Location Guidebooks Updated and Better Than Ever!

Photographer Ian Brodie has just announced a revised/updated version of his MEGA popular books from HarperCollins:

THE LORD OF THE RINGS LOCATION GUIDEBOOK
Ian Brodie | RRP $27.99 | new edition to be published early August 2011

THE LORD OF THE RINGS LOCATION GUIDEBOOK EXTENDED EDITION
Ian Brodie | RRP $44.99 | new edition to be published early August 2011

Ian's Guidebooks have been a "must have" for Lord of the Rings fans for almost 10 years now. The first one was published in 2002 and these revised and updated books offer:

• new maps and location directions;
• location notes by Alan Lee;
• GPS references;
• helpful internet URLs;
• updated information on accommodation and restaurants near the sites;
• quotes from cast and crew members;
• foreward by Peter Jackson; and
• background information and anecdotes about the filming of the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

You will find more information in the press release below. For more information on Ian Brodie, please check out his website, as well as Twitter and Facebook. You can also read our Q&A with him.

Press Release

---

10 years on and New Zealand is still ‘Middle-earth’ to   thousands of moviegoers and Tolkien fans . . .

It’s no secret that since the first screening of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring in 2001, New Zealand has become the embodiment of Middle-earth to millions of movie-goers and JRR Tolkien readers the world over.


Ten years on, the interest in the Lord of the Rings movie locations shows no signs of decline. Ian Brodie, Media and Communications Manager for the Hobbiton Movie Set in Matamata, reports that over 200,000 visitors have been through Hobbiton alone since its opening and close to 45,000 people are expected to visit this year.


Ian Brodie is also the author of The Lord of the Rings Location Guidebook, first published in 2002 and the beautifully produced keepsake, The Lord of the Rings Location Guidebook Extended Edition, published in 2004. Sales across both titles now exceed a staggering 357,000 copies, placing them amongst the biggest-selling official Lord of the Rings movie tie-ins. ‘The visitor numbers for Hobbiton and the sales for these two books prove the longevity The Lord of the Rings,’ says Brodie. ‘These figures alone cement in place that New Zealand is now well and truly Middle-earth.’


Both editions of the guide have now been completely revised and updated, and include more of Ian Brodie’s stunning on-site photography for a new generation of Lord of the Rings tourists and collectors.


The guides showcase the principal movie-set locations around New Zealand as seen in the movie trilogy. The two books share valuable background information and exclusive anecdotes about the filming of the trilogy, new maps and location directions, GPS references, useful Internet addresses and up-to-date information on accommodation and restaurants handy to the sites. Included in both guides are quotes from the cast and crew, a foreword by Peter Jackson and location notes by Alan Lee.
There are also explanatory notes on geographical and historical features of ‘Middle-earth’ that will help the novice who has not read The Lord of the Rings trilogy to understand events in the film more fully.
What research did Ian Brodie do for all this? Here are the facts and figures:

• He’s read the Lord of the Rings trilogy 39 times over the past 30 years.
• He’s watched the three movies at least 40 times (at the cinema and on DVD).
• He’s talked to local tourist organizations.
• He’s travelled New Zealand visiting all the locations sites (and he revisited many sites for the new editions).
• He’s visited New Line Cinema in Los Angeles to obtain extra film images.
• He’s spent time with the film crew in Wellington reading scripts and call-sheets.
• He appeared as an extra in The Return of the King.

Ian Brodie is also the author of a number of other photographic and film-related titles, including Cameras in Narnia, which was a finalist in the NZ Post Children’s Book Awards and runner-up for the Children’s Choice Award.  Ian loves travel and for many years worked in the travel industry. In 1992 he took the post of inaugural Director for the NZ Fighter Pilots Museum in Wanaka, which he held until moving to Matamata and Hobbiton in 2009.
W: www.ianbrodiephoto.net  |  W: www.ianbrodie.net  |  F: www.facebook.com/IBrodiePhoto


THE LORD OF THE RINGS LOCATION GUIDEBOOK
Ian Brodie | RRP $27.99 | new edition to be published early August 2011


THE LORD OF THE RINGS LOCATION GUIDEBOOK EXTENDED EDITION
Ian Brodie | RRP $44.99 | new edition to be published early August 2011
Harper Collins

The Filth of Saruman Found Flowing Under Hobbit Studios?

Fighter-fighters were called yet again to Miramar Studios after contractors digging on site ran into fowl smelling sludge. A pollution response team was called in and now the ooze is being labeled as “toxic” and blamed on previous businesses that once used the site including “old gasworks and paint workshops”, reports The Dominion Post . Mike Dombroski, acting firefighter commander, told reporters “The council are dealing with where [the liquid sludge] goes and what the potential could be”.

Thankfully this newest incident will not hamper with The Hobbit, as they are picking up filming again in August 2011.

Q&A with Ian Brodie - Author of the Award Winning LOTR Location Guide Books

His photographs have been printed on commemorative NZ stamps, his LOTR Guide books have won international awards and are NZ’s top selling non-fiction. Peter Jackson, himself, allowed him to photograph LOTR in the making! He co-produced the documentary “The Real Middle-earth” and has appeared as a co-presenter on NZ’s Discovery Channel. Working for Hobbiton Tours, he gets to walk the Shire everyday, and in 2005 he became a Member of the NZ Order of Merit for Services of Tourism for the Queen’s Birthday Honours. Meet Ian Brodie: Tolkienist, photographer, author, producer, presenter, and pilot!

You first read LOTR when you were 14, what was your reaction and how did that carry over to your love of Tolkien’s work today?

When I first read Tolkien I was immediately drawn into the world of Middle-earth. It was so complete with a history and a geography that was so real. The way Tolkien describes the country is breathtaking. I immediately wanted to explore more of Middle-earth and soon realised that I was actually living here. My first reading coincided with a family holiday which included a stop in Tongariro National Park and a walk to a waterfall. That walk immediately became a stroll through Ithilien to Henneth Annun. We also went down to the South Island and I was not seeing New Zealand as we travelled but Middle-earth again. In homage to my first walk in Tongariro and that first reading there appears in my extended Location Guide an image of Tawhai Falls. Some 28 years later when it was announced that The Lord of the Rings was to be filmed here I knew immediately that the country would be one of the major stars. I also thought that there might be some people that might like to visit the locations, such as I had in my mind all that time ago. The book was written with a love of my country and a love of Tolkien. What I totally underestimated was the interest there would be. Ten years later and we have sold 450,000 copies of the guide, making it the most successful of all The Lord of the Rings film tie in books and one of the top five selling books in New Zealand history. It shows the power of Jackson and Tolkien!

It says on your website that your love of photography began when you started taking pictures from airplanes. Can you take a moment to tell us about your passion for flying?

My love of airplanes started when I was about five, with the photography love coming along a couple of years later. I was very fortunate to be able to combine the two when I started taking images of aircraft air to air in the 1980s. There is something special about being in an aircraft with either no door or canopy and being 10 feet from another aircraft. Air is fluid like water and to watch the other plane move up and down with the movements as you fly with beautiful scenery as a backdrop is a truly amazing experience. Photography is my love and I really enjoy sharing my images. I try to put at least two images a week up on my Facebook page which links back to my portfolio. If I get any comments about the images it makes my day!

You hold the current title of “Media and Communications Manager” at the Hobbiton Movie Set and Farm Tours. What’s it like working and living life out in what many call the real Middle-earth, New Zealand?

I believe I get paid for my hobby and there is nothing better than that. Occasionally I do get to take tourists on our tours and that is a real tonic as I get to see it through another fans eyes. The ability to visit Hobbiton Movie Set whenever I feel like it is priceless. I have a large number of images taken of the set over the last 18 months which I am hoping I will be able to release after The Hobbit films come out.

Not only are you a photographer, but an an award winning author as well, can you take a moment and give us some incite on what the book-writing process is like?

For me, writing is a discipline and it is writing early morning. I tend to get up at 4-00am and go for it. Planning is important and if you have not gathered the information in the field you will find it difficult as you start to collate and turn thoughts into words. Writing Cameras in Narnia was easy for me, mainly because it was using the words of the brilliant people working on the film from many interviews I undertook.

 Richard Taylor, of Weta Workshop, wrote a raving review about your writing and photography. Who else has your job brought you into contact with?

Working on the LOTR location guide brought me into contact with many of the cast and crew. As a fan, I was like a kid in a candy store. Peter Jackson graciously allowed me to be on set for a few weeks during pickups for The Return if the King. Not only were my son and I allowed to sit in on filming we both also ended up with small extra parts. It was like being part of history. I will still never forget the look on my 9 years old daughters face when we met Orlando Bloom! Proudly hanging in my office is a copy of my guide surrounded by signatures of many of the cast and it is a constant reminder of some of the happiest days of my life. I loved being in the set of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and watch such clever people bring a film to life. I don't think that many people can comprehend the amount of sheer hard work that goes into the making of a film. I was also fortunate to be allowed to photograph The Waterhorse whilst it was filmed in NZ and Scotland. I have so much gratitude to people like Peter Jackson, Richard Taylor, Andrew Adamson, Barrie Osborne and Jay Russell who gave me these opportunities.

The Hobbit is currently in production, and many of the shooting locations have been chosen, do you plan on writing a location guide for the film, as you did for LOTR?

I would love to and I guess all I can say is "watch this space". My fingers are crossed.

What scene from The Hobbit are you most looking forward to?

I can't wait to see Smaug but for me it will be how New Zealand is again interwoven with Middle-earth and the landscapes that will again appear.

You can follow Ian Brodie on his website, Twitter, and Facebook.
All images copyright Ian Brodie and used with permission.

‘The Hobbit’ Filming Begins Today!

Source: 'The Hobbit' on Facebook

Today is the day Tolkien fans! At the crack of New Zealand’s dawn, where it is already March 21st, cameras will begin rolling on ‘The Hobbit’ films—provided everything is still on schedule. Over the last month we’ve watched with fingers crossed as the shooting date was pushed back from February of 2011 to March 2011 to accommodate for Sir Peter Jackson’s surgery and recovery. Meanwhile shooting locations where chosen and the cast began their rigorous training with horseback riding, weaponry and the all-important dwarf camp. Over all, a very busy time, and now it seems the news has become quiet. Almost like the calm before a storm. There are still many questions left unanswered. Has David Tennant been cast for the roll of Elf-King Thranduil? Will Orlando Bloom ever admit he’ll play a small part in the film? And what of this IMDb rumor that “retired” Leonard Nimoy will be the voice of Smaug the dragon?

I can’t help my feelings of excitement, knowing that at this very moment, the cast has donned their beards and are in front of the cameras. The only catch is, it’s going to take a year and nine months until December 2012 arrives and I can finally see the fruits of their labor.

So here’s a “good luck” wave from middleEarthnews to everyone working on ‘The Hobbit’: “Utúlie ‘n aurë!” - “The day has come!”

Sources: Blastr, TheOneRing.net, IMDb, CBSNews

Q&A With The Man Who Walks LOTR Everyday

Any fan of Tolkien will agree, when you watch ‘The Lord of the Rings’ films, New Zealand has a magical way of transporting you to the lands of Middle-earth. Now imagine being able to walk those same paths Frodo and the gang took, everyday. That’s what it’s like to be Jack Machiela. The Wellington tour guide lives a life many of us only dream of and that includes numerous run-ins (and the occasional lunch) with celebrities. His humorous and witty blog posts made me an instant fan, and I longed to know what it was like to live a day in his shoes.

1. When did you first become a LOTR tour guide and why?

I became a LOTR tour guide back in 2004, mostly by accident. I had been driving a season of a 28-day (non-LOTR) tour around NZ, and was pretty tired of that, so I walked in to the Wellington Information Centre (iSite), and asked them if they knew of any tours that came back home every evening. They said to go talk to the guy from Wellington Rover Tours - apparently he'd been so busy with these new LOTR tours that he'd not had a chance to go look for new staff yet. Next thing I know, it's seven years later and I'm still at Rover. I met my wife on the tour as well - she was a guest back in 2005, and we got married two years ago.

2. What do you love most about being a tour guide?

Where to start! The guests, talking about LOTR/Tolkien all day, the landscape, the outdoors, the excitement, the not-being-in-an-office - I could go on but that will do for now... :)

3. Have you always called “Wellywood” home?

Nope, I'm not even born in New Zealand! I'm originally Dutch - still have my passport, in fact. I grew up in Hawke's Bay (350kms north-east of Wellington), but came to Wellywood at the end of the 1980's. I've been here for most of that time except for a 5-year stint back in the Netherlands. I'll be here for the foreseeable future though!

4. What is you favorite spot to visit in “Wellywood”? ( Cafes and such)

The best coffee and best chocolate (my two weaknesses) can be found at Ciocco cafe, on Tory Street. It's a tiny little place and you could walk past it three times before you noticed it, but the chocolate is from Schoc in Greytown, and pretty much unbeatable. Disclosure - the guy is a good friend of mine, but only because I go there so often! For breakfast there's no going past Sweet Mother's Kitchen in Courtenay Place (near the Embassy Cinema, where ROTK was premiered in 2003).

Actually, now that I start to think about the question, there's probably a dozen other excellent places for coffee or second breakfast - the Chocolate Fish [Cafe] and the Chocolate Frog [Cafe], and Scorch-o-Rama Cafe, all on the Miramar Peninsula ("Wellywood central"); Memphis Belle on Dixon Street; Arabica [Cafe] in Petone; I could go on. It's hard to get bad coffee in Wellington these day[s]. Starbucks isn't doing too well in NZ, with all these excellent smaller cafes.

5. Since the filming of LOTR began, have you noticed any changes in the city around you, compared to present day?

We're getting a lot more people coming to visit now. Fifteen years ago, Wellington used to be famous for only two things - parliament, and the ferry stop to the South Island. First, we got Te Papa Museum, and all of NZ came to visit - and secondly, LOTR happened, and the rest of the world turned up. This tourism season, we had about 60 cruise ships come for a visit - fifteen years ago that would have been ten ships, tops. Obviously all those thousands of people aren't all LOTR fans, but a fair percentage of them are. My job is pretty stable all year round.

On the negative side, we've not really been adapting to the LOTR visitors fast enough. I'd want to see more help from the Wgtn City Council. There's a tiny little sign on top of Mount Victoria (where the famous "Get Off The Road!" scenes were filmed), and as far as I know that's all the council has done for LOTR fans. It would be nice if they could divert the Mountain Bike track away from "our" trees, for instance.

6.You mention on your blog, you have met an astounding amount of actors, have you ever met Sir Peter Jackson? And if so what was your first impression?

I met Peter Jackson only once on tour (although we see him from time to time, around town). I completely screwed that one up - I approached him to say "hello", and ended up saying "wow, you look really tired, Mr Jackson". Nice.

Of course, he was also yelling "action" and "cut" towards me during my famous 3 seconds in King Kong, but I don't think he really noticed me in the background there. :)

7. Can you list off all the actors/actresses you’ve run into on your job?

Ai, the big name-drop! I'll do my best. Also, don't forget I didn't start touring until after LOTR was finished, so not that many LOTR people. The list would include people like John Rhys-Davies (came to Armageddon convention in Wgtn), Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan (saw them in town a few years ago), Andy Serkis (many times during King Kong), and from King Kong there's Jack Black, Naomi Watts, Adrian Brodie, and Jamie Bell.

Then there's NZ actors and stunt people like Jed Brophy, Colin Bleasdale, Todd Rippon and Shane Rangi (the two Harad Mumak riders from ROTK). Todd and Colin are LOTR tour guides in between acting gigs, so we meet reasonably often. I mentioned on my blog that we spotted Lee Tamahori a few weeks ago while we were touring, he's a reasonably famous director (did a James bond movie amongst other things). I met Costa Botes, who did the special documentaries for LOTR. And Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh, of course - and I've spotted Katie (their daughter) in the pro-hobbit rally crowd last year (she's credited as "Cute Hobbit Child", "Cute Refugee Child", and "Cute City Child" in the trilogy along with her brother Billy). Didn't really meet her though, and I had no reason to approach her that time.

And then there's famous artists and Weta crew, like Richard Taylor, Tania Rodger, Alan Lee, John Howe, Greg Hunt (LOTR sculptor), Greg Broadmore (rayguns), Gino Acevedo (all-round amazing guy), Carlos Slater (Orc designer), Chris Guise (designer), Daniel Reeve (cartographer and calligrapher), and Peter Lyon (the sword smith). There's probably others but that'll do for now! Oh, and I almost forgot Guillermo del Toro! He signed my Hobbit book - I'm hoping his leaving the project will mean the book becomes MORE valuable, not less! :)

Jack and Guillermo del Toro/ Source: The Noldor Blog

And of course I can't leave out other industry people like Erica Challis (TORn founder), and Ian Brodie (author of the LOTR Location Guidebook). They've both done so much for Wellington!

8. With all the actors you’ve met, who where you most excited to meet?

Jack and John Howe/ Source The Noldor Blog

I was pretty stunned to run into Alan Lee and John Howe at the end of 2009 - I'd just come out of the Weta Cave with a group, and the Weta crew just told me there that neither of them were in the country yet. I walked towards the car park and suddenly noticed them about 5 meters away! I'm afraid I may have said something like "oh my God!", to which John Howe replied "yes?"... He's a funny guy! They were both really nice, and actually I've found that with almost all the people I've met. When we met Andy Serkis at the cafe we go to for lunch, he has come to our table a few times, and talked to everyone at the table. He's a really cool guy indeed.

Alan Lee/ Source: The Noldor Blog 

9. Out of all the LOTR and Hobbit locations you tour, which is your favorite and why?

So far there's only LOTR locations, of course - but I have a few favourite spots for different reasons. Mount Victoria because it's such a nice place in the city to walk, and full of surprises. There's always another LOTR location just around the corner - I think I could run a full day tour just on the hill and not run out of material!

I love Rivendell just because it's such a gorgeous place - it's an ancient rain forest with stunningly beautiful trees - some of them over a thousand years old. And at the end of the summer (like right now) I'm always keen on visiting the Hutt River (Anduin, and the river where Brego rescued Aragorn) as it's blackberry season, and we have some quick snacks on the way. Everyone joins in!

10. Is there any cast that you haven’t met and wish to meet?

I'd like to meet Sir Ian McKellen. Apart from his film career, he's done so many stage roles and seems like such an approachable person. But I would REALLY love to meet Sir Christopher Lee. The man is a living legend! I heard he used to be a pilot in WWII - amazing!

11. As a tour guide, are there any questions you are asked repeatedly? Are there any questions you are tired of hearing, or any you wish they did ask?

Usually there's the same questions that always arise from the information I provide (like "wow, is Gimli really the tallest of the fellowship?"). There's one question I won't answer - "Can you tell me where Peter Jackson lives?". The answer will have to remain "yes, but I won't".

I'm actually not tired of any questions - the more questions I get, the more involved the guests are with the day. As with anything - you get out of it what you put into it.

That ends the Q&A, but you can follow Jack Machiela on Twitter and The Noldor Blog.

All images are copyright by Jack Machiela and are used with permission.

Other sources: IMDb, and WetaNZ