It’s been almost four months since director Peter Jackson last brought us an update from the set of The Hobbit, but the wait is finally over. This ten minute behind the scenes video concentrates on the technical aspects of shooting the two part movie in 3D, using nearly 50 5K resolution digital cameras, all running at 48 frames per second. Jackson talks us through the filming process and introduces us to the cameras — each named after a member of his family and a certain Liverpool-based band — and you can really see his passion for the process of filming in 3D. It should certainly be much better than movies that are converted post-filming.
There are plenty of snippets of Martin Freeman doing his thing against the green screens and Andy Serkis behind the cameras, but what’s really interesting is seeing how filming in 3D affects all aspects of the film’s production, from the coloring of the sets and makeup to the selection of hairs and fabrics, right through to the storyboarding and visualization — which for the first time are also being created in 3D. It’s very odd to see two artists sketching out a drawing from two slightly different viewpoints and then popping on their red/blue glasses to check their work.
Part 1, An Unexpected Journey, is due in cinemas in December 2012 with part 2, There and Back Again following a year later, and I think it’s safe to say we all can’t wait!
For more behind the scenes insights, Ain’t It Cool News is starting up a regular set report.
