The Hobbit filming location dispute

http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/...025-170t2.html




As i am sure many of you have heard, there has been a big dispute between Peter Jackson and the New Zealand film union over the much-anticipated Hobbit film. Long story short, New Zealand actors are being threatened with expulsion from the Union if they work on the film, and Jackson has been forced to consider filming the movie outside of New Zealand.

So where do you think the best filming location is?


Should it remain in New Zealand? Its a spectacular country with some beutiful scenery that fits perfectly with Tolkiens world. Many of the sets are still standing from LOTR as well. Personally I think it would be the best outcome for this dispute to be settled.

Other possibilites that have been put forward are fliming it in Romania or the British Isles.

Personally, as a Brit and a big Tolkien fan I would love to see it come here. Tolkiens vision of Middle Earth bears many similarities with Britain (Particularly the Shire and the British countryside) and it is the home of the author. For at least some of the locations of the books he certainly had places in Britain in mind. As stated, the English countryside (I'm thinking the Cotswolds or Chilterns) would be a great location for the Shire. The Scottish Highlands or North Wales would also make a great location for the Misty Mountains.

I'm not so sure about Mirkwood or the Lonely mountain though.

A massive old car factory (I think its in Yorkshire) has also offered itself as a studio for the film.

It would also mean the possibility of becoming an extra

Highlands:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Cotswolds:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

I don't know enough about the Romanian countryside to comment on that one.





So anyway, what do you think? Would Britain or Romania make a good alternative? Is there anywhere else you can think of that would make a great Middle Earth? Or would it be best to keep it in New Zealand?

Britain would be interesting. Yet, I wonder how they're going to do the scenes with Erebor..

Who cares the fact PJ is going to do it is nauseating enough I don't care where he shoots it.

Originally Posted by conon394

Who cares the fact PJ is going to do it is nauseating enough I don't care where he shoots it.

What's wrong with Peter Jackson?

I would prefer New Zealand, that country simply has all the scenery which can be imagined in Tolkien except maybe deserts.

If they shoot it in Romania I'll seriously consider visiting there though, lol.

Originally Posted by Stavroforos

I would prefer New Zealand, that country simply has all the scenery which can be imagined in Tolkien except maybe deserts.

If they shoot it in Romania I'll seriously consider visiting there though, lol.

For deserts they can just come to Aus for a week or two, it's what they did with Pelenor Field's if my memory serves me well

Yeah well in the Hobbit there are no deserts, so that's fixed. I prefer New Zealand.

Originally Posted by Glorfindel The Tukker

Yeah well in the Hobbit there are no deserts, so that's fixed. I prefer New Zealand.

Maybe Twente?

Originally Posted by NotYetRegistered

Maybe Twente?

That would be too awesome, obviously that's the best choice.

But things like the Hithaeglir, Carrock, Imladris, Erebor, might be a bit difficult.....

i dunno, some scenes in the Shire would be ok with a 'english countryside' feel but c'mon, you cant beat New Zealand's take on Middle Earth:

Originally Posted by Exarch

but c'mon, you cant beat New Zealand's take on Middle Earth:

You can. Any time. In fact, your own country would make for a more suitable location. Assuming you're still from China.


Anyway, my list of preference for Hobbit/LotR/Silmarillion filming locations would be:

1) Britain - several parts thereof.
2) Western or Central Europe (think Spain, Germany, Czech Republic etc.).
3) Eastern Europe - has the advantage of being affordable and possessing more (and bigger) "wild" landscapes than the rest of Europe. As mentioned, Romania would be interesting.
4) Northern/Central Asia (including parts of China) - vast landscapes and still close enough to what ME is supposed to look like.
5) North America (US, Canada) - somewhat similar wildlife, but only somewhat.
6) Chile/Argentina/New Zealand - vastly different vegetation and Fauna, although the climatic zones and types of landscape would be close enough. Oh yeah, and the sun shines from the North.


To illustrate my reasoning, have a look at these:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Any person that can recognize lines and colours on paper might detect what the problem with NZ is.

i don remember any deserts in the hobbit...

No, there are no deserts in the Hobbit, but when the Dwarves and Bilbo come closer to Smaug, the area arround Erebor is desolate, but not a desert.

Ireland. Low filming costs, nice countryside. And Scotland....oh! and England.

Mirkwood and Erebor would probably be sets, although some rocky little hill anywhere in Britain would do fine for Erebor (with a bit of a makeover of course).

Britain could recreate any setting that New Zealand can, bar the long-shots of course. Then again probably any European country could.

romania and scotland would be the best choices after new zealand in my opinion. england, not so much.

the advantage with romania is that you have everything, from mountains to hills and plains in about 1 hour's drive from the film studio, so it's really cost effective.


because i do not know how to post pictures here are a couple of google image links:

http://www.google.com/images?um=1&hl...=&oq=&gs_rfai=


http://www.google.com/images?um=1&hl...=&oq=&gs_rfai=




ps: how does one post pictures anyway?

Originally Posted by florin87

romania and scotland would be the best choices after new zealand in my opinion. england, not so much.

the advantage with romania is that you have everything, from mountains to hills and plains in about 1 hour's drive from the film studio, so it's really cost effective.


because i do not know how to post pictures here are a couple of google image links:

http://www.google.com/images?um=1&hl...=&oq=&gs_rfai=


http://www.google.com/images?um=1&hl...=&oq=&gs_rfai=




ps: how does one post pictures anyway?

You'd be able to find landscapes like that anywhere in Europe. Countries are generally pretty large areas. Big grey mountains and grassy hills aren't rarities.

Originally Posted by florin87

romania and scotland would be the best choices after new zealand in my opinion. england, not so much

I can't think of a more suitable location for the Shire then the English countryside (Afterall, that is what Tolkien based it on).

Not only that, but as mentioned in the OP, there is a massive disused car factory in England that has offered itself as a studio.




Another great picture of the Highlands/Misty Mountains:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Ireland and scotland would be good places.The leprecauns could get jobs as hobbits.

If it ain't broke don't fix.

New Zealand provided more than ample epic landscapery.

Geez, no wonder Del Torro left the project! Jackson needs to get back to work while Ian McKellan is still around