Tuesday, April 23, 2002 I work part time as a House Manager at Clowes Memorial Hall in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, and while we have all sorts of live shows there, we are also the primary performance facility for Butler University. Anyway, at the final performance of the Butler Ballet's season, they announced the new season's works, and much to my surprise, there is a Tolkien influenced piece next season. It's an original work, and it is based on Beren and Luthien and other parts of The Silmarillian. Here is the write up from the program: The Silmaril A new commissioned ballet in 4 acts with an original libretto based on J.R.R. Tolkien's magical world of Middle-Earth, to an original score by Butler composer-in-residence Frank Felice. The Silmaril recounts the pre-history of The Lord of the Rings and explores the love of Beren, a mortal hero, and Luthien, the immortal elf-maiden, and their conquest of a stolen jewel from the grip of the Lord of Evil. From what I hear, this has been in the works for a long time, and it's just a happy coincidence that it will premier in the middle of Tolkein mania. However, if any of you are in the Indianapolis area, the ballet will occur on April 25-28, 2003.
Tolkien Ballet In Indianapolis
- Xoanon @ 12:10 PST
From: Nick
Billy Boyd At I-Con Pics
- Xoanon @ 11:56 PST
The very lovely Ms. Marea sends along a few screenshots from her video of Billy Boyd (Pippin) at I-Con last weekend.
Monday, April 22, 2002 Like no doubt many "Ringers", I attended the I-Con Science Fiction and Fantasy convention held at the State University of New York at Stony Brook campus the weekend of April 19 - 21 and had a chance to attend a question and answer sessions with Billy Boyd. This is a report about the second session which was held on Sunday afternoon of the Con. What many not be clear to many fans is that this was Billy Boyd's first convention ever! I took special note, as I was also a sci-fi/fantasy convention virgin! In the first session, Billy caused a sensation as he was walked into the room surrounded by troop (if four can be called a troop) of Stormtroopers. For the second, he was ushered in much more peaceably by a gentleman who appeared to be an "Elf" of some kind - judging by his costume and his pointy ears. Like the earlier question and answer period, the format was for all persons who wished to ask a question to line up on opposite sides of the stage and take turns at the microphone. As I took my seat in the mostly filled auditorium, I hoped hoped that the technical people had been able to correct the amplification (acoustical?) problems of the sound system which had made both questions and answers unintelligible to people sitting in certain parts of the hall (and for the most part it seemed that they had). There were other, somewhat less popular changes. Because of delays and also some liberties taken on Saturday by [mostly} younger fans, an announcement was made this time giving the more explicit (and more restrictive) ground rules by the lady in charge, namely that questioners: 1) were limited to one question only 2) were not to ask Billy to show his tattoo, as he has made clear he was honoring the pact he made not to show it in public 3) were to save any gift presentations for the autograph session 4) were not to request hugs instead of asking questions or in addition to asking questions (also a privilege somewhat abused at the first session!) and 5) were not to get on stage (ditto!) A limited amount of flash photography however was allowed this time without it seeming to cause any problems. Billy answered approximately two dozen questions in the hour long session. And yes, I duly took waited my place in line. And though it seemed I was giving this event my fullest attention, alas, I can now only remember a fraction of them. But here are some of the most memorable - in no particular order - and if some reader catches me muddling the answers from this session with those from the last, my apologies. A thoughtful young woman asked where he got his energy and his motivation for autograph sessions and public appearances and other interactions with fans. Billy's answer, in brief, was that he truly enjoyed these experiences and that he didn't need to take any extra steps to deal with them - that the fans were getting "just me". A fan asked if the scene where Pippin looks into the palantir appeared in "Two Towers" or in "Return of the King". He replied that as all the movies were filmed together he honestly did not remember where the breaks occur between them. In an answer to the fan who described herself as being "obsessed" with Treebeard, Billy described how he and Dominick were filming these scenes high atop a "branch" on a Treebeard simulation, and it became such a bother to come down for "tea breaks" that they would just be passed a cup and a snack and left there sitting there alone by the crew! Alas, just as in the first session, one young woman asked him to show his tattoo, which he (very politely) declined to do, and two others asked for hugs (which by the way he sincerely seems to enjoy giving!) However afterward, we in line were at this point [rather sternly] reminded of the ground rules, which were subsequently honored. However, when later a young speech impaired fan signed him her question about where his tattoo was located, Billy smilingly agreed, saying that he was on his ankle in honor of the many months working on Lord of the Rings where he had a strong relationship with his feet! One of my favorite questions was from a little girl who asked how actors get into the mood to cry on camera. Billy responded that this was actually a more difficult process than many know, as we may see a single crying scene on film - but the actor may have been filming the scene all morning, taken a break for lunch, and then gone back to filming the scene in the afternoon - and that alone can make one cry! More seriously, he said a common technique was to listen to music that moves you or makes you sad before doing the scene to get in the right frame of mind. For those that insist on their gossip - Billy Boyd does not currently have a girlfriend. In response to one fan - the exact question I cannot recall - Billy described Pippin's scarf as a sort of symbol - almost a sort of banner - for the Shire, and for Pippin's desire to go back to it. Pippin would return there a shot, he said, except he won't, because it would mean leaving behind friends who still had a journey to complete. At one point, a fan asked him to sing the "Hey Ho To The Bottle I Go" song from the "Green Dragon Inn" scene which was cut out of the movie. After recalling some lines and getting stuck, Billy admitting [rather sheepishly!] that he could not recall all of the words at the moment. He then asked if the fan knew the song (which she did), and if she would sing it. So we were all treated to two stanzas of the young woman and her friend singing the hobbit drinking song! But (quite modestly of course) I am saving the best for last - my questions (yes, plural) to Billy Boyd! Waiting in line, I found I was having a difficulty in picking just one thing to ask him out of the many things I was curious about. The day before I had had the chance of asking if - with all the physical demands of the production - he had been injured while filming. I got back a wonderful story back that he had in fact broken his finger, but not while filming, rather while surfing on vacation, and of having to hide that fact from Peter Jackson (note: this story is told in another post on this site). Now, finally unable to settle on just one question, I settled instead for honesty. When my turn came at the mike, I told Billy that I could not decide between two questions, and so would let him made the choice. Would be rather answer a question about an "off camera" photo which I felt needed additional explanation, or did he wish to answer a profound question about Lord of the Rings? If the look on his face was any indication, this proposal left him with a dilemma - and he replied, saying that while he felt he should answer the Lord of the Rings question, the mystery of the other rather intrigued him! At this, I couldn't resist a bit of banter, advising Mr.. Boyd that he might find that answering the "profound" one was safer! Billy's response to all this was to turn my proposal into an audience participation event - everyone in the room would choose - by the clapping of hands - the question they wanted answered. The "photo" question won by a landslide - but, uncharacteristically emboldened by all this good fun, I mentioned that if he REALLY wanted to answer both questions, it was fine with me . . . . And once the lady in charge took up her mike and kindly gave permission I asked: Question 1: Explain a photo publicized on the Internet of Dominick Monaghan, Elijah Wood and himself posing in kilts at an event called the "Edinburgh Military Tattoo". The answer: His story was charming, I cannot not do it justice here, but essentially, the three "hobbits" attended an event held at a place which was built as a reproduction (I think!) of Edinburgh Castle (a beautiful Scottish landmark) within New Zealand . Billy wore his own kilt, and Dominick and Elijah rented kilts (with Dominick also renting - and wearing - a red wig for some reason!). Viggo Mortensen also attended the event, not in Scottish garb, but wearing Aragorn's belt, which we all agreed was very cool! And Billy almost did not tell the best part of the story - which was to end recall how the hobbits, returning together from this event, passed a playground and gave into a sudden compulsion to get out and slide on the slides. In their kilts. And Billy had an accident - while sliding, somehow his kilt rode up as he was sliding down . . . .and he sustained friction burns on his backside serious enough to bother him for days! (Another "Lord of the Rings" cast injury - you heard it here first, folks!) Question 2: I, like many fans of the movie, particularly appreciate Pippin as the lighthearted character in what is quite a serious film - yet even he has to encounter ultimate Evil. What would be your own (Billy Boyd's) personal definition of Evil? Billy paused to think before beginning to reply (I must admit I felt a bit of a guilty pang about his - after all, he'd already told that great story answering to my first question). But then, when he did begin speaking, I was particularly impressed with the tone of his answer. Again, it is hard to exactly reproduce his words - but they touched on his belief he holds that there is an innate morality - an ethic - present in the world, but which is often forgotten, especially it seems in modern times. He said evil for him is represented by persons who take actions out of pure ego, or selfishness, or "just because they can" without regard to their harm or effect on others - and in this pattern being repeated, without learning from past mistakes past, over and over throughout history. A thoughtful answer indeed. And at the end of the session - encouraging news. Billy Boyd had enjoyed his first con! Also, he said he would love to return -and bring Dominick Monaghan with him next time! (Two hobbits - why not four?) Afterward, I had a number of conversations (in the hallway, in the bathroom, etc. etc.) with various people who attended one or both question and answer and/or autograph sessions. And collectively, we couldn't say enough about Billy Boyd's charm, his storytelling ability, sense of humor, intelligence, humility. . . . we can just go on and on (and did!). He is a great guest, and comes across as no less sweet or endearing a person than Pippin himself - only considerably brighter! If any of you ever have a chance to meet him, my advice would be not to pass it up! My understanding is that both questions and answer sessions have been recorded and that they - together with an interview - would be available on a radio show created in partnership with I-CON for fans who were unable to attend the event. I'm working on putting this information together, and will report when (if?) I know more.
Billy Boyd At I-Con Report # 3
- Xoanon @ 11:34 PST
From: MAREA
Meij's LOTR At The U of P Report
- Xoanon @ 00:53 PST Thanks to you and to Ryan for posting the note about this concert. I live about a mile from Irvine Auditorium, but had never been inside before. When I saw the post, I couldn't resist. I don't know if you are interested in a review, but I wanted an excuse to put my thoughts on paper, so here they are. The performance was really enjoyable. The first half was chamber music, including a beautiful renaissance piece for the brass by Gabrieli. I enjoyed several of the selections, especially the brass and the percussion. By intermission the house was about 2/3 full. The second half was the de Meij, along with a narration that was composed by a Penn student in 1995. I had never heard the symphony before, but it was a very nice piece. The performance was (to my inexperienced ears) quite expressive and well executed. I have a couple of bones to pick with the narration however. The Moria and Lothlorien movements were switched from the usual order (/Gandalf, //Lothlorien, //Gollum, //Moria, //Hobbits/) so that the narration could follow the storyline of the book. This was (IMHO) a mistake musically, since it grouped the two more dramatic movements (/Gandalf/ and /Moria/) at the beginning and the quiet movements (/Lothlorien/ and /Hobbits/) at the end, which makes the second half seem like a letdown. It also focuses much too narrowly on a small part of the narrative. The first, third, and fifth movements are character sketches, which evoke scenes from throughout the story. Thus we have both Gandalf the Grey at Weathertop and Gandalf the White at Helms Deep, Isengard, and Pellenor. /Gollum /portrays Smeagol killing and stealing, Riddles in the Dark, as well as Ithilien and Cirith Ungol. That gives us important scenes from all three books, and a sweeping focus that could not be captured by 5 movements in a strict chronological order. Thus the climactic /Moria /movement, if performed fourth, would also bring to mind scenes from Mordor and the finale triumph and escape from Mt Doom. Unfortuately, the narration, with its revised ordering and linear story line, focused only Gandalf the Grey, Moria, and Gollum's pursuit of the company from Moria to Lothlorien. Thus it distracted the listener from the grand sweep of the music as it depicted scenes from throughout the story. It also conflicted directly with the music at a few points, especially in the Gollum movement (here the text was not drawn from Tolkien and frankly mischaracterized Gollum). And it made it seem that the piece skipped everything between Lothlorien and the return to the Shire/Grey Havens (with a brief explanation by the narrator) which brought to mind the abrupt end of the Bakshi movie. In general I thought the narration was a good idea, and it could have been great if it were better executed. Where it was drawn from the original text (especially in the Moria movement) it really helped the listener to connect with the story. However, through much of Gollum the narration was wholly invented and agreed with neither Tolkien nor de Meij, and it really pulled me away from the music. In the Hobbits and Gandalf movements, the text worked with the music to paint images of the characters, and I think this could have been even better with less emphasis on the storyline and more on the variety of images from throughout the story. Also, changing the order of the movements from the composers original intent is rarely a good idea. I would love to hear the George Takei narration sometime. Overall, it was a great showing by the Penn Wind Ensemble, and a treat for this Tolkien fan.
From: Dave
Sean Astin At Harvard
- Xoanon @ 00:47 PST The talk was held in a very informal setting, with less than 100 people in attendance, which made for a great intimate atmosphere. He talked a lot about his parents, and his background - John Astin is not his biological father, but is his father in every true sense of the word. He recounted anecdotes from his experiences on Rudy: he did have a stunt double, but only for scenes where he "felt his neck buckle" after being tacked by a 6'5 football player; and stories from filming the Goonies: he recalled how he felt a sense of "abject terror" and helpless desperation when he witnessed one of his costars fall 20 feet off the plank of the set of a pirate ship (and was thankfully unhurt!). LOTR related parts.. he talked about how filming LOTR was an incredible experience, and one with a constant learning curve. There was also an interesting mention of his creative differences with Peter Jackson over how the character of Sam should be portrayed - but they resolved their conflicts and the result is the wonderful character we see onscreen. He also talked about disappointed the cast and crew were when the movie did not win Best Picture - the Kodak theatre where the Oscars are held has rows of tall columns with the names of Best Picture winners engraved on them; talked about what it was like being a childhood actor; his feelings about September 11th and how he felt it impacted the film; his views on being a celebrity and the responsibilities that come with it; meeting Sidney Poultier at the Oscars..and many more.. all in all, Sean talked and answered questions for more than an hour and a half. He is refreshingly open and honest, saying at the beginning that he was perfectly comfortable with answering any and all questions, however personal, even if we felt uncomfortable asking them. he then spent another hour signing autographs, taking photographs, showing us his tattoo, and even found time to play a couple of innings of whiffleball in the courtyard outside the building. His wife was present as well (they are expecting another child in August), as well as his absolutely adorable daughter. Sean Astin is a very nice man, extremely articulate, intelligent (and funny!), and put a lot of thought and effort into the questions that were posed to him. he was genuinely happy to be here, and I had a great time..it was a real pleasure to meet him! first Elijah Wood and now Sean Astin..hopefully this trend will continue at fair Harvard..
Sean Astin was at Harvard today for an informal talk about his life and his role in major iconic American cultural films such as the Goonies, Rudy, and his role in LOTR.
Billy Boyd At I-Con Report # 2
- Xoanon @ 00:40 PST At I-Con in New York today, Billy Boyd had another Q&A session from 1PM-2PM. I've paraphrased some of the questions and answers below. He was very gracious, and thanked everyone who asked questions. He repeated the 'second breakfast' line for a fan who asked, and once referred to the quest to destroy The One Ring as a 'mission...quest...thing.' The crowd was just as large as the Saturday session, but unfortunately there was no Stormtrooper escort. Were there any funny/exciting things that happened on the set that you haven't already shared? Billy told us how Sean Astin was always very concerned about safety. During one of the many helicopter rides, the Hobbits were goofing around and having fun talking over their headsets, saying things like "Bogey at 5:00!". Sean began telling them to quiet down so the pilots could hear each other. After they'd landed, Sean apparently was waving his hands about, directing the helicopters from the ground. What person would you like to meet, and why? Billy answered John Lennon, which was met with applause. If you could have any job other than acting what would it be? Billy said he would like to be a professional surfer, though he came to the sport late. What is your favorite weapon for swordplay, a foil, a claymore, a shortsword, etc.? Billy replied that he liked the shortswords that they used in LOTR. He said he'd seen William Wallace's claymore, and it was about 8 feet long. He wondered how a person could possibly fight with a sword that big, and that William must have just taken a big swing and "hoped for the best"! What is your definition of evil? Billy explained how he didn't understand how us, as humans, could keep repeating the same mistakes over and over again throughout time. He said that he thought that doing immoral acts to obtain something - just to have it - was what he thought true evil was. What did you think about when you had to cry after Gandalf's death? He explained that for a particular scene, they might be doing it over and over again all day. He had to cry in the morning, then stop for some lunch, then start crying again after lunch for a different camera angle, etc. Billy said that just thinking about all those takes were enough to make a person cry! He then said that he would often listen to music he found sad just before coming on the set, and sometimes while on set to help him with the crying scenes. He also said he basically just thought about things that made him sad. Can you tell us anything about Pippin's upcoming Palantir scene, and was it the point that he lost his innocence? Billy said he couldn't remember exactly, but he thinks it's in The Two Towers. He didn't think that's when Pippin lost his innocence, but that it was an event that changed him greatly and helped to really ground him in the seriousness of the quest. How were the scenes of big people and Hobbits achieved? Billy explained a little about forced perspective. He said for instance, Gandalf would be standing close to the camera, while Pippin was further away. They were both given marks to look at while they were talking. Since a camera is two-dimensional, it appears as if the two are standing close to each other and looking at each other's faces. He talked about the scene where Gandalf punishes Merry & Pip by having them wash dishes. He said the table that was used was quite complicated and had these different levels. The dishes were also of different sizes and arranged in the proper places so that they appeared normal to Hobbits but small for Gandalf. He said that because of that, it was a complicated scene to film for the actors. He joked that he thought that the staff just had the actors work with this complicated set for kicks, but then added the special effects later! He was asked again to show his tattoo. Billy (very patiently) explained about the pact that the Fellowship had made about not having the tattoos photographed. He did say that the tattoo was on his ankle. He chose his ankle because he had just spent a long time being very involved with his feet and he felt that made it an appropriate place. Who are you? He jokingly replied that he didn't know who he was this morning! He then said he thought he was just a normal guy trying to make his way in the world (awwww). After your experience with this convention, would you attend others, and possibly with other cast members? Billy said, yes, he had enjoyed himself and he would attend other conventions if he could. He explained that he was likely to be very busy in the near future, so there was nothing planned currently. It just so happened that when he was asked to do I-Con it worked into his schedule. He then told us that Viggo was in the city (which most of us knew), and almost came to I-Con! This was met with many wistful sighs from the audience! Most of us had been at I-Con Friday and couldn't attend Viggo's event in the city. What was it like wearing the Hobbit feet? Billy talked about how water would seep into the feet and then freeze. Then the water could not get back out again and it generally made for a miserable time. He said the staff tried several tricks to help such as standing on heating pads, our putting fur on the inside, but nothing worked. He said they basically had to learn to live with it! Do you have a girlfriend? He replied that there was no one with a ring. After the Q&A, my husband and I headed to the restrooms in preparation for the long drive home. The ladies' room just happens to be near the green room. As I was leaving the ladies' room, Billy was being escorted down the hall. As he walked past several of the young fans who had just attended the Q & A they did a double-take! We were following him across the room, and remarkably he made it across without being stopped, though he was smiling and nodding at people who apparently were saying "hi" as they passed. As I was leaving I noticed one fan was getting her picture taken with him. He was, of course, being very gracious, even though he was probably tired from two days of events. He signed autographs for over two hours the night before (we were among the last in line), and likely did it again tonight. Most media guests at cons are very appreciative of the fans, but I think Billy really went to extra lengths. Two Q&A's and two autograph sessions as well as panels and other events made sure that his fans got to see a lot of him.
From: Maleficent Radisgad
Sunday, April 21, 2002 Hello! I just got back from the I-CON convention where i did, in fact, meet Billy Boyd! Here goes the play by play: I arrived at around 12:30 & waited around for the Q&A with Billy which started at 1:30pm. I got a seat a few rows back from the front & at precisely 1:30pm, Billy came out -- actually he was brought out by a group of genuine Star Wars storm troopers! LOL. I got a picture of him walking by me (as well as a few other pics of him on the stage answering questions) & as soon as they're developed, I"ll figure out a way to get them scanned & send em along. Okay, now there's no way I'll be able to remember every question, or Billy's exact answers, but i'll do my best. The first question I remember. A couple of girls had two messages written on shirts from "The King of Gondor" for "Pippin". They had been to Viggo's book signing yesterday & told Viggo they were going to I-CON the next day, so he sent along a couple of messages. They brought the shirts up to Billy & Billy read us the messages. The first one was from the "King of Gondor" & it said something about Pippin being the best honorary steward of Gondor, or something. The second message I remember exactly -- it was from "Viggo" & it said "Billy Boyd is my master", which had Billy cracking up. The second question was from a girl who asked Billy to show us his tattoo. He was very courteous in saying .. NO! LOL. He said he & the other members of the fellowship all agreed to never show them & being that there were so many cameras in the audience, he couldnt' show it. After this question, the order of them gets hazy & I don't remember them all, but here are some of the better ones. Some girl asked Billy if he thought it was creepy the way so many people are obsessed with him & he laughed & said that it was actually very nice & flattering & fun. Someone asked him what his favorite scene to film was & he told us this whole long story (which is hysterical). He said it was the "second breakfast" scene -- not because of the scene exactly, but because of the story behind the scene. He said they were filming & it began snowing -- snowing like he'd never seen it snow before. He held up his hands to show how big the snowflakes were & he held up his hands to show the size of a baseball. He said they were out in the middle of nowhere & that the ONE road leading to where they were was going to be closed down, so they all had to leave. They decided to get the actors out first, so that they could maybe go film something else. The only car there was a van, which didn't have four wheel drive & as they were driving out, the van slid off the road & there they were -- the four hobbits, in full costume, in their hobbit feet, pushing the van back onto the road. During this, the crew drives by in a four wheel truck, pretty much laughing at them. Then they get back to the hotel, but they can't check into their rooms, because they weren't ready yet -- they weren't supposed to be back for awhile & the rooms weren't available at that time. So the hobbits were lead to the laundry room & they all sat on top of washing machines so they could get their feet removed when Viggo shows up with a bottle of Scotch -- he figured they must be cold & this would help warm them up. So there they were, sitting on top of these washing machines, getting pretty much drunk. Pretty funny! His least favorite scene he said was while they were outside the mines of Moria, waiting for Gandalf to figure out how to get the door opened. He said they were filming in the middle of the night, all night & it was freezing. He said the worst part was that the water would soak into their hobbit feet & then literally freeze. He was so cold & so miserable & it was the only time during the entire shoot that he almost cried. But he didn't want to cry in front of Viggo & Sean B., LOL. Someone asked him if he had surfed when he was in LA in March & he said he actually went surfing here in NY, at Rockaway Beach a few days ago when we were having our mini heat wave. All throughout the Q&A, btw, he was being asked for hugs & he granted each & every hug (the first person asked if they could have a hug & he said, "Sure!" he hugged them & then said, "The answer to that question is always yes!") & almost everyone who went up to ask a question was giving him gifts. He was asked if he ever got injured while filming & he said he had gotten injured a couple of times, but never while filming. He broke his pinky during a surfing trip & he didn't tell Peter about it. The guys at WETA made an "invisible" splint for him & it didn't heal properly, so now it's got a weird bend to it. One bad injury he told us about was that Sean A. got. When Sam is running into the water after Frodo in the end, Sean stepped on a sharp twig that went right through his hobbit foot & right through his real foot. He had to be helicoptered to a hospital quickly because the twig went in deep. Let's see. ... what else. Oh, someone commented on if his new "scruffy" look was Dom's influence (he had the a lovely scruffy beard going on) & he told us it was actually for a movie he's doing about a man who's in some space station for a year. He was asked if we would be seeing anything else of his here in the states anytime soon & he mentioned a short film he had done that would come out in the film festivals most likely. And his next film is going to be a Peter Wier project being filmed in Mexico. When asked what his favorite line from the movie was, he replied that it was "Where are we going?" at the council of Elrond. He says it showed pretty much what Pippin was all about -- that he wanted to be with his friends & be in the thick of things & really had no idea what was going on half the time. He talked about any time that any of them began to feel worn out, or down due to the grueling schedule, they would all stop & say, "Hang on a minute here, we're doing "The LORD OF THE RINGS" here!" & that would immediately bring them all up. He mentioned that he had read the HObbit when he was younger, but he didnt' pick up LOTR until he got the job. He read for the roles of Merry & Pippin & when he met with Peter Jackson, he was reading for Pippin only. After about 3 readings, he was told that he got the job. He had never met any of the other members of the fellowship prior to filming, although he & Orlando wound up being on the same flight to NZ & got to know each other really well on the flight. Of course, he talked about how close they all got & mentioned that he stayed with Dom when he was in LA a few weeks back. He commented on how he doesn't know if Peter Jackson just intuitively knew that they would all get along so well, or if it was just luck -- in any case, they all really had a wonderful comaraderie. That's all i can really remember at this point -- it's all a bit of a blur, LOL. Oh, wait! The last question that was asked was where were Billy & Stewart (his webmaster, who was there also) when all the bb.net folks met earlier in the day at the Cyber Cafe & Billy's answer was "We were having second breakfast" !! I have to say that Billy is sweet & charming & has a wonderful sense of humor. It was his first convention he told us & he handled himself marvelously. I got to meet him later on during the autograph session where he was just ...just awesome, really. Very kind & very friendly & seemed genuinely grateful for any & all praise that was given to him. It was an incredible experience being in his presence & I'm eternally grateful to Billy Boyd for doing the I-CON convention this year!
Billy Boyd At I-Con Report
- Xoanon @ 14:25 PST
From: Anna
Thursday, April 18, 2002 ANDREW LESNIE ACS Director of Photography of THE LORD OF THE RINGS: When: Wednesday, 24th April 2002 7pm (Expected finish time approx 10:30pm) Where: The Gardens Theatre Queensland University of Technology Gardens Point Campus (use George Street Entrance) Cost: Free QUT Creative Industries Students, ACS & QPIX members (Student ID & Membership Cards required) $5 All other Students, the Public and Non Members Pay at the Theatre Ticket Office Regards Mic Collis
Live In Oz? Wanna Meet Andrew Lesnie?
- Xoanon @ 11:37 PST
Australian Cinematographers Society (Queensland Branch)
QUT Creative Industries & QPIX Ltd. Present an Evening with Academy Award Winner
THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING
Queensland President
Australian Cinematographers Society
E-mail: acsqld@acs.asn.au
Website: www.acs.asn.au
Monday, April 15, 2002 I went to the Expo on Sunday 14th April, the last day of the Expo. The LOTR bit was AWESOME (well to me it was. My friends and I had so much fun. The Lurtz statue was very tall it made "me" feel like a hobbit lol. They had a Hobbit cut out which my friend and I had to get a picture with, they also had some figurines of LOTR characters and they had a video showing which was about how they made the figurines (i think :S) The people that were there were very nice, i hate to say it but I'm not too sure of there names :S All in all I had a wonderful time :D LOTR Fan from NZ
Armageddon Expo Report
- Xoanon @ 17:40 PST
From: Cristena
Thursday, April 11, 2002 Auckland, New Zealand. LOTR is coming to Armageddon Pulp Culture Expo this weekend (12-14 April). The Pulp Expo booklet says… “Have your chance to own a piece of ‘The Lord of the Rings’ trilogy straigt from the sculptors at Weta Workshop. Sideshow/Weta Collectibles will be present with a huge range of collectible sculptures from ‘The Lord of the Rings’ all sculpted by the same Weta artists who worked on the films. · Meet the people responsible for the special effects and collectibles · Special Armageddon prices for the duration of the show only · Competitions · Guest appearances · Demonstrations” You may find more info on www.pulpexpo.com (ie. LOTR display with a full size statue of Lurtz).
Armageddon Pulp Culture Expo Info
- Xoanon @ 11:09 PST
From: Elfee Ears
Wednesday, April 10, 2002 For all the Ringers in Ontario, and perhaps more correctly, in the Greater Toronto Area, there are two stage productions of The Hobbit occuring this upcoming weekend! 1. Heritage Theatre Brampton, Friday, April 19, @ 7pm. Call 905.874.2800 for Tickets. 2. Hammerson Hall, Living Arts Centre in Mississauga, Saturday, April 20, @ 7:30pm. Call 905.306.6000 for Tickets. $29/$26/$19. Presented by Classical 96.3 FM, Rogers, and Family Passport. Hwy 403 & Hwy 10 (west of Square One) Free Parking. www.livingarts.on.ca
Two Hobbit Stage Plays In T.O.
- Xoanon @ 08:29 PST
From: Eirien