This again is another example of expository scenes, the characters move little but the story jumps in leaps and bounds. Frodo wakes in the House of Elrond. In his own private room overlooking the water and with the misty mountains in the distance. I will get into describing the look and feel of the house in the next chapter; suffice it to say that Elronds house has a very good mix of white green and gold. It's got huge marble walls and is very Roman in nature. Frodo's room is small but has a fireplace; his bed lies against a wall and is not facing the window. Gandalf is sitting next to him blowing smoke rings.

I'd like to see this, the shot opens with a CU of a beautiful forest scene, covered with lovely violet trees and a beautiful woman sitting by a small fountain, suddenly a large, out of focus smoke rings rolls past. The camera pulls back to reveal the scene as a painting on the wall, and tilts down to see Gandalf blowing the smoke rings, sitting across from Frodo, with his legs crossed. Frodo slowly stirs and wakes.

The rest of this scene plays out very much like the book; in fact the next few chapters MUST do so. There is much explained and made clear, to do so otherwise is silly, Tolkien wrote this chapter specifically to let things be made clear, and I hope PJ does the very same.

What comes next can only be describes as a very Arthurian scene. The Hall of Elrond with many queer and new faces we have never scene, we are introduced to many people in this chapter and the next, each characters entrance will have it's own specialty to is, but at the same time be as subtle as Tolkien wrote it.

As far as casting for characters, we've got John Rhys-Davies as Gimli, and Orlando Bloom for Legolas; so picture them, as you should all the other chosen cast members. But what of Elrond? And Gloin the Dwarf? Well that's up to you. I'd love to see the late Peter Cushing as Elrond myself, but I have to admit, this time through I've got Mr. David Bowie as the Half-Elf, suffice it to say that Elrond has this regal 'Arthur' feel to him. And is commanding yet subtle in the way he speaks.

As far as the first meal in the hall? I'd change it, I'd have them first meet in the 'Hall of Fire', and it would be this large, circular room with torches lit all around, as well as a large, circular fireplace in the middle. The room itself would be totally white, but the fire it glows and orange/red. There are chairs and cushions all around. They first meet there, and Frodo meets Gloin and sees many interesting faces.

click on one of images to see the full file. Thanks to Mia for the story board images.

Remember the Mos Isley cantina scene? The one with 'he doesn't like you...I don't like you either' from Star Wars? (Calisuri would). Remember how they showed many people talking handing around, the astronaught looking people, the dude with the sloped face, the guy who looked like the devil, the guy talking enthusiastically with the other dude. Remember how they showed Han and Chewy in with those people as well, they were just part of the crowd, nothing special about them....yet. That's how I'd like to see it in the Hall of Fire, Frodo looking around at all these faces, an Elf here, a Dwarf there, nothing big. Except when he sees Arwen he stops, and she's busy talking with someone else, but he seems to keep his glance on her, just for a second.

Just think of the meeting with Elrond and the meeting with Gloin in the Hall of Fire instead of the dining hall, I'd save that beautiful room for the council meeting. So Elrond takes Frodo by the shoulders and tells him he's got a surprise for him, and moving through all the people, the little Hobbit sees Bilbo, sitting in the corner, asleep.

We've only seen Bilbo a small fraction of the screen time, so I don't know how PJ will handle this, but I want Bilbo to seem 'older' than at the beginning, he no longer has the Ring and the effects are starting to wear off. He seems slower, more tired and forgetful, Tolkien hints this ever so slightly in this scene, but it is done masterfully. And we should see that in this scene.

Like I said at the beginning, this is an expository scene, so much is revealed! It's important not to overflow. I think there could be a great chance to slowly introduce each major player in this scene in the Hall of Fire. We have another great opportunity for a song from Bilbo perhaps, (a short one, maybe even featured in the background with dialogue over it). We'll also be learning more about Elves and Men and the goings on of things that we have not heard of yet, as a way to introduce us to the characters. So that during the all-important council, we are not overwhelmed by people and events, that it's hard to concentrate or get it all down.

I'd like to see a private moment with Bilbo and Frodo, in Bilbo's quarters perhaps, maybe even a little look at his writings, and some character development from Bilbo (this is it for him, so why not let him have a nice passage PJ!)

This Frodo would slip off to bed and the next day he'll be sitting at the Council.