The NZ Herald carried a small report yesterday on the effect that LOTR and other huge productions like Vertical Limit have had on the local film industry. If you'll remember, Vertical Limit was being filmed in Queenstown last summer at the same time as LOTR, kick-starting a whole second economy in the area.

The Film Commission has noticed that now, overseas producers approach them with a much clearer idea of what NZ offers as a film location, and a realisation that the crews and equipment they need are here already.

To give make their article more interesting, the Herald paired it with a photo captioned "Lord of the Rings has shown NZ to be a good location for producing films." What a pity the actual picture appears to show one of the puppets or models for the local condensed version of Wagner's 'The Ring of the Nibelungs.' I think it's Alberich.

This potted Ring was made in Auckland this year for children's television, in collaboration with the BBC's Channel 4. On which more later, we hope.

UPDATE: So we're not perfect either. Robin from the BBC informs us that the BBC (or 'auntie') is a seperate entity from Channel 4.