I just came from a 4th Qtr meeting with (snip) last night and they took us through their shpeal...then they showed trailers.

The last 'trailer' they showed was actually a ten minute making-of about Lord of the Rings. Needless to say I was happy and my goosebumps rose. It was really interesting and I got to see scenes I haven't seen in any of the trailers. You guys have probably seen this too. Anyway, my real reason for writing about this was one thing that stuck out to me...I know that Arwen has a larger role in the story however...from the footage I saw, it looks like she carries Frodo across the ford! Bakshi made it Legolas who meets them instead of Glorfindel after they leave Weathertop - is maybe Arwen meeting them now after Weathertop?

I just rewatched that old Making-of that came out before the teaser trailer and what I saw last night is like an extended version of that. A lot of the same scenes but Sean Bean holding the ring on the chain actually has a line about all the trouble for this small item. And the extended Arwen scene with the Hobbit on her horse - she definitely is making a break from the edge of a forest towards something and the nine riders (in the big heavy cloaks - so it's before they take the stolen bodies of kings) are right behind her and reaching for her. That was why I was pretty sure she is crossing the ford like you guys conjectured on the site as I look at the shot by shot break down. Anyway, passing it along. You guys have probably seen it but if not, it was pretty wicked.

There was one more part where the digital animator talks about the orcs (vs Faramir's men I think - they looked human not elven and they were carrying huge two-handed blades with odd split grips) and how none of the movements are animated. All of them are just programmed with hit, run, back off, charge, etc and then each of the 3D constructs just interacts with those around it! That's some HEAVY duty programming but the fight looked AMAZING!