An RA viewer's perspective from 33°0'S of the equator ..... AKA "the other side of the planet"

On second thoughts .... pondering RA's apparent invisibility

I have a habit of completing work in unpaid time. Those who work part time will understand that there are just often not enough hours in the working day to cover everything that needs to be done. By this I mean paperwork/admin/reports/programs. I guess I can confess however, that at times as I worked, I reflected on my comments from a few days ago, and began to wonder if I was a bit harsh. Having followed Richard Armitage's career for almost five years, it is difficult to suddenly let go and not betray a bit of interest in what is happening in the here and now. To withdraw my expressions of support for his success would be downright mean spirited, and of course, I wish him success, a host of awards for the recognition of his acting ability, wealth and happiness which includes fulfilling relationships with a significant other. I just feel that I am a watcher from the outside, from a distance - the less information there is, the less engaged I am becoming in the fandom. That's a reflection on me at this point in time and not really Mr A. It is still interesting however that there is no information .... I'm not familiar with any other actor and whether it is characteristic for them to become invisible when they work. Quite possibly it is. Previously RA has been working on short term projects, and therefore I don't recall that he was ever out of the interview circle as much as he is now. Perhaps that is because The Hobbit is an all consuming longterm project and he is off the publicity radar.

This brings me to ponder about another subject. How much publicity do the actors on Peter Jackson's projects do? I can't remember seeing any interviews for the LOTR trilogy - I just remember the films being promoted, and we couldn't wait to see them. I think that part of Richard Armitage's contracts for Spooks involved a commitment to interviews and publicising the show. The Hobbit is, by its very nature, a publicity machine in itself. Will Richard Armitage be required to give many interviews in order to publicise the films? He's one of a big cast - I can predict Martin Freeman, Sir Ian, James Nesbitt, Luke Evans, Stephen Fry, Billy Connolly, will do a swag of interviews, but if publicity is not RA's thing, than will he be able to escape most of the hype .... and let his performance as Thorin do the talking? 

I'm hoping we don't see Mr A's face splashed on the front cover of New Idea, Woman's Day, Who, or whatever other magazine I check out as I wait in line to be served at the supermarket registers. Hopefully that won't happen and Brad and Ange's wedding will usurp any attempts from papparazzi of splashing RA over the front covers. It's interesting, but I just can't envisage RA being written about in those gossip chronicles. Let's hope my instincts serve me correctly. I think his metaphorical cloak of invisibility might just come in handy in the lead up to, and aftermath of, the release of the first film. (Should I have used "Ring of Invisibility?)

Untitled post or my waning interest given the lack of new work and information

Since FanstRA 3, I've had a hectic few weeks with work and therefore have left this blog "unattended". After spending this afternoon updating my Timeline of The Hobbit Production, I realise that we have not had much news of Richard Armitage since January. As I have watched his work to the point of (I'm ashamed to admit) anticipating some of the dialogue in parts, I don't have any further desire to watch repeats or listen to his audiobooks. It's got to be the 'same old, same old". Visiting a few of the fansites, I'm in admiration of the fans who can make excuses for his lack of appearance at certain functions, when other of his Hobbit contemporaries show up. We recently heard of the New Zealand UK High Commission's street party where four of his cast members from Britain attended. I understand the "busyness" excuse; the "in character" excuse; the "difficulty to get in and out of costume and prosthetics excuse", but surely these would apply to three out of four of the actors who attended the function. At the risk of speculating, I think Mr RA is enjoying his anonymity .... what there is left of it. Let's face it, the man could hardly move in the UK without someone finding out about it in recent years, and while he appeared (mostly) very gracious about the attention of his fans, he doesn't seem as comfortable about the public scene as say, Sir Ian McKellen, who seems to be very generous with his time with the public even in NZ. 

I'm trying to imagine what it must be like for RA to be able to go to gym, go for a run, or go to the shops without being recognised. When I visited NZ, the local community appeared to be very protective of well known actors' privacy .... even Tom Cruise reportedly got rid of his security guards after being in the country for a week. RA is quite possibly able to move about relatively unrecognised (Wellington is a small place too, unlike London). This will change once he is back in London imo, although his disguise onscreen as a Tolkien dwarf might allow him to remain anonymous for a little longer.

What, however, are the implications of this "cone of silence" for his existing fandom? There is just not enough info for people to talk about and speculate on, and I've noticed a diminution of interest as a consequence on the forums. I can't help but feel that this could in fact be a little deliberate on RA's part - he will no doubt enjoy a new degree of success and popularity once The Hobbit is released ... but the fan population will no longer be the same mix of people. I anticipate that the fandom will change so much it will become unrecognisable. Is it a case of "out with the old and in with the new" for RA? I personally admire the ones who will be able to hang in there through it all and remain active members of the communities as they change.

I confess that I am no longer burning to find out the latest information about Richard Armitage, and I might log in to C19 every once in a while. I haven't been to either of the AA sites for months .. or the IMDb board. I logged out of twitter as I couldn't cope with the way fans were hanging out for info from the guys who were "on the ground" in Wellington. If I am to read something into RA's actions the same way as everyone else in the fandom tends to do, I would suggest that his avoidance of being seen in public and his apparent "invisibility" should tell the nosier fans, that their efforts to extract information from people who might have contact with him via twitter or other social media might not be appreciated by him. Nor am I under any illusion that he will be particularly accessible at the Premiere. (My OH disputes this, lol ... we shall see!). I expect him to give interviews that have been organised and pose for the press in attendance, but it will be a very lucky (or very pushy) fan who will be able to get close enough to get even an autograph on the red carpet event. Better to send a request to his agents, imo, if someone is so needful of a signed "something", that, in my house, would be relegated to the bottom of a drawer somewhere.

This of course is not to say that I won't be watching The Hobbit .... how could I not, when I have been an LOTR buff for years!! At this point in time I feel I will watch new work of RA's providing it is my sort of thing ... I certainly will feel no compulsion to watch something just because he is in it, and I certainly don't watch advertisements or documentaries he narrates if I have no interest in the topic. 

I think I am one of those bad, disloyal people who does not earn the "fan" label! I deeply admire the girls who have been around since the inception of the fandom. Of course, an interview, or a public appearance, or an act of goodwill on RA's part might make me change my mind.

 

FanstRAvaganza post 7: The Impressionists - locations, trivia & one final question.

From the Tagteamers:

 Last, but definitely not least! Freeform: Agzy shares with us her favorite Armitage paper doll • Ana Cris examines Lucas North's tattoos through Maori tattoo culture • Jas Rangoon premieres her new John Bateman fanvid • In fandom, jazzbaby1 thinks RA fandom is just groovy! • C.S. Winchester asks "naughty or nice?" in a picspam • Mrs. E.B. Darcy thinks about Armitage's future after TH to wrap up the Hobbit chain  • Jo Ann offers the last King Richard Armitage post, on Richard III and the Tudors • In fanfic, Maria Grazia reviews and compares works by the authors she's interviewed • Gratiana Lovelace wraps up the event with a guest post by Melissa the Mouse! • Links to all FanstRA 3 posts appear here at the end of the event! 

DON'T FORGET TO VISIT THE CORE BLOGGERS: "RAFrenzy"; "me + richard armitage" Servitus writes about the durability of Guy of Gisborne; "Confessions of a Watcher" fitzg guestblogs "A letter from a lady of Manchester, January 1895" (Margaret writes to John);  "CDoart: Richard Armitage & History & Spooks" CDoart writes about what women can discern about a man who loves history; "Richard Armitage Fan Blog"; "The Squeee" wraps up with a discussion concerning RA's lifestyle preferences; Richard Armitage Vids & Graphics hosts a quizz to test our RA acuity; DistRActed musings of one ReAlity Fanny has coffee with WhatCatyDidnext; Jonia's cut

Scrolling through my posts on this blog, I'm ashamed to say that I have never written about The Impressionists which is strange as I really loved it. 

In writing this post, I must, as always, acknowledge Annette over at RichardArmitageOnline who has faithfully kept records of so many of Richard Armitage's interviews. There is a particularly good interview he did in 2006 on BBCRadio5Live with Simon Mayo. which by chance has just been mentioned on C19. During the interview, Richard Armitage discusses his role as Monet - his attention to detail in terms of learning about his subject and character is obvious. 

Some trivia about The Impressionists, and Richard Armitage's preparation as Monet:

• Richard Armitage admitted in his interview with Simon Mayo that he knew very little about Monet when he first signed up for the project, and he was therefore interested in exploring how Monet made such an impression on art.                                                                                                   
• Did you know that Richard Armitage has painted "a little" and in the interview, reported to Simon Mayo that he had done a 'few things" with oil on canvas?                                                                                   
• An artist was employed to construct copies of Monet's paintings and also to de-construct them so that they could reproduce the stages of each painting throughout the filming.                                                                                          
• The artist had worked out how Monet had created his brushstrokes so that the actors could be taught the correct movements.  In the radio interview Richard Armitage reported feeling bad about having to daub purple paint on the artist's reproductions of the haystacks.    
•                                                                                                                                                                         
• Richard Armitage's favourite painting by Monet is one of the series he painted of the Houses of Parliament exhibited in Paris.
• 
  

•  The BBC press pack can be found on the BBC website here.                                                                                                                                                                                                           
• Chris Nicolaides, who composed part of the music score for Episode 2 has clips of this score in context on his site here.

• The series was shot on location in Provence, Normandy, Monet's Garden in Giverny and at the BlueBell Railway in East Sussex. 

Provence:

Normandy:

Giverny.

Bluebell Railway - Sussex. (Also used for North & South)

Argenteuil - located to the NW of Paris

Final question for FanstRA3

One final piece of trivia about locations. Can you spot a similarity beween this picture from North & South ...

and this picture from The King's Speech?

FanstRAvaganza3: Richard Armitage - Physical preparation for roles and the importance of injury prevention in acting.

It's almost over, oh no! In fandom, Phylly3 celebrates her second blogiversary! • In the Hobbit chain, Antonia Romera compares trailers for An Unexpected Journey in three languages • CDoart's the King Richard Armitage blogger, writing on the relevance of the character in times of questionable justice • In fanfic, Jo Ann finishes her story • fedoralady traces the evolution of her "sloth fic" series • In freeform, Gratiana Lovelace rescreens her Armitage birthday vid • Fabo casts Armitage in Hollywood musical remakes • C.S. Winchester takes on Armitage in period costumes from N&S and Miss Marie Lloyd • Links to all FanstRA 3 posts appear here at the end of each day

FROM THE CORE BLOGGERS: "RAFrenzy" writes about RA's creativity; "me + richard armitage" Servitus posts "Another kind of Creativity: Getting your Analytical On"; "Confessions of a Watcher"Judiang continues her Guy Therapy sessions;  "CDoart: Richard Armitage & History & Spooks" Cdoart writes about "Why King RichardIII is such a worthy topic for our Time"; "Richard Armitage Fan Blog" hosts a guest interview with Mary "What's wrong with me?"; "The Squeee" talks about RA's character in "Inspector Lynley: Divine Proportion" ; Richard Armitage Vids & Graphics lets you create a John Standring "drag and drop" magazine ; DistRActed musings of one ReAlity Fanny has coffee with Womblingfree; Jonia's cut analyses the anatomy of RA's feet.

 
Richard Armitage - Physical preparation for roles and the importance of injury prevention in acting, OR  Richard Armitage ... are you doing your exercises??

For FanstRA3 post number 6, I decided to look at what Richard Armitage might have to do in order to prepare physically for his roles. Not only does he have to look and be fit, he also should take care of his body in order to avoid injury. His last few roles have involved quite a lot of physicality; 

"Keeping fit is important because so much of the work I do is pretty action packed. Riding horseback in Robin Hood, chasing spies in Spooks, fighting terrorists in Strike Back .... never a dull moment. There are stunt doubles for the trickier stuff, but I do a lot myself because I enjoy the challenge." Source: "If Looks Could Kill" Sunday Times 12/09/2010 (Found on RichardArmitageOnline).

.... and now he is Thorin Oakenshield where he rides horses, walks, runs, fights Goblins with Orcrist or an oak branch; fights trolls; and wears armour. But he also has to sing .... I would have to wonder if this is one of the most demanding roles of his career to date.

Let's take a look at three of his past characters ... and no, this is not a gratuitous excuse to post shirtless pictures:

1. Guy of Gisborne - looks strong as a Knight should be. Good definition of deltoids, pecs, biceps and brachioradialis needed for combat, sword fighting and jousting. Strong abs for core stability; strong legs.

Source: RichardArmitageNet.com

2. Lucas North in series 7 Spooks. Suitably thin, but still has enough muscle definition to portray the fact that he had possibly been working out in his prison cell. (Tight traps, though ... could cause headaches/neck pain). Tense Lucas in character.

Source: RichardArmitageNet.com

3. John Porter. Very strongly defined muscles. Good abs. Back shot shows well developed shoulder girdle and spinal muscles which will hopefully counterbalance the pecs, maintain shoulder alignment, as well as protect his spine. Strong character.

Source: RichardArmitageNet.com

As you can see, his body shape has changed subtly between roles. For Guy, Richard Armitage and fellow cast members had to attend the "Hood Academy" in order to learn medieval combat skills (and horse riding). Interestingly, I discovered a large number of injuries to actors occur from falling off horses despite stuntmen performing some of the trickier, more dangerous feats. If you have the Robin Hood DVD series 1, there is a feature on the training (combat, fencing, archery) the actors had to do prior to filming.  It can also be found on YouTube thanks to a kind fan.

Injuries on that set were quite prevalent. Split lips, bruises, fractured metatarsel (Jonas Armstrong) and a tooth knocked out (Keith Allen). This doesn't include the sore muscles, strains and sprains that would be inevitable on a shoot like this.

For his role as Lucas North in Spooks, Richard Armitage mentioned that he deliberately lost a stone in weight so that his look as a person who has spent more than 8 years in a prison was more authentic.

"I did drop quite a lot of weight for this because, in the first episode, he's described as being malnourished. So I've lost about a stone, which was really tricky because also within the first week was a massive fight sequence. So I still had to keep physically fit." (Richard Armitage - "Time To Get Spooked Again". MEN 2008).

In October 2008, Sky Magazine published an interesting blog diary piece where Richard Armitage describes a typical day filming Spooks. (Thanks to Annette over at RichardArmitageOnline for sharing this).

The full article can be found here. He describes being picked up early (he gets up at 5.00am), is sent straight to make up, and rehearses at 7.30am before filming. One hour for lunch, nap, then back onset. Fight scenes straight after lunch can make him want to throw up. Filming finishes at 7.00pm, he heads home to either go for a run or learn lines. bed at 10.00pm (...and we fans wonder why he seems to 'disappear" when he is working. That's about a 17 hour day!). A glimpse into his daily work life was also provided by this interview in the Sunday Times:"If looks could kill" (Sept 12, 2010). The rumour that he eats unhealthily (ie loads of chocolate/beer/pizza) is a bit of a myth, I suspect.

For John Porter, Richard Armitage had to increase his muscle bulk and train as an SAS officer would.  

'Armitage trained hard with ex-SAS operatives.... "A lot of preparation was physical - partly because I needed to get through the shoot .. but mostly because I wanted Porter to look as if he was SAS, and not just someone who was pumped up because he was wrking out in a gym eight hours a day. I didn't want the character to look 'buff'. I wanted him to look strong" (The Inside Track Source: RichardArmitageOnline)

So, interviews like this allow us a glimpse into his physical preparation for his characters, but what strikes me is the intensity of his work ethic which raises the question, "what does he do to look after himself"?

In several interviews, the reader will find that Richard Armitage mentions the Alexander technique. This method was developed by Frederick Matthias Alexander (1869-1955), an actor, who began his career as a Shakespearean orator and who reportedly had great difficulty with hoarseness and voice loss. It can be useful for actors and performers by:

"1. Enhancing movement skills, breath control, vocal production and range of physical and vocal choices.
2. Preventing injury and reducing pain from strenuous physical activity associated with acting as well as daily life activities that can interfere with the ability to act.
3. Working with strength and endurance to create powerful characterisations without strain.
4. Facilitating focus and freeing their imagination to enhance creativity.
5. Avoiding personal movement habits that do not belong to a character.
6. Improving spatial awareness and the ability to relate to other actors, props, and sets."
From: Alexander Technique for Actors". 

INJURY PREVENTION

To sustain an injury while in the middle of a role would be a total nightmare. I attempted to do a literature search on this topic, and found a lot on dancers and musicians, but not a lot on actors. The Chartered Society of Physiotherapists published an article in 2005 entitled, "Actors don't break a leg", where they state that:

"More than three quarters of UK actors suffer physical discomfort or musculoskeletal injury as a result of their profession".

100 actors from Television and Stage were surveyed. Over half of them reported a host of physical problems, from serious back injuries, neck and shoulder pain, joint strains and sprains, bruising, ligamentous tears, acute tendonitis and skin abrasions. Their work is affected as a consequence. 

Regular healthy body maintenance is essential and needs to become routine for actors working across all areas. The physicality of Richard Armitage's latest roles means that he needs to take care. Many fans note that he has well developed muscles particularly gluteals, legs and abdominals. This is a good sign as it means that he should have good core strength and stability, and if lifting heavy objects is involved in his roles, he will use his legs (hopefully) more than straining his back. He has already stated that his sword in The Hobbit, Orcrist, is heavy - in fight scenes he will have to be careful about how he moves with it. Correct techniques, warm up routines, core stability, strength, flexibility and cardio fitness work are all essential components of injury prevention, not to forget adequate rest. It is to be hoped that Richard Armitage along with his colleagues factor this into their role preparation as it could be career saving.

For the next two years Armitage will be flying back and forth to New Zealand to play a dwarf in Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit. Not a small dwarf, mind. “I’m carrying 20 kilos of costume and weights so I’m doing load of lower back and leg exercises.” The Telegraph July 2011.

FanstRAvaganza3: Thorin Oakenshield: Costume; props and story.

From the Tagteamers:

Friday F3! In the Hobbit chain, Mrs. E.B. Darcy projects what our hero may do in TH: There and Back Again • Ana Cris discusses a Maori ceremony Mr. Armitage witnessed in New Zealand's mountains • In King Richard Armitage, fitzg guestposts at judiang's on non-Richard roles for Armitage in a Richard III project • In fanfic, Jas Rangoon continues  her modern N&S fic • Maria Grazia presents an interview with Cat Winchester and giveaway of her book, Northern Light • In freeform, fedoralady asks about our dream Armitage-narrated audiobooks • John Thornton wonders if anyone else could play him • Agzy discusses Heinz Kruger's sartorial choices -- and what's underneath them!• In fandom, jazzbaby1 maps Armitage in the Tommyverse •  Links to all FanstRA 3 posts appearhere at the end of each day.

DON'T FORGET TO VISIT THE CORE BLOGGERS: "RAFrenzy" continues her posts on her thoughts about the appeal of RA's acting in "Flying"; "me + richard armitage" Servitus features the site, RichardArmitageOnline; "Confessions of a Watcher" fitzg guestblogs about possible roles for Richard Armitage in an adaptation of RIII;  "CDoart: Richard Armitage & History & Spooks"CDoart discusses Richard Armitage and historical hairstyles; "Richard Armitage Fan Blog" hosts an interview with Phoebe from C19; "The Squeee"Traxy reviews Between the Sheets; Richard Armitage Vids & Graphics Bccmee asks fans which character got them hooked on RA; DistRActed musings of one ReAlity Fanny has coffee with LadyBrandon23; Jonia's cut Jonia compiles songs and collages to match Richard Armitage's characters.

THORIN OAKENSHIELD:  COSTUME; PROPS; STORY

Throughout this post, I will be acknowledging the incredible work of Weta Workshop directed by Sir Richard Taylor and Tania Rodger. Their team engages with projects from the initial conceptual design. technical analysis through to manufacture of weapons, armour and chainmail, specialist props, vehicles, speciality costumes, models and miniatures, make up and prosthetics.

At the time of writing this post, Sir Richard Taylor was nominated as New Zealander of the Year. Following is a short Youtube video from APSATV about Weta Workshop. Those people contemplating a journey to the World Premiere of "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey", might be interested in the red carpet scenes from "The Lord of the Rings" Premiere. CROWDS!

THORIN OAKENSHIELD - SON OF THRAIN, SON OF THROR, KING UNDER THE MOUNTAIN.

"Heir without Hope"

BACKSTORY

For some background to the character Richard Armitage will be playing, please refer to a post I have written here. An angry, embittered but noble, warrior dwarf; fine and respected leader of his community, whose rightful inheritance had been stolen from him by the dragon, Smaug. (We all know how well Richard Armitage can play these characters). It goes without saying that I'm sure his pre-reading for the part will have been:

1. The book: "the Hobbit"

2. "Return of the King Appendix A: III: Durin's Folk" 

3. "Unfinished Tales" by J.R.R Tolkien. Chapter on "The Quest of Erebor"

4. Other works on Middle Earth.

"Some people like working from a completely blank page so they can create something. That's exciting as well but I'm less confident with that than if I'm given a really good starting point. I love working on a character who comes from a novel because not only have you got what's in that text to work with but you can also look into the writer, and the more you find about that author the more you understand what it is you're working on." Richard Armitage. (Interview in Scotsman.com by Alice Wyllie. Scan available at RichardArmitageNet.com)

COSTUME

I have to admit that after almost three years, I got a little choked up and emotional when I saw Richard Armitage at last in costume for The Hobbit. This is a truly magnificent costume ... and as for Orcrist ... stunning, absolutely stunning. 

To start we see Thorin wearing what appears to be a "scale armour" vest. (Small plates are sewn onto a backing of leather or cloth).Warrior Kings in Viking times were known to wear this as an outer protection along with reindeer fur which was considered a good omen.

Weta Workshop produces it's own armour and chainmaille as well as leather work. They are able to make an authentic looking armour lightweight for the actors.

 

In the picture above we see that not only does Thorin wear an armour jacket but he has metal arm braces and a decorative metal belt. Note the decorative pipe he is also smoking. 

The next interesting item is Thorin's ring:

Here is Thorin's name in dwarf runes:

As you can see, he has the rune   denoting his first initial on the ring. I can't make out what the other symbols are however.

Finally, one of Thorin's most important possessions - his sword.

ORCRIST

Let's for a moment take a closer look at the detail on Orcrist, (Sindarin Elvish meaning "Goblin Cleaver"). It was also known as "Biter" by the goblins. It was forged by the High Elves of the West in Gondolin for the Goblin wars.

In Chapter 3 of 'The Hobbit', "A Short Rest", Elrond looks at the swords the company found in the trolls' hoard stating:

"These are not troll make. They are old swords, very old swords of the High Elves of the West, my kin. They were made in Gondolin for the Goblin-wars. They must have come from a dragon's hoard or goblin plunder, for dragons and goblins destroyed that city many ages ago. This, Thorin, the runes name, Orcrist, the Goblin-cleaver in the ancient tongue of Gondolin; it was a famous blade." Elrond. ('The Hobbit'. J.R.R. Tolkien)

If you look closely, Orcrist in Angerthas Daeron runes can be seen:

J.R.R Tolkien used a number of alphabets and runes in his books based on Old English (Anglo-Saxon runes). Angerthas Daeron was developed towards the end of the First Age by Daeron, a minstrel and Loremaster to King Thingol of Doriath. Daeron organised "Cirth" used informally by Elvish craftsmen in Beierland during the First Age into Angerthas Daeron. It was originally used by Grey Elves (Sindar) and then the Deep Elves of Eregion adopted it. The runes were originally used for carving on stone and wood. 

Dan Smith over at the Ring Lord site gives an example of ORCRIST in Angerthas Daeron runes as follows:

 
This looks pretty close to the inscription on the sword Thorin is holding above. The letters can be seen in table form here in the Sindarin textbook. Following is a short vidwo from Weta workshop on swordmaking. 

  

Just one more comparison: Photo of Thorin for the movie and sketch by John Howe who is one of the Conceptual Designers working on the movies.

 

FanstRAvaganza3: Visit to a Hobbit movie location. Paradise NZ. (Beorn's House)

From our Tagteamers:

Half over, already! In King Richard Armitage, Servetus admits to (gasp!) stray thoughts while lecturing • In fanfic, Margaret Hale guestposts at John Thornton's on why she loves him • Jo Ann continues her story • In freeform, Jas Rangoon jokes about potential reproductive partners for Mr. Armitage • Itsjsforme reveals another Guy of Gisborne PSA (still not safe for work!) • Gratiana Lovelace needs more help captioning "Whimsical Moments with Deadly Serious ChaRActers!" •  In fandom, IngeD3 focuses on Ricky Deeming • Fabo confesses her Richard Armitage eyelash fetish! • In the Hobbit, it's calories galore as Antonia Romera discusses fingerlicking at the Hobbit table • The Queen takes on Hobbit cakes • Links to all FanstRA 3 posts appear here at the end of each day.

From the Core Bloggers:

CDoart on Armitage in historical costumes • Guy’s outbreaks are escalating at judiang’stherapy sessions • RAFrenzy spurs us all onward • Longhairedtoad guests at Richard Armitage Fan Blog with “If RA Had a Superpower …” • Traxy writes all about the Monet, Monet, Monet • Fanny interviews Wattpad author Yelloweeee • Jonia relates her most memorable moments in fangirling • mulubinba describes her visit to Beorn’s House, aHobbit film location • and bccmee is hot on the trail of the sexy dwarf — who knew? • Links to all FanstRA 3 posts appear here at the end of each day!

On this blog: A Visit to a Hobbit movie location - Paradise NZ (Beorn's House)

Travelling through New Zealand, my OH and I tried to imagine which areas might be used in The Hobbit. Lonely Mountain was one thing we were always on the lookout for. Would it be Mt Ngauruhoe? … No that was used Mt Doom in Lord of the Rings. Would it be Mt Ruapehu? … or would it be a mountain that was CGI’d (is that a word?) onto one of the many wonderful backdrops of scenery we were passing through. We had completed 75% of our holiday when we arrived at Queenstown having missed a visit to Matamata (which was closed for filming), and also the Weta Cave ( we arrived after closing time in Wellington). Our final opportunity to do something related to Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit/Peter Jackson therefore was to book into a 4WD Safari of the Scenes tour in Queenstown. We were lucky to get places on the afternoon tour to Isengard and Lothlorien. (Translated, these scenes were taken in the Glenorchy area at the far end of Lake Wakatipu). Arcadia Station, a little past Glenorchy, was, I heard, a location for The Hobbit. I wasn’t sure if we would get there, but a trip in a four wheel drive over beautiful isolated South Island was not to be missed.

We were picked up by our guide in this very appropriately named jeep. 

Being the last two to be picked up, we ended up with seats in the very back and at times I had to hold on tightly, but it was all part of the fun. This was the road that many of the film crew (and cast) would travel on, a few days after us.

Well, RA or no RA, I was having the time of my life and trying hard to remember scenes from Lord of the Rings so that I could answer the questions out Guide threw at us from the front. As I had been postng links on my Thorin blog from any snippet about locations a google search came up with, I knew that we were heading not only into Lord of the Rings territory, but also Hobbit territory. I knew for example that 3 foot 7 (the Hobbit production company) had applied for permission to land helicopters at the tiny grassed airstrip at Glenorchy. I also knew that a water tank of large proportions had been erected on a plot of land past Arcadia Station in order to provide water for plants and green grass. Moreover, someone had leaked a photo of the set construction to the media and we had been speculating about what the construction was (Beorn’s house).

First stop was at a viewpoint half way along the road to Glenorchy. (It is actually quite a long drive from Queenstown). Take a look …. How stunning is this!! (Imagine tired actors being refreshed by this vista).

The peninsula you see in the foreground is Amon Hen in FOTR. This is where the orcs capture Merry and Pippin.

Glenorchy is a tiny little village with a grassy airstrip – nice place for walkers and people who like peaceful places. There was nowhere I could see, where the cast and crew could stay, so I assumed that they would all be flown in by helicopter from Queenstown. Our guide confirmed that this is what they did for the Lord of the Rings filming, which in fact, had to contend with quite inclement weather at times. Our guide knew someone who operated chartered flights to the area for Peter Jackson, and there were numbers of stories circulating around Queenstown of drivers who had been employed to help transport Hobbit cast/crew. They were all sworn to secrecy of course, as were the guys doing the set construction.

Our next stop was at a point near the Dart River where we could see the location of Isenguard in the distance, nestled at the head of the valley.

…. But how stunning is this place! 

We continued along the road towards Arcadia Station and I finally plucked up courage to tell the Guide that I’d heard (*cough) that The Hobbit was to be filmed nearby. He immediately answered that they were building a set and we would be driving past, but there was not much to see, and we would not be allowed to get close. Nice try on my part I thought.

Next we passed the Dead Marshes. In truth, the actors were not wading through these as it was far too dangerous, and Peter Jackson did not want to lose anyone. The marshes were therefore recreated at Stone St Studios, but I guess their technology (excuse my ignorance) allowed them to superimpose the real marshes into the film, with actors wading in water in the studio. (Note to self: Watch The Making of LOTR!!).

Driving through beech forests, our Guide pointed out an Ent …. (That’s it to the right of the road). Can you imagine the trucks and cast caravans getting along this road to the set??? They must have apparently! The lower (blurry) picture is from Peter Jackson's Production Videoblog #6. 

…. And then we stopped at Lothlorien. 

This forest was used in the filming of Lothlorien. Apparently all the leaves had been blown away and they manicured the ground for the scene. 

Coming out of the beech forest, we rounded a corner and saw the Dart Stables paddocks. The Hobbit set was being built on their land, and some of their horses were used for filming (or so we were told). You can just see a marquee behind the horses – that was being used by the film construction guys.

Below is a close up of the marquee with gentleman carrying "interesting objects" inside (away from prying eyes ...." Secret Hobbit Business").

We were able to stop at the gate and get out to take a photo. Despite reports to the contrary, we were not stopped by security guards, but as you will see from out photos, we were too far away from the building to really get any spoilers, and Peter Jackson was interviewed on the set only a few days after this, so no secrets revealed. 

Further along the track, we can get a glimpse of the building work. You can see how far away we were though. 

The set is nestled in front of a beech wood, with mountains behind. The vista to it’s left is below:

Not bad, is it!! I can see why Peter Jackson said it was a lovely respite for all involved to be out here. 

"Sir Peter Jackson says the sunshine, mountains and fresh air of Arcadia Station, near Queenstown, have raised both his spirits and those of his 450 cast and crew." (NZ Herald)

Photo from New Zealand Herald.

The following article by James Beech from the Otago Daily News describes his visit to the set:"Tree's demise Hobbit-sized crisis" Otago Daily Times Online News. That’s about the closest we got to The Hobbit filming. Peter Jackson was in Queenstown with Fran Walsh on the Skyline Gondola two days after us; the cast came in the following week. 

Still, it was a fantastic trip.

FanstRAvaganza3: Location scouting -The Hobbit. Setting the scene.

TODAY FROM OUR TAGTEAMERS:

F3 brightens up "hump day"! In fanfic, Maria Grazia presents an interview with Trudy Brasure and giveaway of her book, A Heart for Milton • C.S. Winchester helps new authors get their feet wet writing fanfic • In freeform, ChrisB continues the alphabet with "B is forBeard(?)? • jazzbaby1 puts John Porter in the hands of Frank Spotnitz • Agzy outs Armitage characters as dog lovers • In fandom,fedoralady recommends the right tunes for your Armitage fanvid • Rose Gisborne describes her Armitage day •In the Hobbit, IngeD3 reveals the deeper meaning of the dwarfs' hoods • Ana Cris reflects on the significance of Mountains in the Maori and other cultures here and here • In King Richard Armitage, Fabo offers some choices to play Anne Neville • Rose Gisborne discusses colours on Richard • Links to all FanstRA 3 posts appear here at the end of each day.

DON'T FORGET TO VISIT THE CORE BLOGGERS: bccmee on the incompetent but gorgeous Lucas North • CDoart on Richard Armitage & women • fitzg (guesting at Confessions of a Watcher) divulges a classified memo from the DG of MI-5 on Lucas’s return to Section D • RAFrenzy on Richard Armitage as catalyst for creativity • Nat with a Richard Armitage crossword puzzle • Traxy on family relationships and Ordeal by Innocence • Fanny interviews Wattpad author Stella del Nord • Jonia on how she keeps herself from thinking she needs to marry Richard Armitage • Servitus on teaching North & South.

Location scouting -The Hobbit. Setting the scene.

"Eighteen years old and reading JRR Tolkien for the first time, I was sitting on a train as it left Wellington and rumbled through the North Island. During the twelve-hour journey, I'd lift my eyes from the book and look at the familiar landscape - which all of a sudden looked like Middle-earth." Sir Peter Jackson. (Foreword; "Lord of the Rings Location Guidebook by Ian Brodie)

Richard Armitage:

" ..... there is nowhere I would rather be at this moment than exploring "Middle Earth" with my new family of Dwarves, Elves, Men, Wizard and Hobbit. What a gift to be here, in this place, at this time. I can't wait to share it with everyone. I am a very fortunate man." (August 2011)

 "..... the privilege to be in NZ working on The Hobbit has made this year unforgettable. The places we have been to and the things we have seen, have surpassed all my expectations." (December 2011)

 

(Upload by Filmsactu.com on Youtube)

The second half of this Hobbit Production Video #2 on Peter Jackson's Facebook Page describes the location scouting for The Hobbit. (At 4mins 55 secs).

Following is an excerpt by Sir Peter Jackson on location scouting from Ian Brodie's "The Lord of the Rings Location Guidebook"

An exerpt from Sir Peter Jackson on location scouting for Lord of the Rings: (Much of this is relevant to The Hobbit as well as LOTR).

"The way the locations process works is that generally a location scout goes out in advance and canvasses the whole country for potential places....

Dave Comer, Robin Murphy and various other people scoured New Zealand and sent me photographs and videotapes. It was almost like casting for an actor, and the process is really the same, with somebody doing the initial sweep and then once we narrow down the choices, and we see places we'd like, we go out for what is called a 'recce'.

This was a team of people including myself, Andrew Lesnie, our Director of Photography, Caro Cunningham, the First Assistant Director, and a slew of technical support people. We would look at the landscape from an artistic point of view, first of all to see if it was suitable and does this feel like it came from the pages of Tolkien's book? Then you look at it from a logistical point of view, because the second consideration is where do we park the trucks? Where can we feed the crew? Is there a road in here?" (From: "The Lord of the Rings Location Guide Book" by Ian Brodie)

Things to consider other than the artistic merit of a location:

1. Transport & road access. Trucks, caravans, cars
2. Helicopter landing site
3. Area of two football fields to park caravans; portaloos, changing facilities; technical equipment; food tents etc.
4. Accommodation.

Tolkien was quite explicit when it came to descriptions of the scenes, particularly in Lord of the Rings. Thorin's significant place, his heritage and therefore his point of focus will be Erebor and therefore how they depict Erebor is going to be all important. It will need to stand alone in the scenery, so that everyone's eyes are drawn to it.

Two of J.R.R. Tolkien's drawings of Lonely Mountain (Erebor).

   

We have several months to wait to see how Erebor is revealed. I suspect it will loom up majestically out of the landscape ..... how The Weta team will do this, I'm not quite sure .... How many more days to go? Check the Counter in the sidebar.

 UPDATE: More locations for The Hobbit were revealed in Peter Jackson's last Hobbit Production Video Blog #6.

FanstRAvaganza 3: Post 2. John Thornton - the importance of story, sets, and props, in character portrayal

FROM the FanstRA TAGTEAMERS today:

Yup, there's more! In freeform: Melanie on why Harry Kennedy is the perfect man • Itsjsforme unveils Guy of Gisborne's latest public service announcements (not safe for work!) • In fandom, Fabo on Richard Armitage's statements about fans •  Gratiana Lovelace requests help captioning in "I'm Too Sexy for My T-Shirt!" • The Hobbit chain goes creative with The Queen on Hobbit quilts • Mrs. E.B. Darcy on Hobbit action figures! • For King Richard Armitage, IngeD3 reviews the Michael Hicks biography of the fifteenth-century king •In fanfic, John Thornton on why he loves Margaret Hale • Jo Ann introduces us to a new Armitage character she knows we'll love • Links to all FanstRA 3 posts appear here at the end of each day.

FROM THE CORE BLOGGERS:

 "RAFrenzy" writes "Understanding Richard Armitage" What makes Richard Armitage special?; "me + richard armitage"hosts a fan showcase with Mersguy; "Confessions of a Watcher" Part 1 of "The ChaRActers go to Therapy";  "CDoart: Richard Armitage & History & Spooks" writes about "Fantasy & History"; "Richard Armitage Fan Blog" Crinkleholic SiouxieSioux publishes her diary; "The Squeee" "Holding out for a Hero". Traxy looks at RA's character in "The Golden Hour"; Richard Armitage Vids & Graphics Bccmee discusses RA's role of John Mulligan ; DistRActed musings of one ReAlity hosts an interview with fanfic writer JuleWhatev; Jonia's cut - Jonia discusses the mathematics of RA's legs.

On this blog: JOHN THORNTON - the importance of story, sets, and props in character portrayal

One of the things that impresses me most about Richard Armitage is his dedication to researching his roles and his work ethic. I guess if an actor has struggled to find work in the initial phase of their career journey, he/she will never take work for granted. I sense this very much with Richard Armitage from what he has shared in various interviews, and John Thornton was a role he seemed to really cherish (as many of us did ....). In this blogpost, I will outline (albeit briefly) comments from his director and co-star; his role preparation, and the significance of props and sets.

I will start this blogpost  by quoting the Director, Brian Percival, and Producer, Kate Bartlett who made the following observations about Richard Armitage's ability to get into character. (This is taken from the commentary for Episode One, North & South)

About Richard Armitage

 "He quickly inhabited the character of Thornton. It was quite amazing to see the transformation of Richard from rehearsal stage ... to getting his costume on and really becoming Thornton." Kate Bartlett:

"I think the moment ... (and Richard would probably agree with this) .. that it all completely fell together was when he arrived at the mill ... and it was his mill ... he became Thornton ... as he walked through the yard of the Mill, looking around and there were his workers ..." Brian Percival:

Re: Daniela and Richard: "... they did get on very well and there was a fantastic onscreen chemistry which was something we were looking for when we were doing the casting of the characters - we did read with a lot of actors and put a lot of combinations of Margarets and Thorntons together until we finally came up with the mix of Richard and Daniela which was perfect"

Daniela Denby-Ashe: "As soon as I saw Richard, I knew he was Thornton .... Just in the way he holds himself, he has a real presence." (The Independent 2004)

Richard Armitage: "Something great happened when I read with Daniela. Something clicked. There are only four scenes in the whole drama when Margaret and John are actually alone together, and that heightens the tension between them. It's a wonderfully antagonistic relationship, and a real meeting of minds as well."(The Independent, 2004)

Following is information from an Interview with Richard Armitage which can be found on the DVD extras.

PREPARATION FOR THE ROLE

I think the depth of research Richard Armitage does for a role has become characteristic. Following are some comments he has made about preparing for John Thornton.

1. Research:

a) The Book: His point of reference was the novel by Elizabeth Gaskell. He read the book before his audition:

"I thought I owed it to the role to know as much about it before I attempted to convince someone to cast me as Thornton....."

"The novel was there for me all the time" 

b) Research into the cotton industry including museum visits.

c) Research into the working class of the 1840's/50's by reading Engels' "The Condition of the Working Class in England" 

d) Research into the etiquette of the 1850's. (A good exampe of etiquette in the 1850's in America can be found here)

Richard Armitage also mentioned that he had an "affinity" to the character because of his own heritage. There were "many aspects to which I related". Through his research, he was able to learn about Thornton, the industry he worked in, the community he lived in, and the lifestyle he led.

PROPS/SETS ASSISTING WITH CHARACTER PORTRAYAL and SCENE AMBIENCE

One aspect of BBC period dramas I really love is the beauty of sets and the attention to detail in the props. (I'm hoping other bloggers will be looking at aspects of Thornton's costume, and I therefore will let them enlarge on the topic). Props help an actor convey their story.

Take this screencap at the Thornton's dinner party for example:

The use of the napkin in delicately wiping his mouth adds a sense of "polish" to the character of John Thornton. He demonstrates that his table etiquette is as good as that of anyone from the "haut ton" of London Society. Mrs Thornton's dinner party was particularly lavish in presentation/set decoration. Annette over at RichardArmitageOnline has a scan of a very interesting article from the Sainsburys Magazine on the dinner party - "A Novel Occasion". It can be found here.

                
I've chosen a few random props I thought add meaning to the story. 

1. The china: The scene where Margaret and John's hands touch fleetingly would lose its appeal if she handed him a chipped mug. Irrespective of the change in circumstances of the Hales, their gentility is obvious.

2. The Quills

As small parts of the story are told through Margaret and Edith's letter writing, and there are further scenes showing John writing his ledger and balancing his figures, I thought that I would include the quill as a prop that sets the tone of the work. We see it used throughout North & South.

3. The roses. It was necessary for the art department/set designers to add hundreds of yellow cloth roses to the bushes in order to make the Helston we see in the opening scenes so colourful.

Henry gives Margaret one of these roses when he travels to Helston to propose to her.

Much later, John Thornton manages to find one rose surviving in the hedgerow near Margaret's old house. He gives it to her when he meets her by chance at the train station. I think it is symbolic that a Helston rose was given to Margaret by Henry (before he makes her an offer which she rejects), and finally by John whom she now accepts.

The inside shots for North & South were mainly taken in 33 Portland Place, Marylebone, London, England, UK (Gentleman's club); The Georgian Group HQ - 6 Fitzroy Square, Fitzrovia, London, England, UK (Thornton House interior) and Ealing studios. As mentioned previously, the Hale's house was built entirely at the studio with the kitchen doubling as Higgins' house. 

Location, set design, costume, props and backstory, are all extremely important in helping an actor like Richard Armitage form his character. He has managed to bring to life a much loved character from book to screen. I am hoping he will be doing much the same with Thorin Oakenshield.

FanstRAvaganza 3 - Post 1: North & South. Locations. Importance in setting scene for character.

THE TAGTEAMERS:

In the beginning, Richard Armitage made scores of fans -- and he keeps on making them! To kick off the fandom chain, Didion converts friends to Armitage love • Phylly3 reports on her fandom experiences • In the Hobbit chain, Ana Cris writes on her recent film location visit • Mrs. E.B. Darcy speculates about what our hero will do in An Unexpected Journey (spoilers!) • King Richard Armitage chain begins with Maria Grazia on a film adaptation of Richard III • Beginning the fanfic chain, fedoralady explains fanfic's mainstream appeal • In the freeform chain, Fabo files an eyewitness report on Richard Armitage's visit to U.S. accent school • jazzbaby1 wonders "what were they thinking?" re: Lucas North's women • and ChrisB opens the Armitage Alphabet, with "A is for Action" • Links to all FanstRA 3 posts appear here at the end of each day.

FROM THE CORE BLOGGERS: 

"RAFrenzy" has an introduction to the FanstRA; "me + richard armitage" hosts "A fan showcase with Mezz"; "Confessions of a Watcher" Fitzg guest blogs about a review of art exhibitions found in the 1874 Times of London;  "CDoart: Richard Armitage & History & Spooks" discusses Richard Armitage's interest in history; "Richard Armitage Fan Blog" has an Armitage Quiz; "The Squeee" reviews George Gently "Go Man Go" ; Richard Armitage Vids & Graphics Bccmee interviews the parent of a child actor who appeared with RA in Captain America; DistRActed musings of one ReAlity ranks her Top 10 fanvids; Jonia's cut has a game to download.

North & South. Locations. Importance in setting scene for character. 

 If I had to choose another career, I may have looked into location scouting, but I realise it is way more complex than it seems. Today, on this blog, I will be looking at some of the the locations used in North and South, and how they managed to create the backdrop for the piece. First - a quote from Richard Armitage:

"The locations are really important .... every time we arrived on set in the morning, most of us were floored by what we saw because they created this amazing world. We shot in Edinburgh to start with - with this amazing grand architecture, but a really important moment for me was when we arrived in Keighley which was about 3 weeks into filming and I finally saw the mill .... it had a profound affect on me. I wasn't aware of it at the time but .... I kind of grew about 2 inches. That was a very important moment for me and proof that the location has an effect on the character"                           Interview with Richard Armitage N&S DVD extras

For those of you who are interested in North&South locations, and who will perhaps want to search for them, I hope this post will be of interest. I have combined screencaps with links to the "real" places whenever I could find them. Thanks to IMDb for listing the locations used in North & South. Links were added by me.  Many of the interiors were either shot in London or at custom built sets at Ealing Studios.

LONDON

                 Forres Street, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK & Moray Place, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

                                       (Aunt Shaw's house exteriors)

HELSTON  Heightened colour was used in the first episode to highlight the contrast between the South and Milton. Towards the end of the film, colours in Milton become more obvious as Marharet's perception of it changes.

          Hambleden Parish Church, Hambleden, Buckinghamshire, England, UK and here and here.

                                                      (Helstone church)

                                            Turf was laid down over the carpark for this scene.

         

HALE''S HOUSE EXTERIOR

Saint Stephen Place, New Town, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK & Stockbridge Market, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK- Dave Henniker Edinburgh Photography has taken two wonderful photos of the location.

MARLBOROUGH MILLS

Dalton Mill, Keighley, West Yorkshire, England, UK

(Exterior mill scenes. This was an old carpet/wool mill)

                               Queen Street Mill Textile Museum, Burnley, Lancashire, England, UK

                                             (Margaret enters weaving shed)

                                                    Cotton fluff was created by snow candles 

"I wanted a central image of the drama to be the interior looking like a snowstorm, with all the cotton flying around, and it really does. It's very different from our image of these factories as dirty places," Welch says. "It's about capturing the excitement and the hardship of a modernising city." (Sandy Welch: Interview in The Independent 2004)

                             Helmshore Textile Museum, Rossendale, Lancashire, England, UK

                                               (inside mill scenes)

Photo From Wikipedia

STEPS NEAR MARLBOROUGH MILLS

 Warriston's Close, Old Town, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK & Guthrie Street, Old Town, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK The set designers covered many of the walls in billboards and posters which was customary in the 1850's. (They also helped to cover modern/out of period objects).

                   Calton Old Cemetery, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK & Calton Hill, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

                                             (Margaret's walks overlooking Milton)

While this is in Edinburgh, a computer generated background was created for Milton with smoke stacks, and carriages moving along the streets. smoke machines were used to create smoke and fog.

LYCEUM 

                                   Saint Stephen's Church, New Town, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

                                           33 Portland Place, Marylebone, London, England, UK

                               (Gentlemen's Club/morgue/Aunt Shaw's house interiors)

a) The 300 Mile Look - London (Richard Armitage was in London)

b) The 300 Mile Look - Edinburgh (St Stephens Church steps) - Daniela Denby-Ashe looking up at Thornton in Edinburgh.


THE GREAT EXHIBITION - LONDON

                        Alexandra Palace, Alexandra Palace Way, Muswell Hill, London, England, UK

                                            (Great Exhibition scenes)

MILTON street scenes. The production company took the street over for a week. The shop fronts were painted and decorated in keeping with the 1850's. Snow candles were used for scenes in winter. Once filming was over, the crew had to repaint the shop fronts, replace the modern lamp posts and return it back to the way it was.

                                 William Street, New Town, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

                        (shopping scenes - scroll halfway down page of link)

RAG ALLEY

                              Borthwick's Close, Old Town, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

John Thornton walking down Rag Alley reminded of his own beginnings and personal struggle     after his father had died.His eyes were opened to how his workers lived.

MRS HALE'S FUNERAL & FANNY"S WEDDING

                                St John-at-Hampstead, Church Row, Hampstead, London, England, UK

                                         (Mrs. Hale's funeral/Fanny's wedding)

           TRAIN STATION

Horsted Keynes station, Bluebell Railway, West Sussex, England, UK

(station in Milton) Train carriages used.

           Vintage Carriages Trust Museum of Rail Travel, Ingrow, Keighley, West Yorkshire, England, UK

                                               (railway carriages)

Emails from Dibley

Fitzg reminded me that I hadn't been in touch with Harry Kennedy for a while, so feeling very remiss, I quickly sent off an email. Harry, as always was prompt with his reply ... but there were a few cryptic comments in his email. My curiosity is going to get the better of me but I'm not sure if he will share anymore.