The Making of…

Chapter 25

Back to the Routine

The next few weeks of filming consisted of us madly running around the studio, dashing between sets and makeup, trying to get as much done as possible. We were currently in the middle of filming the Mines of Moria scenes, which meant hours and hours of wandering around fake rocks. I was convinced that they were driving me slightly insane! We’d finished most of the scenes of us walking, which meant that we were moving on to the ‘Balin’s Tomb’ set, which also meant fighting an invisible troll! Peter was talking us through the movements he wanted us to do, and how we should react to the ‘cave troll’. As the Stunties who were playing Orcs had the final touches added to their makeup, Viggo and I were practicing our fight routine. I hadn’t had much time alone with him recently, as we were both so busy. I watched him intently as he talked me through a part of the routine that I’d forgotten, and then he turned to me.

“Got it?” He smiled as I went to stand beside him.

“Um… Yeah…” I mumbled, drawing my sword and counting through the routine, swinging and blocking in the positions I’d been taught.

“Wait,” Viggo interrupted, pausing me and sheathing his sword, “You only hold the hilt with one hand there, because then you go in for the punch.” He stood behind me, placing his hands over mine, one on the hilt of my sword, the other on my clenched fist. “See?” He murmured softly as I blushed.

“Y-yeah. Thanks.” I eventually managed to stammer with a weak smile, glad that he was behind me so he couldn’t see my reddening cheeks.

“No problem.” He replied, releasing me as Peter called us over to start the scene. I watched him out of the corner of my eye, trying to pinpoint the reason as to why I felt self-conscious when he was close to me like that. Normally, I was fine with it, but recently I’d been blushing any time he came near me. I shook my head, chasing away these thoughts so I could get into character and focus on the scenes ahead. It was probably just a phase I was going through anyway…

More weeks of filming passed uneventfully, until one day the entire fellowship was called across to Weta workshops for some ‘special filming’ – no one was really sure about what was meant by the message, but we turned up on the morning all the same. We arrived and found Richard Taylor, who was basically the head of the movie’s special effects team; he covered everything from prosthetics to weaponry! He brought us into a long room where there were several specialist-looking cameras set up, and most of the room was covered in blue-screens.

“Right guys,” Richard smiled once we were all assembled, “What we’re doing today is some motion-capture filming, so we can make your digital doubles for some of the Khazad-Dûm shots.” He must have seen our questioning looks as he explained some more. “Well, most of the set we’ve designed can’t physically be built, so we’re doing most of it digitally, and of course, you can’t act on a set that doesn’t exist, so for the shots where you have to do some really crazy stuff, but we can’t see your faces, we’ll be using digital versions of you.”

“Sounds complicated…” Billy mumbled.

“It is.” Richard grinned, “For us tech guys anyway, it’s pretty easy for you lot… Just not very dignified.”

“What do you mean by that?” I asked suspiciously.

“Well, to create accurate doubles and to get your movements right, we have to film you going through the movements. Which means you have to wear skin-tight motion-capture suits.” Richard replied. An audible groan arose from the guys, and I ducked my head. Skin tight suits? Brilliant. Just brilliant.

“Let’s get on with it then.” I sighed.

Around fifteen minutes later, we were all assembled in the room, dressed in the revealing suits.

“I feel so exposed…” I muttered, crossing my arms across my chest. I looked down at the black, stretchy fabric I was clothed in, and at various points on my body (including on my head) there was a little device that looked like half a ping-pong ball, which was supposed to pick up our movements. I tied my hair up and held back laughter as Billy and Dom waddled past me. They looked less than comfortable, to say the least. I supposed I had it a little easier than the guys; the tight, clingy suits couldn’t be that comfortable for them in certain areas… If you get my drift.

“Honestly, some of the things we’ve had to do for this film…” Orlando muttered in a joking tone as he stood beside me.

“At least you haven’t had to jump into a frozen lake!” I smirked, as Richard took us one by one and filmed us running down a stretch of the room that represented the Bridge of Khazad-Dûm. Basically, there was some tape on the floor indicating where we could and couldn’t run, and in the areas you couldn’t you had to pretend that there was an endless drop into an unknown abyss below your feet. In reality, it was just us, some undignified suits, and a blue floor. Imagination was required.

After a couple of takes, I was done with my running, so I scurried off to get changed, nearly bumping into Viggo, who had just finished changing. I blushed and quickly passed him, not wanting any prolonged conversation whilst I felt so exposed!

*

After the digital doubles fiasco, it was back to normal filming, and by this point, we were almost finished the Mines of Moria scenes – which I was severely glad of, as I was convinced that if I saw another fake rock I would officially lose my mind! We were supposed to be filming the scene where Gandalf falls off the bridge, but because it was shot from so many points of view, Peter was working on it piece by piece, which meant I had the morning off from filming; however, it didn’t mean I wasn’t working! Pete had already had me running errands for him, and in-between shots he called me in to his ‘office’ (it was ready just a trailer filled with paper and files… And an old computer that didn’t really work).

“Ki, can you bring these over to the creature workshop?” He asked pleadingly as we walked in the door. I agreed without really looking at what he was asking me to do, and my eye widened when I saw the pile offive massive box-files, filled to the brim with paper. “Thanks Ki!” Peter yelled over his shoulder as he quickly exited the trailer. I sighed and stared at the pile of files – as if a death glare would somehow shrink the pile. Funnily enough, it didn’t. I gathered the stack into my arms with some difficulty, and proceeded to almost fall out the door of the trailer as I left.

“Well this is going to be fun…” I muttered to myself as I made my way back towards the main building. Thank God the doors weren’t ‘pull to open’ ones or I could have been stuck outside for weeks! I could barely see over the top of the files, but I knew my way around the building, it was just a matter of making it to the workshop before my arms dropped off. I walked through the maze of corridors quickly, and I knew that there were a couple of steps ahead that I had to watch out for. As I made a rough estimate of where they were, I suddenly collided with something.

“Oh shi-” I cried as I overbalanced and fell ungracefully to the floor, still clutching the files. “Ouch.” I muttered, looking up to scold whatever wall I’d bumped into, but instead saw Viggo standing over me, clearly trying not to laugh. “Wipe that stupid smirk off your face and help me up.” I grumbled, holding out my hands expectantly. Vig hauled me to my feet and snickered as I elbowed him in the ribs.

“You look like you’re having some trouble.” He smiled.

“Y’ think?” I sighed, staring at the pile of files and lifting the first few. Viggo bent down and picked up three.

“So where are we taking these?” He asked.

“Creature workshop.” I replied as we walked down the hall and found the room we were looking for. “Hi guys.” I smiled at the group of people who were either sitting sketching or making models.

“Hey you two!” Richard grinned appearing from behind a large model.

“Christ, what is that?” I asked, staring at the model.

“That is a Balrog.” He smiled, patting it head as if it were a dog.

“I see…” I muttered, “Pete sent these files down for you.”

“Brilliant, I was wondering when those would arrive. I just didn’t think Pete was using is stars as couriers!” He joked, taking the files of me and Viggo.

“We have multiple uses.” Vig smiled.

“Yep, acting and delivery-making are just a few of our many talents!” I laughed. Viggo checked his watch and turned to me.

“We’d better get back; Peter will want us for our scenes soon.”

“Alright,” I sighed, “See you later guys!” I waved as Viggo and I jogged down the hallways, back towards our makeup bus.