A PARTY ATMOSPHERE CONTINUES, CELEBRATIONS DUE TO GO WELL INTO THE NIGHT. WELLINGTON HAS TURNED ON A BEAUTIFUL EVENING. ACTORS SAY THEY'LL HAPPILY TRAVEL HALFWAY ROUND THE WORLD TO WORK WITH PETER JACKSON. # The trees like torches blazed with light. # Yay, The Hobbit premiere! You give yourself over to Pete. It's a cult. Yeah, it is. The Cult of Pete. A huge amount of your life has been in the business. Yeah, it has, actually. The level of workmanship was extraordinary. Can you promise that I will come back? No. Due to the live nature of Close Up, captions for some items may be incomplete. ONE News captions by Virginia Philp and Conor Whitten. Close Up captions by John Ling and Lauren Strain. IT'S REALLY HUMBLING. FORGIVE ME IF I TALK A WHILE. I THINK THE FILM'S STILL TRAVELLING. JUST KIDDING , IT'S READY TO GO. THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE BECAUSE YOU SPEND SO LONG SHOOTING A MOVIE AND' YOU'RE TRYING TO DO IT IN SECRET. SUDDENLY ONE DAY THE FILM IS FINISHED AND THERE'S PEOPLE COMING TO CELEVRATE I WANT TO THANK CELIA FOR ORGANISING ALL THIS AND PRIME MINISTER KEY FOR THE SUPPORT. DIFFICULT JOURNEY I HOPE YOU ENJOY THE MOVIE. BARRY AND GARY, THANK YOU SO MUCH I'M GLAD WE COULD FINALLY FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THIS FILM MADE. THE LORD OF THE RINGS WAS SUCH A GREAT EXPERIENCE AND NOW WE'EV TAKEN THE HOBBIT. IT SEEMS THE FATES MEANT FOR US TO BE HERE WARNER BROS HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL STUDION TO WORK WITH I DO WANT TO THANK WARNER BROTHERS I WANT TO THANK ALL THE WANRER BROS TEAMS AROUND THE WORLD. WE FELT SUPPORTED IN THIS BIG AND COMPLICATED MOVIE. NEWLIE CINEMA - YOU'VE BEEN INCREDIBLE. YOU HAVE LOOKED AFTER US AND WATCHED OUR BACKS WE LOVE WORKING WITH YOU. I CAN'T DO ANYTHING WITHOUT A HUGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE YOU SEEM THEM IN THE CREDITS. I WANT TO INVITE THREE SPECIAL PEOPLE I WORK CLOSELY WITH. THEY'RE PRODUCERS, AND PHILLIPA BOYENS. CAN I ASK THEM TO POP OUT THE DOOR. APPLAUSE I DON'T DO THIS ALONE. THESE GUYS ARE FANTASTIC THESE THREE LOOK AFTER ME. THE FOURTH PERSON IS FRAN WALSH, SHE'S GREAT WORK WITH. WE CAN'T PERSUADE HER TO GET UP IN FRONT OF A CROWD. TWO FANTASTIC CHILDREN WITH HER THEY ARE PATIENT AND TOLERANT. TOLERANCE WITH MUM AND DAD I LOVE YOU. I CAN'T POSSIBLY THANK EVERYBOUDY. SOME SPECIAL PEOPLE THANKS DAN HENNAH. EVERYONE AT WETA WORKSHIP AND DIGITAL THEY ALL WORKED SO HARD, UP UNTIL A FEW HOURS AGO. EILEEN MORAN, THANK YOU. OUR LOVE TO YOU. YOU WERE JUST FANSTASTIC. SHOULD WE BRING UP SHOULD WE BRING OUT OUR ACTORS? ALL RIGHT. LET'S INVITE A FEW OLD FRIENDS. ELROND IS PLAYED BY HUGO WEAVING. WELCOME. IS CATE BLANCHETT. GALADRIEL IS ANDY SERKIS IS - GOLLUM. FRODO BAGGINS ` ELIJAH WOOD CHEERING WE HAVE A COUPLE OF WONDERFUL NEW CHARACTERS IN THE HOBBIT THE GREAT GOBLIN. WE NEEDED SOMEONE UNCOUTH AND GROTESQUE WE LOOKED TO AUSTRALIA ` BARRY HUMPHRIES. SYLVESTER MCCOY THEY LOOKED AFTER ME WE'RE GOING TO BRING SOME DWARVES ON STAGE. WHO KNOWS THE NAMES OF ALL THE DWARVES? SLEEPY, GRUMPY, DOPEY... SORRY, WRONG LIST. THORIN, BALIN, GLOIN, NOIN LET'S BRING THEM UP. JUST REMEBER THOSE NAMES. ADAM BROWN. YOU'LL NEED TO KNOW THEM WHEN YOU SEE THE FILM. NORRIE - JED BROPHY DORRIE - MARK HADLOW. JOHN CALLLAN - OIN GLOIN IS PLAYED BY PETER HAMILTON WILLIAM KIRSHER - BIFFER BOMBA IS PLAYED BY STEPHEN HUNTER JIMMY NESBITT PLAYS BOB PARKER GRAHAM MCTAVISH DEAM O'GORMAN AIDAN TURNER THE LEADER OF THE GROUP, THORIN OAKENSHIELD ` RICHARD ARMITAGE AND TE LAST PERSON, THE HOBBIT HIMSELF, BILBO BAGGINS, MARTIN FREEMAN SO, WE'VE GOT ONE LAST THING I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING. IT MEANS SUCH ALOT TO ALL OF US. UNBELIEVABLE. LOOK FORWARD TO YOU SEEING THIS FILM THANK YOU FOR COMING. LAST THING ` ONE MEMBER OF OUR CAST WHO COULD NOT BE HERE TONIGHT A VERY DISTINGUISHED MEMBER LET ME WELCOME IAN MCKELLEN. IS THIS 3D? IAN MCKELLAN IN LONDON. IS THIS 48 FRAMES PER SECOUND? HERE I AM, FAR, FAR AWAY. FEELING MORE LIKE GANDALF THAN EVER GANDALF IS FOREVER LEAVING TO DO SOMETHING ELSE. THAT IS WHAT I'M DOING IN LONDON ` DOING SOMETHING ELSE. I WISH I WERE HERE IN MY SPIRITIUAL HOME, WELLINGTON. THOSE OF YOU ABOUT TO SEE THE FILM WILL SEE THE MOST TALENTED GROUPS OF ACTORS AND TECHNICIANS. I KNOW YOU'RE IN FOR A GOOD TIME. ALL THE CAST, MY LOVE. AND THE CREW. MY FAVOURITE DWARF - YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE. LOTS OF LOVE. BYE BYE. CHEERING WELL, SIR PETER JACKSON THERE. IAN MCKELLAN, THE ONE STAR WHO WASN'T HERE. PLENTY OF PEOPLE HERE IN WELINGTON. JHOW LONGHAVE YOU BEEN WAITING? SINCE 3.30 IS IT GOING TO BE AN AWESOME MOVIE? IT WILL BE. DEFINITELY. DOMINIC CORRY, YOU'RE OUR EXPERT WE HAD TO SIGN DOCUMENTS FORBIDDING US FROM SAYING. I DON'T THINK ANYONE WILL BE DISAPPINTED. IS THERE A LOT AT STAKE? A FATIGUE FACTOR? THERE'S MORE EXPECTATION AND ANTICIPATION BECAUSE OF THE LORD OF THE RINGS THERE'S THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY. PETER JACKSON'S PUSHED THIS FORWARD. 48 FRAMES PER SECOND YOU COULDN'T IMAGINE A BETTER FILM TO INTRODUCE IT. WHAT ARE 48 FRAMES PER SECOND? IT'S LIKE WHEN ALBUMS WENT TO CDS - AN ADDED CLARITY. ADDED CLARITY. I WAS SCEPTICAL. WHEN YOU SMOOTH IMAGES, YOU LOSE SOME CINEMATIC QUALITY MY SKEPTICISM.... I DON'T THINK ANYONE WILL BE DISAPPOINTED. THEY ARE GOING NUTS. JUST US HERE. THE MOVIE ITSELF ` THE MOVIE ITSELF - ALL THE HYPE, DO YOU PREDICT IT TO BE A BLOCKBUSTER? OH, IT'S ABSOLUTELY GOING TO BE. WE ALL KNOW WHAT THESE FILMS MEAN FOR NZ IT'S ONLY ADDING TO IT. THE WORLD EMBRACED THE TRILOGY. THAT WILL BE FURTHERED BY THESE FILMS NZ HAS BENEFITTED FROM IT IN A CULUTRAL SENSE. THE FANS ARE HANGING ABOUT. 2 HOURS, THEY WILL BE INSIDE AFTER THE BREAK IT IS ALL ABOUT THE FANS. THE MOVIE ARE MADE FOR THE FANS THE FANS BUY THE TICKETS. JUDING BY THE TURNOUT, IT HAS A LOT GOING FOR IT IT HAS A LOT GOING FOR IT. THIS IS THE EMBASSY THEATRE. CENTRE OF COURTNEY PLACE DOWN THE FAR END IS MATT MCLEAN. ABSOLUTELY CRAZY. 100,000 FANS. WE'LL GET OFFICIAL NUMBERS LATER. AS THE SUN SETS, THINGS ARE WRAPPING UP 500M RED CARPET NOW ALL THE ACTORS HAVE WALKED THE 500M RED CARPET. THESE ARE TWO GIRLS HERE SINCE THIS MORNING I FOUND THEM ON WHAT WAS HOT PROPERTY DEMELZA AND GRACE. HOW HAS THE DAY BEEN? IT'S BEEN INCREDIBLE. WHAT ABOUT YOU? AMAZING DAY? IT'S BEEN REALLY GOOD. A JOLLY OLD TIME. YOUR SIGN A BIT OF A PUN... YOU DIDN'T GET TO MEET HIM, THOUGH? NO, WE DIDN'T. AWKWARD. WE DIDN'T GET HIM TO SIGN. SOMEONE WHO DID GET TO MEET THE FANS IS THIS THIS WOMAN HERE, GRACE. REPLICA DRESS FROM RETURN OF THE KING. WHEN ARWEN CONFRONTS HER FATHER ABOUT HER VISION. BASED ON THAT, YOU ARE A BIG FAN, RIGHT? I DID A FILM PAPER ON PETER JACKSON I STUDY AT VICTORIA AND I DID A FILM THESE ARE THE SIGNATURES. ONE OF THEM'S AIDAN TURNER THIS IS ELIJAH WOOD. CATE BLANCHETT, ALAN LEE. ONE OF THE DWARVES. HAS IT BEEN AN AMAZING DAY FOR YOU? IT'S BEEN AMAZING. I ALSO GOT TO HIGH-FIVE ANY SERKIS. THAT WAS REALLY AMAZING. THE STARTS HAVE GONE ALL OUT FOR THE FANS. ON THE BIG SCREEN, ANDY SERKIS, ANDY SERKIS DID A MASSIVE LAP HIGH-FIVING THE FANS. A PHENOMENAL DAY FOR THESE PEOPLE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN CAMPING SINCE 10PM TO CATCH A GLIMPSE OF FAVOURITE HOBBIT STARS WELLINGTON HAS PUT ON A PARTY. THIS INTERNATIONAL FANS WATCHING MUST THINK WE ARE THIS TROPICAL PARADISE. SO MUCH MORE TO COME IT'S BEEN AN AMAZING PARTY. THANKS, MATT. I GO T A HIGH-FIVE YOU WERE TALKING TO THE STARS WHO WAS THE HOTTEST? CATE BLANCHETT IN TERMS OF SHEER BEAUTY. IN TERMS OF MANLINESS, RICHARD ARMITAGE IS SO GOOD-LOOKING. ALL THE FEMAL JOURNOS TOOK A STEP BACK AND WENT 'GOODNESS' OBVIOUSLY, HE'S MUCH TALLER IN REAL LIFE THAN THE DWARF HE PLAYS MY RODUCER AGREES. WHO WAS THE NICEST? I THINK ANDY SERKIS. GREAT WITH JOURNOS AND THE FANS. YOU SAW THAT HE RAN ALL THE WAY DOWN AND UP, HIGH-FIVING EVERYONE. HE THRIVES ON IT. NO ONE KNEW WHO HE WAS IN THE LORD OF THE RINGS, AS GOLLUM. HE IS NOW A CELEBRITY IN HIS OWN RIGHT. HE IS A SECOND-UNIT DIRECTOR ON THE HOBBIT THIS MOVIE - WHAT DO YOU PREDICT? I PREDICT BIG THINGS. THE FORTUNES OF MGM REST WITH THESE FILM THEY FILED FOR BANKRUPCY TWO YEARS AGO. THEY NEED THIS TO BE A BILLION-DOLLAR BLOCKBUSTER I THINK IT WILL BE. PETER JACKSON WOULD HAVE TO DO SOMETHIGN DESPERATELY WRONG FOR IT NOT TO BE IT'LL BE INTERESTING. Uh, is there any other news? I` I think this is the only news there is, isn't there? What about what's happening in the Middle East? > A LOT OF GLAMOUR TODAY NOT JUST ON THE RED CARPET SOME OF THE FOREIGN PRESS GETTING MOBBED IT HELPS TO LOOK LIKE DELTA GOODREM. JEHAN CASINDADER HAS BEEN OUT AND ABOUT. THERE WE GO. Has this Middle Earth magic erased the fans minds of everything else that's happening on the planet right now? Jehan Casinader has been taking the pulse of Wellingtonians today. Jehan. HOBBIT FEVER WE HAVE HEARD IT FOR DAYS WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THOSE FANS? SYMPTOMS ` WEARING THESE RIDICLOUS HATS IF YOU'VE CAUGHT HOBBIT FEVER, YOULL BE WEARING A HAT. THE HOBBIT IS NOT THE ONLY BIG STORY IN NZ AND THE WORLD I HIT THE STREETS TO SEE WHEERE THE NEWS HAS GONE. What do you think's happened to the news? > Uh, is there any other news? I` I think this is the only news there is, isn't there? What about what's happening in the Middle East? > The middle of Middle Earth. Absolutely fantastic. No, the Middle East. No, I think the middle of the Middle East` middle of Middle Earth here. Middle East? The Middle East. Uh, we don't know anything about that. What do you think about what's happening in Gaza? It's very bad. I think it's quite sad that they've actually gone and bombed Jerusalem. Novopay?! Novopay? What's Novopay? The teachers' paying system. Certainly wouldn't be waiting and standing on the red carpet for his signature. Why is everyone Hobbit-mad? It's making everyone happier and forget about the real world for a while. Forget about all the depressing stuff? Yes, yes. Like the Labour leadership... (LAUGHS) Do you think it's all a bit over-the-top? No. We need to do things like this to show the other side of humanity. What do you think about Palestine? Yay, The Hobbit premiere! BOTH LAUGH THE PEOPLE ARE FANTASTIC IT HAS BEEN AN EXTRAORDINARY DAY. PEOPLE LOOKING FOR JOBS ON OUR PROGRAMME ` JOHN CAMPBELL! IT'S BEEN A GREAT DAY. GREAT DAY. THANK YOU FOR TAKING PART. TWO MORE HOBBIT MOVIES TO COME