Kelvarhin: If you got the chance to meet J.R.R.Tolkien, what would you say to him?
William: I know that our film of The Hobbit has some differences from your amazing book but please understand that this is an interpretation of your story made for the visual medium of the cinema and you can rest assured that Peter Jackson’s interpretation of your book is made with passion, with true heart, and with utmost love for your original story.
Kelvarhin: What kind of music do you both like?
William: : I love rock.. I love blues… I love Jazz… I love classical music
Nicole: I like Rock,Blues, Pop, Folk, Drum & Base, and Techno-Swing.
Kelvarhin: During the filming, were there any moments that were pure joy or sheer terror, or total confusion? What was your favourite location shoot, and your favourite set?
William: During the filming there were many moments of pure joy… moments of sheer terror and moments of total confusion! We really went through all the experiences you see in the film!
My favourite location was ‘Paradise’ in Glenorchy close to Queenstown in the South Island (Google it!)… There were many, many favourite sets… and Beorn’s house was one of my personal favourites.
Kelvarhin: Can you tell us the history of your band, California Dreamers, and what instruments they all play, and what kind of music, and why, and how often?
William: Nicole is a professional vocalist and the California Dreamers is her baby. She is really the musical director for the group. The band started out ten years ago (wow… ten years ago!) as a tribute to the Mamas and the Papas. Nicole soon realised that there was an incredible wealth of music from the late-60’s era… and also it marked a massive worldwide change brought about by the whole ‘Hippie – Flower Power’ movement… and to a great degree this was lead by the music! So the band moved into a celebration of music from that time… mid 1960’s through to early 70’s, we love exploring the era, amazing music was generated through experimental drugs and the transformation of musical styles meshing together. I came into the band about five years ago. We are a vocal group and do a lot of four-part harmonies… we have a fantastic guitarist and also work with backing tracks. The California Dreamers play regularly for Wineries, Festivals, Corporate Events… On December 15th we are doing an outdoor concert “Hippie Christmas in the Park”.
Kelvarhin: Just have to ask you grammaboodawgs favourite question, “what was your favourite cartoon to watch when you were youngsters?”
William: Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck (“It’s Duck Season… It’s Rabbit Season!!!)
Nicole: {hard to pick one so here’s a few} Foghorn Leghorn, The Pink Panther, Puffinstuff, Sigmund The Sea Monster, Pepe Le Peu, all the Disney films!
Kelvarhin: In the Bag End scene, just when a fight breaks out around the table, we see Bifur demonstrating with his hands, almost like he’s twisting something. Can you please explain what he was doing?
William: Bifur is communicating in a form of secret Dwarvish sign language. He is talking to himself.
Kelvarhin: Can you say a little about filming the mo-cap troll scene and was it as fun for you and Peter Hambleton and Mark Hadlow to do as it was for us to watch?
William: Filming the Troll scene was incredible fun. It was four intense days of working closely with Peter Jackson in the motion capture studio… we improvised a lot of gags together… had a lot of laughs… incorporated a lot of physical comedy… kind of like the Three Stooges! We decided that Tom was the snotty, weedly Troll that the others always picked on… yet he was also sneaky and cruel. When we first were working on developing these characters with Terry Notary (our movement coach) Andy Serkis came along and helped out with direction… one thing he said really worked for me. He said to “think about what injuries they may have”… so I tied sandbag weights around one arm and one ankle… I gave myself a dead arm and a dead leg… and incorporated this into the movement for the character.
Kelvarhin: With the huge commitment of time involved with filming The Hobbit did this ever make either of you baulk at all?
William: Nope. It was a dream job for an actor.
Kelvarhin: In that theme, I’d love to ask Nicole about having fun with other Hobbit wives, and ask both of you if it would have been a harder decision to take the role if it hadn’t been being filmed in your home country?
Nicole: We have great fun together, we enjoy sharing stories like any group of women. We love sharing meals and wine – our next gathering we are all reading a book beforehand and so we’ll talk about that – we like to help each other out, keep our minds open, and support each other in our unusual Hobbit Dwarf Wives Club!
William: No it would not have been hard to make a decision to take the role if I had been in another country… this is one of the biggest films in history!
Kelvarhin: We’ve heard rumours of a future role for William in LA. What would you think about living short- or long-term in California?
William: We love our old house on Wellington Harbour… we live right on the sea and everyday is an adventure (especially when the weather is bad, I have a manager in Los Angeles and I have to be prepared to travel for the job. We have been spending more time in LA looking for work opportunities…and we love it there, so when the right opportunity comes along we’d love to stay there for short or longer term. New Zealand will always be our spiritual home.
Kelvarhin: What is it like to step into a world that has been so loved by fans for so many years?
William: An honour, a huge responsiblity… but ultimately the satisfaction that all involved have done the best of their ability to bring his story to life on film.
Kelvarhin: Do you look forward to seeing yourself turned into a statue by Weta to have on your shelf at home?
William: Heck yes! and not yet!
Kelvarhin: And a final question from Demosthenes “Williams thoughts on dragon poo. (it must exist, surely?)”
William: Pure gold!
😀
I’d like to thank William and Nicole for taking part this month, it has been truly wonderful chatting to you both!
As always a big thank you to all our message board regulars, DanielLB, Brethil, dernwyn, SirDennisC, Lissuin, Ziggy Stardust, The Grey Elf and grammaboodawg, and Staffers, Thorongil, Demosthenes, greendragon and Elessar and the fans who emailed me their questions, Julie J, Deanna C, Tamara C, Rebecca W and Julia A for our questions this month.
If you would like to ask any questions yourself, just head over to our Message Boards, the sign up process is pretty painless. A lead post for questions is made at the beginning of each month on the Main board, if you don’t want to sign up to the boards just email me your questions at kelvarhin@theonering.net.
Till next time from TORn’s resident Tiger.
Kelvarhin
