Andy Serkis began working on the Middle-earth films in the 1990s, work that is finally coming to a conclusion with The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.
The final film in Sir Peter Jackson's Hobbit trilogy opens around the world next week after its world premiere at Leicester Square.
Serkis played the iconic Gollum character in both trilogies, helping to pioneer motion-capture technology for the film world. He also served as second unit director on the Hobbit trilogy.
I spoke to Serkis in London about what he has learned from Sir Peter, how technology has changed filmmaking and just how emotionally powerful this final film is for him.
Andy, as always it's an absolute delight to talk to you. We wish you'd just move to New Zealand.
Well I feel like I have! I really should've got citizenship by now I think.
The Middle-earth saga has been an amazing journey that has changed the face of New Zealand filmmaking. How does it feel to you personally to have been such an intrinsic part of the two trilogies?
I'm incredibly proud. I feel really honoured to have worked with Peter [Jackson], Fran [Walsh] and Phillipa [Boyens]. They are just the most incredible human beings. They're great filmmakers of course, but just so loyal, honourable and compassionate. They're great role models as human beings. It's no mistake that they've made friends all over the world with these movies and have really connected with the globe. The way that Peter shares these films and is loyal to the fans and includes everybody, it's been a huge, huge learning curve in terms of how to be a great filmmaking leader, which is what Pete is.
You've been the second unit director on The Hobbit films and you just mentioned the learning curve - is there any one thing you can think of that Peter has taught you as a filmmaker?
Yeah, I remember Pete saying to me right at the beginning that every single take offers a different set of opportunities to change it and make it better. That's something that you can forget when you're under pressure, when you're trying to get a shot. I noticed that from observing Pete directing, every single time he gets the camera rolling, there's an opportunity to tweak and improve the details. And he's a phenomenally detailed filmmaker, as you would imagine. That was a great note.
Technology has changed the way Pete and you tell these stories. How much of an imperative has it been in telling the Middle-earth saga?
Obviously it's been huge. The evolution of Weta and all of its technologies and artistry has transformed. And I've been involved not just in the Hobbit films but also the Apes movies, which have been Weta-driven pictures too, they're just breaking new ground every time. It doesn't stop or stand still. Going back to Lord of the Rings, all the artificial intelligence for Massive, [the technology that drove] the crowd stuff, of course the performance capture. Now with this one, The Battle of the Five Armies, Peter has basically shot an entire battle single-handed. The way he's been able to do it with a virtual camera and create that visceral energy of the last 45 minutes of the movie is extraordinary. He builds tools for what he needs to achieve what he wants to do. That's incredible. And I suppose that's what I'm trying to do, and what I've learned from Peter, at the Imaginarium, our very humble, very small performance capture studio in West London.
Have you had a chance to see The Battle of the Five Armies?
Yeah I saw it on my own a couple of days ago and was really incredibly moved by it.
How would you describe it - what can fans expect from this last Hobbit film?
It's emotionally very powerful. 'Enthralling' is the word that I would use to describe it, because it's so massive in its scale. And yet at the heart of it, it's very much all about character. It is emotionally driven. You never get lost in the giant battle of it all, you're always returning to the imperatives of the characters and all of their needs. So there's this great tension. It's a wonderful conclusion to the six-film saga and a brilliant bridge between The Hobbit and entering into The Fellowship.
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The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies opens in New Zealand cinemas on December 11.
3 News
source: newshub archive
