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Lord of the Rings Making Wtgn Known as Location
Press Reporter

WELLINGTON -- The Lord of the Rings has put Wellington on the film-making map, Mayor Mark Blumsky says.

Speaking yesterday from Los Angeles where he is attending a film location expo, Mr Blumsky said there had been strong interest in the $360 million Lord of the Rings project.

"But Lord of the Rings isn't the only film project creating interest. The script of Stickmen is also generating keen interest at the expo," he said.

Stickmen, a $1.4 million production based on three pool-playing lads, is being filmed around Wellington. It is due to be released in December.

Mr Blumsky and Waitakere Mayor Bob Harvey attended the three-day Location 2000 expo to promote New Zealand to several thousand film location and production managers.

They also met the makers of the third Star Wars "prequel" to try to convince them to film the movie in New Zealand.

Big studios who visited the New Zealand expo stand included Columbia Tri-Star, Warners and Disney, and there was also interest from Britain, Japan and France, Mr Blumsky said.

On Friday night, Mr Blumsky attended a function for 300 film people at the New Zealand Consulate where promotional footage of Lord Of The Rings was shown.

Mr Blumsky said Wellington's potential as a movie-making destination had been hugely enhanced because it was now known as the home of Lord of the Rings.

Mr Blumsky returns this week after meeting earthquake technology industry experts.