January 2, 2001
'Gandalf' Proclaims
'Happy New Year, It's a Wrap!'
Sir Ian McKellen
Principal photography on The Lord of the Rings ended in a rush the Friday before Christmas. Any financial penalties and rewards have been avoided and earned. I am enroute for home in the UK. The rest of the team (3000 plus) are on holiday and wondering where the next job may emerge. The sets on location have been dismantled and the Stone Street Studios are quiet, except for the aircraft landing at the adjacent airport. So, you might wonder, why does everyone have to wait another twelve months before the release of The Fellowship of the Ring, the first of the trilogy of movies that have taken 18 months to film?