THE ONLY THING I TRULY WANTED TO EXPERIENCE WHEN WE WENT TO NEW ZEALAND WAS THE HOBBIT TOUR SET. THE SET WAS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING AND FILLED WITH INTERESTING FACTS AROUND EVERY CORNER. THIS SHOT IS ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS FROM THE LORD OF THE RINGS MOVIES AND THE TREES IN THIS SCENE IS COMPOSED OF OVER 200,000 FAKE LEAVES THAT WERE HAND PAINTED. WHEN PETER JACKSON FELL ILL DURING SHOOTING, HE TOOK A BREAK, CAME BACK AND THE LEAVES HAD FADED SLIGHTLY, SO HE MADE HIS CREW REPAINT ALL THE LEAVES. WHEN THE TOUR CONCLUDED, WE HAD A BEER AT THE GREEN DRAGON INN AND MY TRIP TO NEW ZEALAND WAS COMPLETE.

MATAMATA, NEW ZEALAND