New Zealand world's largest pop-up book

NEW ZEALAND BRINGS WORLD’S LARGEST POP-UP BOOK TO HOLLYWOOD

As movie fans await the imminent release of the second film of The Hobbit Trilogy – and another epic dose of Middle-earth landscapes – New Zealand has taken a cue from Hollywood by unveiling a giant pop-up book of New Zealand in Los Angeles.

The country that provided the epic scenery that backdrops The Hobbit Trilogy movies has installed the world’s largest pop-up book - occupying an area roughly the size of two tennis courts and 50 feet high – in the grounds of the Beverly Hilton hotel, that shows how film fantasy becomes reality for visitors to New Zealand.

The pop-up book of New Zealand is on site for five days coinciding with the Hollywood world première of The Hobbit : The Desolation of Smaug – produced and directed by acclaimed Kiwi film-maker Sir Peter Jackson. It is divided into four sets representing new filming locations from the film – Hidden Bay (Turoa, Ohakune), Forest River (Pelorus River, Marlborough) Lake-town (Lake Pukaki, Mt Cook), and Beorn’s House (Paradise, Queenstown).

With original pieces of the actual movie sets and living features of the real landscapes, the pop-up book employs multi-media production techniques and film-making wizardry to show how the film fantasy is firmly attached to the real life Middle-earth landscapes of New Zealand.

Guests will literally step into the giant book and take a unique journey through four of the principal filming locations for the Trilogy, combining the actuality of the book, and the magic of the movies with the reality of the Middle-earth locations.

Authentic props used for the pop-up book of New Zealand include the giant wooden armchair from Beorn’s house, two-level waterside houses and a boat from Lake-town and the gigantic brooding bust of the dwarf king Thror that stood over the back entrance to Lonely Mountain.

It will set the stage for media activity and cast interviews with The Hobbit Trilogy stars for the media junket based around the LA première of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug on Monday and provide an innovative setting for New Zealand hospitality and film business events.

Access to the pop-up book of New Zealand will be reserved for a series of invitation-only events, but a select group of lucky film fans will have the chance to browse the pages as part of a special public tour this Wednesday.

Jackson’s epic Tolkien-inspired productions of the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit Trilogies have created a legendary fan following and been at the source, over the past decade, of a film tourism phenomenon for his home country New Zealand.

The much anticipated The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, a production of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, is scheduled for worldwide release on 13 December, 2013.

About: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug - From Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson comes The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, the second in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien.

The screenplay for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is by Fran Walsh & Philippa Boyens & Peter Jackson & Guillermo del Toro, based on the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien.  Jackson also produced the film, together with Carolynne Cunningham, Zane Weiner and Fran Walsh.  The executive producers are Alan Horn, Toby Emmerich, Ken Kamins and Carolyn Blackwood, with Philippa Boyens and Eileen Moran serving as co-producers.

New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Present a WingNut Films Production, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.  The film is a production of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM), with New Line managing production.  Warner Bros. Pictures is handling worldwide theatrical distribution, with select international territories as well as all international television distribution being handled by MGM.

About: 100% Middle-earth, 100% Pure New Zealand - Tourism New Zealand's new three-year marketing strategy features publicity related to The Hobbit Trilogy in conjunction with its on-going 100% Middle-earth, 100% Pure New Zealand campaign.

Tourism New Zealand's own Active Considerer monitor shows the impact of the campaign, first launched in August 2012, in key markets, with 82% of respondents stating the campaign increases their interest in New Zealand, and 73% stating the campaign improved their opinions of New Zealand.

International Visitor Arrivals data for January-September 2013 show that holiday arrivals into New Zealand are up 10.5% as of last year.

Information gathered from the International Visitor Survey shows that 8.5% of all international visitors surveyed January to June this year, say The Hobbit films were a factor in stimulating their interest in New Zealand as a destination.

13% of international visitors over January to June 2013 say they took in a Hobbit-inspired experience while in New Zealand, including group tours specifically visiting film sites or visiting Hobbiton.