The Hobbit Actors struggled in the GREEN SCREEN room alone!

During the filming of The Hobbit Ian McKellen faced emotional challenges of acting alone in a green screen room. Richard Armitage, who also filmed in a similar setting, had to prepare by recalling 200 extras faces from rehearsals on an empty set. This mental preparation helped him engage during the scene. While both actors faced difficulties, Armitage found support from his fellow dwarves.

[zenthous]

Everyone talks about him crying but nobody talks about the lengths the crew went to to cheer him up. They did a great job.

[dylanbarnes]

This is why greenscreen/ CGI should be used lightly, not for every effect you want.

[WeesloYT]

Fun fact: the clip of Ian McKellan crying has been scrubbed from the internet by WB. You used to be able to find it in full on YT

[Fuzzira]

Now it makes sense why he went mad with dragon sickness, he's holding a speech for a bunch of dead men.

[Kavriel]

Ok when i talk to people that aren't there i'm the crazy one but when actors do it they are brilliant and so brave. That's entirely unfair.

[lordneeko]

This EXACTLY the purpose of "the volume"... Not big scenes, but close, intimate scenes where the actors need something to look at, react to, and act with. Plus, the natural lighting hues are super helpful as well.

[ultraviolet]

The best part of these films are the cast & crew, you can really tell they gave it their all.

[LiquidPandaGaming]

The sheer stress of this. The need for absolute perfection. The movies may not have stood up to the original trilogy, but this shows how much care had to go into this.

Always remember this when you critique a movie, it's not always easy on everyone.

[Wild-Card]

Modern actors know nothing else but filming a green screen. CGI has kind of just become routine as compared to the actors of old who shot everything together.

[biIIiejoepizza]

it's interesting to see behind the scenes :)

[sassy-savvy]

I think this is why most movies and TV shows suck now, between everyone getting desensitized by phone screens and being in a room covered in green. In psychology, people go mad in rooms that are completely painted white, so it makes sense. 😢

[jefferymuter]

Reminds me of AI in our industry. Taking away the most fun parts of our jobs.

[TheStofers]

This among a few prominent issues is why the the hobbit films were such a let down both cinematic and directing.

[It_is_what_it_is_]

Why the hell is everything in green screen for The Hobbit when almost everything was done IRL for LOTR? WHAT HAPPENED TO the shire set?!

[It_is_what_it_is_]

LOTR is still better CGI, they literally filmed outside and in real places with each other. Why is everything done in a green room with computers now? That's why the Hobbit seems so fake.

[okayge_]

I dont undestand why the other actors cant also be there in the green sceen? They will get cropped out anyway when the shots get composited

[Vincentzw]

You really just called the dwarves hobbits???

[Soothing]

the excess use of CGI was the main reason the hobbit trilogy was quite good but not legendary like LOTR.

[UnethicalLogic]

This is why The Hobbit will never be anywhere, and I mean anywhere, close to the awesomeness that LoTR was! Jackson got screwed by the studio on this one. He should have just walked out of sit screw everybody, but he decided to bite the bullet... And produced a turd.

[gusfring]

Is there a reason they didn't use the same perspective tricks they used in the lotr?