Diary and Report

Well folks I finally made it home to Scotland after a great but often hectic time in New York. I figured the best way to do this was through a diary of sorts. So here goes.

 

Monday:

Headed for Heathrow in London still not quite believing I was off to cover the events in New York and to attend the world premiere. We only launched War of the Ring six months ago, so it felt like quite an achievement. In no small part due to the great folks who work on the site and also those that visit it. I felt very lucky indeed.

Arriving in New York at night I grabbed a cab to my hotel. Driving into Manhattan at night was a quite a sight. The skyline did not disappoint. In fact it felt familiar having seen it so often on tv. My hotel was the Hudson on West 58th, ultra modern and very slick. Like a movie set crossed with one of those minimalist clothes shops.

I settled back in the hotel bar and soothed my jet lag away with a few whiskeys. :-)

 

Tuesday:

Headed down in the afternoon for a meeting with Serious USA, the company that make the CD Cardz. Had a long chat with Wayne, their sales and marketing guy. Chatted about there new cardz for The Two Towers and for Return of the King. Then had a look at their NHL cardz. Seems they are moving to a more interactive footing with online games and such. The Two Towers cardz are excellent, in much better packaging than the FOTR ones. The set up they have is small but industrious. They are really trying to make something that is interesting and new. After a quick tour and some nice goodies to boot, I head back to the hotel. More on this in a separate report.

Get ready for the press screening, which is to be at the Regal theatre. I stick on my casual suit, wanted to look the part of a journalist ;-), and grab a cab. It is cold in New York and glad to get into the theatre. Grab a bunch of schedules and tokens from the New Line staff and head up the stairs. Here we get complimentary soda and popcorn, all rather cool Lord of the Rings stuff. Then get into the theatre.

It is busy but not full. Some press but most seem to be just folks lucky enough to pull some strings and get a ticket. Three hours later I wake up from the shock of finally seeing this movie. Having been posting images, video and heavens knows what about it for so long, it is a relief to actually see it on the big screen. It does indeed live up to the hype, though I am left feeling there was too much to take in on first viewing. This is a very grand vision, which assaults your senses constantly. Though more on that when I get a review up shortly.

After the screening I head off in a blissful state to the hotel. A quick chat on the site, where I try to answer all the questions people ask, though I am still taking it all in myself. I am so excited I cannot sleep and head down to the bar. there I meet some cool people who are great company. Seems the hotel is full of media and PR people. So end up chatting with a woman who writes for USA Today and with Jennifer Lopez's producer. Quite surreal!

 

Wednesday:

Well the morning starts with a disaster of sorts. My wake up call was for seven, but seems with my accents the staff though I said eleven. So with jet lag I slept peacefully through most of the interview junket. However, I was not too bothered as had been told not too expect too much from it. As not one to one interviews, more a free for all with a bunch of journalists. I hoped the party would be a good opportunity for chatting with the cast anyway. Also with any luck we will get some good interviews once the cast are a little less busy with the various premiere etc.

That evening my wife fly's in from Scotland and we have a romantic night out in Manhattan. I was feeling a bit lonely so was quite a relief to see her. Seemed like weeks since we had been together even though only a few days.

 

Thursday:

The big day is here. I feel like slapping myself a few times just to confirm I am in New York and that I am going to the world premiere of The Two Towers. After a quick shower I head down to the theatre where the premiere will be held. Over the phone I had arranged to meet one of the fans coming in for it When I get there a bunch of them turn up and we grab a coffee.

I forget most of there real names but there was Elf Maiden, Magic Dreamer, Diamond Took, Steff and Sara from billyboyd.net, Lilith, LeggyLove, HobbitLove, Sandy, Torry Took, and Lynn. Great people and as you will see later some of them stayed out in the cold for 16 hours. As dedicated fans as you will ever meet, really friendly too. Elf Maiden and her husband were very funny and her hair was amazing. You cannot really se it in the photos but done just like Legolas. Apologies if I missed anyone or got your names wrong. I am sure we will meet again at future events.

.

I head back the hotel feeling a little sorry for them in the cold. I quickly call Illuvatar and he writes up the news for me. The hotel computers are playing up and I cannot get my images uploaded. Kinko's (an internet cafe) are most unhelpful, the staff seem to have been lobotomised.

Have a quick bite to eat and the wife and I get dressed for the premiere. We think about hiring a limo, but at $85 an hour we decide just to take a cab. The view out of the hotel window is great, with Manhattan's lights twinkling, just serves to build the excitement of the event. I try to keep my cool and promise myself I will not get too excited. But when that cab door opened and the noise hit me.....my heart raced. I saw the fans stuck on the other side of the road and waqs a bit dissappointed they were stuck over the road, since they had come a long way for this. They were screaming as Dom had just got out of his limo, the flash bulbs dazzled us and we made for the refuge of the canopy. Our tickets were waiting in the booth and I grasped them in my frozen hand.

Walking up the red carpet we made our way into the theatre. A bit of security as I expected and then into the foyer. A bizarre scene with cast members and crew, along with socialites and the like of ourselves wandering about. Picked up some soda and popcorn and made our way inside. I was quite surprised that our seats were pretty good, being in the centre on row G. Not perfect but not bad, I thought we would be stuck in a corner somewhere!

We see various cast members floating about. I then spot Peter Jackson over by the fire exit. A mic is set up on stage and soon New Line's president steps up and introduces the movie. He calls up some other executives and then Peter. PJ introduces the movie and thanks everyone involved. He is very humble but seems almost relieved that people are actually getting to see this film. All the cast are called up on stage and they seem very excited. Hugging each other and joking about.

The movie starts to rapturous applause (especially for New Line Cinema, as their logo appears) and we all settle back to watch it. I demolish my popcorn without even noticin,g as second time round this film engrosses me. So much to notice, if people felt they had to see the Fellowship a few times to take it all in. Then they will be watching this film until next year. The audience laugh at all the right bits and cheer when the battle is won.

As the credits roll each name is applauded and cheered. Huge cheers fro Andy Serkis and PJ.

We grab our coats and beat a path for the exit. New Lline have thankfully laid on buses, so we all make our way across the icy ground and get onboard. The bus turns a bend and I see the venue for the party for the first time. The New York State Library. An impressive sight. With the grand columns and facade lit up with spot lights, it looks very eerie. A red carpet leads up the steps and a group of fans are waiting at the bottom. They have dwindled in number, but still raise a mighty cheer for the stars as their limo's arrive. Further up the steps elves stand holding lanterns looking very beautiful but bloody frozen! We drop our coats in the tent and head inside.

Through the rotating door a spectacle awaits. We are greeted by an airy hall atmospherically lit. In the centre is a life size statue of Gandalf on Shadowfax. I head for the most important place, the bar. Barry Osbourne is in my way so I duck past him and get in line. Behind the bar are some cool orc statues leering at the masses as we try to get the attention of the barmen. We take some snap shots and go and mingle.

I spot Bernard Hill whizzing past and shake his hand and say hi. He is called over by some folks so we dont really chat, but seemed very cordial. I decide to head out for a cigarrete (a bad habit folks and not one I recommend). I am looking about and who is also having a quick puff but Elijah. He has a new hairdo and I hardly recognise the newly shaved hobbit. He is chatting with some friends and so I don't intrude.

Next up some more chatting with folks invited, mostly about the movie and the rather spendid food laid on by New Line. They really have pulled out the stop for this event. I step out agian for another ciggie and meet Hugo Weaving. I introduce myself and we chat a bit about the movie and Elrond. He then goes on to talk a little aobut the The Matrix. He really is a cool guy, has his feet on the ground and is good company. I give him my card ( yes I got some printed, hey well you gotta spread the word right) and direct him to the toilets, though get a quick photo with him first. The first one is a bad one and he says take another, I say you are supposed to be good at this!

My next encounter is with Dominic Monaghan. He is all over the place metting and greeting people. Looking very dapper and lively. I step right in front of him in a carefully co-ordinated ambsh and say hi! He is pretty cool and not as 'big star' as he looks when you see him wondering about. Very pleasant and we chat about how this movie differs from the last. I get a quick shot for the site as well.

By now a lot of the stars look to have left, seems some like Liv just stayed for a short while. I don't see PJ the whole night, though I see Richard Taylor constantly! He must be stalking me!!!;-)

Upstairs I am queying for a drink with Dom in front of me. Meanwhile my wife has started chatting to Billy Boyd. So I slide over and she introduces us.( I knew I brought her out here for a reason, smart lady) Billy is really a nice guy. We chat about Glasgow, sharing the same hair dresser, the site, his site and he even introduces me to Dominic's dad, who shakes my hand. Very proud of his son I imagine. Billy even offers to sign a light for a competition, though we decide too tricky to smuggle it out of the party. Say our good byes and head back into the throng.

Back in the main lobby I spot Hugo again, along with Andy Serkis. I grab another drink ( I am a bit tipsy at this point) and introduce myself to Andy. He has a cool white suit on and a crazy hairdo. He is most keen for folks to know (especially non fans) that he performed Gollum as well as voicing him. Mentioned he had been to some fan sites that had missed this point. Though I was a bit puzzled since most of the sites have been covering that very fact. Maybe he meant some of the movie sites............

Agian he is a very friendly chap, Hugo comes up and starts chatting too. They have not seen each other for ages. Indeed on set they only ever met up for a few drinks, since schedulaes seldom crossed. I have a laugh to myself that I am standing having a drink with Elrond and Gollum, quite a buzz! My wife takes a shot of Andy and I and we part company, though again I am handing out business cards ;-)

By now it is 2.30am and though still a good few hundred folks about we decide to head home. Pen (my wife) is tired and not really over her jet lag, plus we don't want to be at the party till the bitter end.......

After grabbintg our coats we head down the stairs. The same band of fans I saw in the morning are still going strong. Billy is just in front of us and as I photograph the fans he goes and signs books and shakes hands. He then jumps into a limo (with Dom I think) and they dissappear into the snowy night. We hail a cab and head back to the hotel, exhausted and I have to admit a bit drunk.

 

Friday:

Well our day to move hotels. Our own one was fully booked so we have to shift to another. This one is very expensive due to the Friday being boked out everywhere. But it is pretty grim..... I also have to send a diary I am doing for a Scottish paper, so nip into the hotel business centre and write it up. We spend the evening in a great little Italian resteraunt, before taking a walk around a very festive New York. Then it is home for an early night.

 

 

Saturday:

Well last day in New York. I get to chat with some folks from the site on the phone and then we head into the city. I meet up with one of the people from New Line for breakfast. Great to actually meet them as it can very impersonal dealing via e-mail all the time. They are really nice and very honest about how they deal with sites such as ours. Gave me a better understanding of what they do and their perspective on things. Learned some interesting things too.....

Next the wife and I do some shopping in Bloomingdales and grab a hot dog in Central Park. The park looks great with the snow and frozen lake.

Then it is back to the hotel and off to the airport. I take a last shot of Manhattan as we leave. I am glad to be back home and can reflect on what was an experience that will live with me for a long time.

 

Special thanks to New Line Cinema for inviting me and to all the staff at War of the Ring for holding the fort. Indeed without you guys I would not have got to go at all. Same goes for everyone who visits, I hope I have been able to share some of my expereince with you.

Was it worth it? Well it did cost me a few thousand pounds for the flights and hotel etc, but neither me nor my wife would have missed it for the world. Though I fear this will be last such trip until we clear our visa ;-) But how often does an opportunity like this come up....for me not often.

Any regrets...well I should have been more pushy at the party I guess. But I felt that as a guest and not there to report as such. So I concentrated on having a good time and did not intrude on stars too much. I don't think they minded really but well ya know.... I do regret not meeting Peter Jackson in a big way, but I simply did not see him apart from on stage. Ah well fingers crossed that some day I will. Oh yes, and I need to take a good alarm clock!

Fatty

 

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