New Zealand brings world's largest pop-up book to Hollywood

BEVERLY HILLS - 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 premiere 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 premiere 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.

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.

Sourced: TravelDailyNews