Fourth Hobbit production blog arrives

Peter Jackson has posted a new video diary on his Facebook page, and as ever, it’s stuffed to the brim with behind the scenes tidbits on Lord Of The Rings prequel The Hobbit .

This time out, Jackson is focusing on his use of 3D, and he certainly sounds like a fan of the new technology available to him. You can see the new video below.

“Shooting The Hobbit in 3D is a dream come true,” says Jackson. “If I’d had the opportunity to shoot Lord Of The Rings in 3D, I certainly would have done it. 3D helps immerse you in the film.”

For the more technically minded among you, a significant chunk of the video has Jackson going into the specifics of 3D filming, with the cutting-edge RED Epic cameras going under the microscope.

Basically, these tricksy gadgets allow Jackson and crew to shoot as they would ordinarily, whilst also letting them tweak the 3D effect as filming continues. “We’re watching the film in 3D as we make it,” explains one cameraman. Even to the untrained eye, it’s pretty impressive stuff.

Alongside the technology-porn, there’s also footage of the enchanted forest of Mirkwood, principle cast members Martin Freeman and Ian McKellen doing their thing, Andy Serkis taking a turn behind the camera and even Elijah Wood dropping in for a visit.

There’s also an interesting insight into how shooting in three dimensions impacts upon wardrobe choices, with one particularly lurid dressing gown from Bilbo’s collection having to be dropped on account of its sickly effect in 3D.

Watch the fourth production blog here:

All in all, there’s plenty on display here to whet our appetites for a return to Middle Earth, and leaves us hoping that Jackson updates us again in the near future. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey arrives in the UK on 14 December 2012.