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The Soundworks Collection has released a mini-documentary about how the epic sound of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey was created. From beginning to end, Peter Jackson’s team used more advanced tech than on the original Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Despite having three films worth of Middle Earth sound to draw on, basically everything for the new films was re-recorded on location in New Zealand. That means all of those cave sounds you hear throughout the film were actually painstakingly recorded in caves. The problem is that existing library from The Lord of the Rings trilogy was all recorded at 16-bit/44.1 kHz, and the sound designers wanted to capture everything in high-definition, 24-bit/48 kHz.
Beyond entirely new source material, The Hobbit’s mixers had access to Dolby Atmos this time around. The new theatrical sound system allows designers to plot sound elements to individual speakers around and above the theatre. Compared to a simpler 5.1 surround sound design, Atmos allows designers to create more immersive sounds. So when Peter Jackson wants a battle to sound like a nightmare — it does. [Soundworks Collection]
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Thus far, I have avoided anything relating to The Hobbit. This article is also being ignored, right now, by me.
That way, when I finally see it, it will be with virgin eyes and an innocent mind.
My only worry is Martin Freeman. He’s not dynamic and has no range. He’s always playing the same f*cking character.
What’s taking you so long?
Martin Freeman does still have his Martin Freemanisms but he does hit the right emotional cues.
Part of me wants to do a LOTR marathon before seeing it. You know, something to get me into the whole middle earth vibe.
Best not, you’ll go in expecting a similar feel and the tone of the film is much lighter and less grave.
And on an unrelated note: Bilbo lives!
I did the same thing, and had the same reservations about Freeman before seeing it last Friday.
Having seen it now I can safely say I needn’t have worried about any of it – it was awesome!
I echo irononreverse’s advice about not doing a LOTR marathon though. Different tone, different attitude, different films but just as brilliant – best you don’t go in thinking you are watching prequel to LOTR, but rather you are going in to see the start of the Hobbit trilogy.
But can I still wear my Hobbit costume from LOTR?
Of course, that is just good fashion sense.
You should probably go Dwarf.
As they say, once you go Dwarf..
Once you go dwarf, everything else comes up short…
bdum tsh!
Holy crap I’ve been thinking your name was Kiwishampoo all this time.. To be honest your actual name makes more sense..
Did you think I was magicpuppy?
Most people do. It gives me my cheapies.
Haha nope, but if you had a puppy as an Avatar it would have been a bit more challenging.. All I know from Kiwishampoo’s avatar is that he has Bad Taste
Oh yeah, forgot about the ‘tar. Makes it even more amazing that people think I’m a puppy, but there you go.
Ha they were talking about how they needed a specific sound for their new Goblin creatures then at 4:44 there is a wilhelm scream!?
You gotta have the wilhelm scream.
As secrets go, it was a pretty badly kept one. In fact, you know that your secret is out of the bag when you accidentally mention it in your promotional material. That’s secret 101 stuff, you didn’t catch the Stasi doing that.