MAN: We are in the land of Hobbits.
The Shire.
Middle-earth.
Uh, I don't know.
Hobbiton?
Whatever they call this place.
It's pretty, you know?
You know? I guess it's okay.
I guess it's okay.
I've seen better.
We had a few set visitors over the course of filming.
You know, journalists and various people...
...and one of them was Eric Vespe, who's Quint from the Ain't It Cool News website.
And we've done a thing from time to time with the Ain't It Cool News people...
...where we do like a little preview teaser thing at the annual film festival...
...which is called the Butt-Numb-A-Thon Festival in Austin, Texas.
But, urn, while we were making The Hobbit, obviously, there was no movie to screen...
...and so Eric, who works for the website...
...he was quite keen to come up with a little surprise thing...
...in which he would be on location with us in New Zealand, reporting from location...
...but then he would secretly turn up in Austin through some magic.
It was quite fun.
Hey, everybody.
Welcome to Middle-earth.
Breaks my heart I can't be there for Butt-Numb-A-Thon this year...
...and hang out with my friends, see you, Harry, and help you celebrate your birthday...
...you know, but what are you gonna do?
I mean, look at this.
Um, this is really the only thing that could keep me from Butt-Numb-A-Thon.
Um, but, uh, since I can't be there, I'm hoping that we can...
...uh, find a few people around here that might wanna say hello.
I think we have one waiting in the wings right here, actually.
That's Mt. Cook.
That's New Zealand's highest mountain.
It's 13,700 feet.
It's kind of interesting, isn't it? Oh, Jesus. Look at all these people.
- 3D... 2D, that's better. 2D's better. - Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, you don't wanna see those guys in 3D.
No, absolutely. Have you seen my trick?
I'm in the tent and I'm watching something in 2D, I'll say, "Okay, let's go 3D."
It just does that. That's pretty stylish.
- It's good. It's good. - That's good.
Hey, Butt-Numb-A-Thon 13, aye?
Unlucky for some.
Unlucky for all of you bastards who've got to sit there all night long watching movies.
- No, they're the lucky ones. - Oh, I know they are. I know.
- Come on. - I enjoyed it. I was there...
...about nine long years ago, wasn't it, now?
- Return of the King. - Yeah, 2003.
And, uh, hopefully, we will be back again...
...but obviously not this year because we are busy shooting a movie, um, down here.
I'm sure you've been reading some of Quint's reports.
Um, it's pretty weird having an Ain't It Cool News spy on the set.
But anyway, we are gonna... The good news is we're gonna get you pissed and laid tonight.
Just so it's gonna be like any other night at Butt-Numb-A-Thon, basically.
- Yeah, yeah. - We've got a young lady...
...who's, uh, waiting in the wings over here right now.
[BLEATS]
But anyway, it's a New Zealand tradition. It's all right.
- Oh, great. Okay. - We'll explain it to you later.
And, uh, before we go, however...
...there are a few other people who are hanging around here who wanna say hi.
So anyway, that's bye for me, and, urn, have a great night.
- Check this guy out. - Hey.
- How's it going, Terry? - How you doing?
This is Terry Notary. Say hi to Butt-Numb-A-Thon.
Hey, Butt-Numb-A-Thon. How are you?
It's cool. Yeah, Terry is the movement coach on The Hobbit and he was also, uh...
You were the monster in Attack the Block, and Rocket in Rise of the Planet of the Apes.
- Yep. - So now he's making Middle-earth move.
Yes, I'm the movement choreographer on Middle-earth...
...and I hope we do a good job for all the fans out there.
I think you're gonna be very happy with this film.
A lot of hard work's going into it...
...and, urn, I think it's coming out really good, so...
All right, I'm done with you.
All right, time to move on.
Hey, guys. So let's, uh, meet some of the crew.
Like... What the hell are you doing, Corrin?
- Corrin! Corrin, Corrin. - Ha-ha-ha.
VESPE: We see you.
- Hey, hey, hey. - Hi.
Hey, you're supposed to use that for sound.
Well, I do, usually.
I see. So you've now did that in front of a theater full of people. Say hello.
- Hi. - This is Corrin, he does the sound.
[LAUGHING]
And apparently, some, uh, illegal substances as well.
Let's see who we can find.
Oh, this is an odd sight.
Bard, could you just watch the plaits, please.
Sorry, sir. Sorry, sir. Do you want it behind your ear, or in front?
- Yes, behind. - Okay, yeah.
How many times have I told you, Bard?
- I'm sorry, sir. - Behind.
[LAUGHING]
All right, well, say hi. This is an audience of about 220 people.
Hello, audience of 200 people.
- At Butt-Numb-A-Thon. - Two-hundred-twenty people.
- And their butts. - At Butt-Numb-A-Thon.
How are your butts? Are they numb? Mine is.
I've been sitting here for hours having my hair primmed and pristined.
Solidarity. I feel your pain.
I hope you have a great session and, uh, I hope you brought a soft pillow.
God, it smells like ladies in there.
Oh, hey, Matt. How's it going?
- I'm all right. - Hey, I want you to meet Butt-Numb-A-Thon.
- Hey. - The audience.
- Hi, guys! - Say happy birthday to Harry.
- Happy birthday, Harry. - This is Matt. I call him Good Cargill.
And he is a makeup prosthetics dude.
So he's worked on Prometheus.
I got some amazing spoilers.
And what the f...? What are you doing?
We're just gonna put a little.
Just a little bit. Oh, look at how it trickles.
- It trickles. - Cut it out.
Let's put some more. Ooh.
I like the blood.
Dude, dude, I'm ******* trying to do this video.
Sorry, man. Sorry, sorry.
- Jesus. - Here. Use this to clean it off.
You didn't wash your hands, did you?
No. No, I didn't.
- Oh, hey, Eric. MAN: Hey, how's it going?
- Going well. How are you doing? - Not bad.
Uh, I'm doing this video for Butt-Numb-A-Thon.
Oh, happy birthday, Harry.
Cool. So this is Eric Saindon.
He works at WETA Digital.
And he's working on... So, what are you...? What are you...?
I'm doing the final designs of Smaug here.
It's almost done.
- That's what he's gonna look like. - That's what he's gonna look like.
Jesus, that's awesome.
You think you can, uh, give them a little preview?
I don't wanna get in trouble.
I don't know how trustworthy everyone is there.
- Well, I guess... - Yeah.
...maybe a brief look.
Hello, Harry. Ain't It Cool Harry.
You know what ain't cool, Harry? Pan.
See that?
It's raining. It's raining heavily, Harry.
I'm the Irish Dwarf, Bofur. I traveled 11 and a half thousand miles for this.
I come from Ireland. It rains in Ireland, Harry.
Anyway, happy birthday.
Hope it pisses rain.
Movie sets are very dangerous places.
Thank God we have fire Dwarfs on hand.
Hi there. I'm Oin.
And for anyone who's read The Hobbit...
...you will know that Oin is, indeed, the fire Dwarf.
Usually, however, the fire lighter.
Hey, big shout-out there to Harry.
Happy birthday.
And from the South Island of New Zealand, cheers with our pure water.
To Austin, Texas.
- Harry, happy birthday. - Happy birthday, Harry.
Ain't it cool to be 40?
We didn't think you were gonna make it. But you did.
- We were all worried about you. - For a while.
- But you pulled through, buddy. - You got it, man. Four-zero.
Good times.
Good luck at the arse-numbing festival too, from all of us here in, uh...
Where are we?
- Just outside of Twizel. - Yeah.
As you can see, the South Island of New Zealand's a beautiful place.
It has these amazing flowers that are native only to this island, actually.
Um, I can show you exactly where, but I need Hayden.
Hayden?
- Oh, there you are, man. - Hey.
Hey, how's it going? I need the map.
Oh, yeah, cool.
All right, we are right there.
That's exactly where we are right now.
And that's where these beautiful flowers grow.
Thanks, babe.
MAN: No problem.
[HELICOPTER WHIRRING]
Hi, everybody at Butt-Numb-A-Thon.
Have a great night tonight.
Can't stop.
Got lots of things to shoot.
Enjoy the show.
Enjoy all the films.
See you soon.
All right, guys. I hope you enjoyed the look at The Hobbit.
And let's see if we can get a goodbye from Mr. Jackson before we leave.
- Hey, Pete? - Hey.
Hey, cool. I think we got just about everybody we're gonna get, so...
- Cool. Did you talk to a few people? - I did, I did.
Some Dwarves and some crew members.
- Good. - We've seen some butts, unfortunately.
But it was all good.
Appropriate. Butt-Numb-A-Thon.
So we all wish we could be there.
I'd love to come back one day.
Maybe I will, in a year's time.
And, um, there will be some Hobbit footage to look at in about three weeks, two weeks...
...on Tintin, we've got our first teaser trailer.
It's gonna be attached to Tintin.
So, you see, you can get to pay to see The Hobbit teaser trailer...
...and then you get Tintin for free.
It's a fantastic deal.
Fantastic deal. So anyway, um...
...goodbye, have a great Butt-Numb-A-Thon.
And, uh, we will look after him.
All right. Okay. You might wanna say goodbye, I guess.
All, right. Well, I think that's about it.
Happy birthday, Harry. I really...
I really wish I could be there to celebrate it with you.
- I'm gutted that I can't be there... - Hang on a moment. Hang on a moment.
I found somebody who has got magical powers.
How's it going?
Very, very well.
What can I do for either of you?
Well, you've got a problem.
Well, I do.
One of my best friends is having a birthday right now.
He's halfway across the world, and there's nothing I can do to get there.
But there's something I can do.
Hey, hang on. All right, grab that, quick.
One, two, three.
- Oh, my God. - Well, there we go.
- He's gone. ls he...? - It's just something I do.
[AUDIENCE CHEERING]
You do. My God.
- Is he there? - Hey, Quint.
VESPE: Hey, Pete! - Yeah?
VESPE: I'm in Austin. - How are you feeling?
VESPE: Not bad. - Everything all right, safely arrived. Good.
- Are your organs intact? VESPE: I think so.
Thank God for that.
- Well, that is very, very impressive. - Thanks.
Well, that's our little birthday present for you, Harry.
We've given you your buddy back.
And everyone at Butt-Numb-A-Thon gets to hang out with Quint.
So anyway...
...that was our little surprise.
And have a great time.
- Very good. - I think they're looking for you.
VESPE: All right, see you.
You know, look, Quint, now that he's gone...
...I wanted to give Harry a little present.
And you'll find it in the bag.
I dropped it in the bag.
And, uh, I expect you other folks would like to know what it is...
...that I sent all the way from New Zealand. Got it? Good.
Yes, it's the trailer.
[AUDIENCE CHEERING]
Oh, you can't wait until you see Tintin before seeing the...
Would you like to see the trailer?
Because, you see, you could see it now, if you ask Quint. Yes.
Well, enjoy.
Lovely to see you.
See you soon.
Happy birthday, Harry.
Happy birthday.