Being on TV
It was such an honour and so much fun to be included on the NZ National Treasures TV series this month. It’s a neat series and you can catch it on TV on demand if you haven’t seen it already (we’ve got a tiny spot on the second episode, about half way through).
Here’s an extract on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/109426964094178/videos/808506520084537
The TV series uses objects treasured by individuals to highlight significant aspects of New Zealand’s recent history (last 100 years). The objects are many and varied and accordingly the series dips into NZ history at multiple different times and events. Some of these events are serious or tragic, but many objects are also celebrating lighter - though still important - moments in our history. The series is hosted by Scotty and Stacey Morrison, a power couple who are leading lights in promoting te reo Māori (the Māori language) and the diversity of our multi-cultural nation Aotearoa-NZ on TV. The series uses experts in different fields of history and culture to interview the “talent” (that’s what they called us in filming, ie, the people with the treasured objects).
Quite appropriately, celebrating the Lord of the Rings movies in 2001-2003 is in the lighter category.
Because I’m known as a LOTR “superfan” (though I salute all those others in NZ that wear this label with pride!), someone alerted me to the series last year and I sent the producers an email about The One Room Fan Museum and the many fan treasures from the premieres of those movies here in Wellington in 2001-2003. I sent a list of some ideas, and they said “bring them all”.
But, because we were taking them to the Dominion Museum in Auckland (the filming location), I had to package them up in airtight bags well in advance because they would need to be checked by a curator before being allowed into the Museum. The curator needed to check for insects, mould etc to protect the Museum treasures from any risk.
So, in July 2020, I headed up to Auckland for filming with my wingman sister Heather and a bag of treasures. It was my first flight since Covid lockdown and it felt really weird. We entered through the loading bay where the curator was waiting to examine our treasures. Everyone seemed pretty excited by the idea of fan treasures from LOTR, including the curator.
It was very early and, as we weren’t due for filming till the early afternoon, we left our bag at the Museum and went to the cafe for a cuppa. While there, Stacey Morrison and a few of the series experts came up to us and asked if we were the people with the LOTR treasures. They’d heard there was a LOTR fan coming and looking forward to seeing what we’d brought. We didn’t then realise Stacey was the host and we were just chuffed to meet her as she’s an inspiring person.
It was a beautiful day, and we spent the morning walking in the gardens around the Museum and going for lunch in Auckland. In the Museum’s winter garden we “star-spotted” Oscar Kightley, a well-known NZ Samoan film-maker, actor and comedian. We didn’t realise he would soon be interviewing us.
We went back to the Museum in time for me to get changed into my Aragorn costume that I’d worn to the Two Towers and Return of the King premiere parades in 2002 and 2003. Bit of a tight fit! But a cape can hide a multitude of sins.
On our way to get changed and get our stuff our young wrangler commented “Everyone loves LOTR so why have they chosen you??” I guess we seemed so old to her. But, as I changed into my costume the answer dawned in her eyes and there were no more questions.
Walking in costume through the Museum to the filming site was an act of confidence and good preparation for fronting up to the cameras.
They laid all our stuff on a table for filming … and we were introduced to Oscar! O for awesome!
The items I’d taken in addition to my costume were:
Orc gauntlets worn by an extra at Helms Deep filming, naughtily retained, and anonymously donated to the Fan Museum
Fabric leaves from fake trees long gone from various filming locations that a friend, fellow superfan and longtime tour guide had found and given to the Fan Museum
My daughter’s costume sword from the ROTK premiere parade that was autographed by numerous stars
A 2004 letter from Peter Jackson to Heather and me thanking us for “one of the best fan letters I have received” - we had sent a purple shirt embroidered with LOTR motifs, including a big white tree of Gondor on the back (PJ’s letter also talks about what the movies meant to him)
And these are just some of the many items in the Fan Museum! I wish the series had actually come on location to Wellington and the Museum!
Filming was just so fun. Everyone was laughing and we felt really relaxed. Oscar was so friendly and knowledgeable. It all took about an hour, with filming, photographing the objects, and further take outs in other parts of the Museum. Time flew by because it was such a blast.
Stacey came over at one point as she wanted to tell us about her own LOTR memories! While we were on the set lots of people took the opportunity to come and tell us their LOTR stories. It was so cool how much these fantastic movies (and their being made in NZ with lots of NZrs involved) still resonates even 20 years later. Actually, this is the same thing that happens at the Fan Museum - people love the chance to share their memories and joy in the book and films.
On set, one of the producers said to me that the programme was so pleased to have found a LOTR superfan so they could do a piece on these amazing movies that represented an important event in NZ history. Actually, it was my honour!
We took selfies with Stacey and Oscar but were sworn to secrecy till the series came out, which we were told would not be till 2021.
Waiting, waiting, waiting …
So, here we are - March 2021, and I can finally tell this story and how cool it was. So grateful to TVNZ, Stacey, Oscar and all the crew. But mostly, still so grateful to Peter Jackson and Richard Taylor for turning a beloved book into fabulous movies right on my doorstep. And of course, to JRR. Kudos all you national and galactic treasures! Best wishes, Kathy
