A REAL
“Some of these worlds that we created are almost like a tapestry of several different locations all just coming together to create this one world.”
WORLD:
LOCATION WORK
— Kevin Spring, Supervising Location Manager
From ice peaks to secluded beaches, the visual bounty of New Zealand was harvested for this massive shoot
W hen Supervising Location Manager Kevin Spring began work in 2018, he was a department of one. This grew exponentially during an adventure across New Zealand’s North and South Islands that mirrored The Rings of Power in its scope and geographical magnificence. “We created half a dozen or so worlds,” says Spring, “and there’s a few new worlds that have never been seen in any of the other Tolkien adaptations. Some of these worlds that we created are almost like a tapestry of several different locations all just coming together to create this one world.” For dramatic natural elements like stormy seas, rock features, and tectonic plates, the production focused on the offshore islands of the North Island. Spring discovered two extraordinary beaches that he felt hit the sweet spot between aesthetic beauty and serving the story, yet episode director Wayne Che Yip didn’t feel the locations connected with his
vision. “The next minute I’m on the phone and, at that moment, we’re in the air and I’m texting property managers of other beaches that I’ve met over the years,” says Spring. Seven minutes of flight time later and a new beach. “This is it,” says Yip. “Quite often you’ve got to go to the place that is wrong to find the place that is right,” Spring continues, “and that was the case for the beach on this job. Quite often that’s when the best and most meaningful conversations happen.” From the dusty heat of the beach to the bitter cold of the mountains, and the opening sequence of Galadriel climbing an ice wall is a combination of Bowen Falls in the northern Fiordland and Wye Creek near Queenstown. One of Spring’s favorite locations was the Tasman Glacier at Mount Cook where they filmed 700-year-old ice caves and ice forms he describes as being “just quite spectacular.” Even for an Elf, that’s mighty ancient.
Left and Right: The Rings of Power production team brought Middle-earth to life by creating a tapestry of the natural beauty of locations from all across New Zealand— some never before seen on screen.
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EPISODE 3 — ADAR
EPISODE 3 — ADAR
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