Kevin's Watch

IF there ever is a movie I think its only fair that it should be filmed somewhere in the contiguous United States rather than

New Zealand, Europe, Australia or even Canada,,

even though I'm sure there's sufficient scenery that is true to one's heart of what "The Land" is suppose to look like.

The story is an American Fantasy War World author . . .,

and an Americanized version of Lord of the Rings= written by an American author . . .

well, there are some great places on my little island and on main land aus.i do however agree that the spirit of the books would probably be best served by staying in the u.s.surely S.D main imaginative influences came from some of those mid-west states.sadly ive never been so i cant suggest anywhere.
peter jackson only used N.Z because thats pretty much what britain used to look like.if the film(s) ever are made it is probable that they'll use Aus or NZ again due to costs.

not NZ. too many die-hard Lotr-movie fanatics will protest (not entirely sure why, but i just know it)

living in NZ as I do, there would be no such protest from LOTR fans, film industry in NZ is booming, and we loved having the Narnia film made here

We love having almost any film made here. We are such film-sluts.

if it was filmed in NZ (i mean no offense) but if it was, don't you think it would be a little too...i don't know, cliche? the last couple of fantasy movies were filmed in NZ. It would be a good getaway to see more of the world.

Don't get me wrong, NZ is beautiful--truly amazing. But i think that if it were filmed there, it might be using the materials that LOTR and Narnia already used. NZ would then become the absolute #1 place to film a fantasy movie. It doesn't sound bad, but if a lot of fantasy series were filmed there, it would get tiring after awhile to hear "My movie was filmed in New Zealand"

I know you weren't really being serious when you mentioned Europe.

But on the other hand they shot a couple of Westerns in Spain or former Yugoslavia and the scenery was quite impressive. And then there's Scotland and Ireland and Wales and Southern France and Norway and Iceland.

Or what about Africa or India? Something new for a change.

But I think they have all they need in the US. Or is it that much cheaper to shoot a film in NZ or Australia?

New Mexico is The Land, plus the tax breaks for movie making here are incredible. (not to mention that the world's greatest story consultant lives here too... )

What about the snow and the rain? I've always thought of NM as a rather dry and hot place?

Well the Caldera (Andelain) it way up in the Jemez Mts and they get lots of rain and snow, as does parts of northern NM, plus the Sandias can be easily digitally enhanced to form Revelstone--right across the border in AZ is Canyon de Chelley and Spider Rock would make a great Kevin's Watch. Plus the cheap adobe work to create Mithil would be a cinch.

Wow, sounds like you have thought this all through, danlo!

Sounds like you've already thought of everything, danlo. I'll have to find some pictures of these places on the web. But I guess you've already bribed the location guy and the local authorities.

The description of Andelain always reminds me of pictures of Canada or New England (Indian summer). But maybe that's just a cliché and you can find places like that everywhere.
A place with lots of maple trees and meadows, so you can see the change of seasons (as opposed to the sunbane).

The Caledra (also known as the Valle Grande) means "the lush bowl" very green and beautiful--way up in the Mountians, everybody I took up there during Elohimfest swore it was Andelain---beautiful trees--very fertile as it's the crater remains of 6 volcanoes that sunk into each other creating most of the Jemez Mts and setting off, probably, the largest volcanic explosion in the world. Vain posted a pic of Spider Rock somewhere in the Album a long time ago--I'll see if I can find it...edit: Ah here it is...kevinswatch.ihugny.com/phpBB2/album_view.php?id=15

I would have thought New Zealand would be the ideal place to film such a movie. And for the same reasons LOTR was filmed there. It had nothing to do with "that's how England used to look like" it was the bredth and diversity of climates within a small as possible geographic area. It had everything to do with money and the amazingly diverse landscape. Think of it - you need a place where there are verdant forests, mountains, snow, dry plains... there are a few countries in the world that could supply all the required environments, but NZ is THE one that can supply them all within a few hours drive from each other.

Hmm movie location.... I'd say the southwestern US... with the deserts and isolated forests could work pretty good. You could use Zion National Park for Kevin's Watch and Mithil Stonedown... and King's Canyon/Sequoia National Park for Andelain and the like. ^^

p.s. the three lakes park (forget the exact name) in Kilarney, Ireland would make a nice Andelain too.

When we drove out to Colorado this summer, we stopped at the Capulin Volcano in northeast New Mexico. THAT is Andelain.