The Making of the Epic Barrel Scene in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Summary

In this article, we will explore the making of one of the most action-packed scenes in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, the barrel scene. We will discuss the challenges faced by the production team in filming this sequence, which required a shooting ratio of 843 to 1 due to its complexity. The team combined 11 hours of aerial footage, 4 days of shooting on 3 separate rivers in New Zealand, 1,091 previous shots, 35 hours of dry set green screen footage, and practical water rapids to create a stunning 7-minute sequence surrounded by 40 different CG environments.

The Challenge of Filming the Barrel Scene
The Planning and Execution of the Sequence
The Role of Digital Water Simulation and CG Environments
Conclusion

The Challenge of Filming the Barrel Scene

The barrel scene in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is one of the most memorable action sequences in the film. It involves Bilbo assisting the dwarves in sneaking out of Thranduil’s realm, the woodland realm, using empty wine barrels. However, filming a scene like this is not easy, and the production team faced numerous challenges in bringing it to life. The shooting ratio for the sequence was 843 to 1, which is much higher than the typical shooting ratio of 10 to 1 or 20 to 1 for films.

The Planning and Execution of the Sequence

To create the barrel scene, the production team shot for 4 days on 3 separate rivers in New Zealand and combined this footage with 11 hours of aerial footage. They also did a total of 1,091 previous shots to plan out the sequence carefully. In addition, they shot 35 hours of dry set green screen footage, which they combined with digital water and complex digital environments. The team also built practical water rapids that looked like a theme park ride. However, they still had to put in a significant amount of digital water simulation.

The Role of Digital Water Simulation and CG Environments

Each of the complex simulations in the barrel scene averaged over 600 million particles, all simulated down to about 1 centimeter resolution. Additionally, the water had to be surrounded by 40 different CG environments or landscapes. The team combined all of this footage and simulation to create a stunning 7-minute sequence that is a testament to the skills of the production team.

Conclusion

The barrel scene in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is one of the most memorable action sequences in the film. However, the making of this sequence was not easy, and the production team faced numerous challenges in bringing it to life. They combined aerial footage, river footage, practical water rapids, and digital water simulation to create a stunning 7-minute sequence surrounded by 40 different CG environments. The shooting ratio for this sequence was 843 to 1, which is a testament to the complexity of the scene and the skills of the production team.