All three have formed the visual signature for screen adaptations of The Lord of the Rings, including Amazon's latest, monster-budget offering, The Rings of Power. And that association has helped form the bedrock of a decade of New Zealand's tourism industry.
But there is a catch. The trees are not part of New Zealand's 9m hectares of native forest - they are carved polystyrene. The thousands of scattered leaves are woven polyester. The soil is a mess of plastic and bark chips. The white flakes are shaved polystyrene. And the "cliffs" are eventually crushed into fragments and taken to landfill: one of a multitude of set pieces trashed and dumped in the wake of major film productions.
Workers involved in The Rings of Power, as well as other international studio productions in New Zealand, say that behind the glamour and cashflow lie serious concerns about the environmental impact, partly underwritten by New Zealand's government. The true size of that cost is typically hidden from the public by studio walls, and because some crew members are afraid to speak out as they risk being blacklisted.
The Guardian reviewed on-set photographs and internal communications, and interviewed six production workers on condition of anonymity, including four who worked on The Rings of Power. Those interviewed said they believed the industry could, and should do better - and the New Zealand government could be doing more to regulate the environmental impact of film productions.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der November 10, 2022-Ausgabe von The Guardian.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der November 10, 2022-Ausgabe von The Guardian.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
'So what next?' Guardiola admits he may do only one more season at City
Manager hails 'impossible' achievement after winning a sixth title in seven years
Caicedo's long shot helps clinch European football for Chelsea
When Mauricio Pochettino sits down with Chelsea's board for the review that will determine whether he continues as head coach, perhaps he can point to the fact that he has imbued his collection of young talents with so much confidence that European football was secured in part thanks to Moisés Caicedo scoring from halfway.
Havertz's winner in vain as Arsenal fall just short
For a few seconds, the miracle that Mikel Arteta and Arsenal fans so craved seemed as if it might happen.
United look to future as De Zerbi bows out
If one manager's future is settled, the other's hangs in the balance.
Wood quick off the mark to confirm survival for Forest
Even the most pessimistic of Nottingham Forest fans could enjoy the confirmation of Premier League survival, leading from the second minute of their victory over Burnley to guarantee a third consecutive season in the top flight.
Usyk the rightful king after digging deep to rock Fury
Ukrainian unites division as brutal assault in closing rounds stuns Gypsy King
Verstappen holds off thrilling surge from Norris to claim dramatic win
Proof then that there is life yet in the old dog, the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix delivered an Imola finale worthy of the venerable venue.
'A plane for the summer' Luxury trade fair woos global super-rich
\"There are enough people, with enough money to buy them,\" Sharmaine Guelas says as she shows off the specifications of a £3.2m forest green five-passenger helicopter at Elite London, a \"luxury\" trade fair.
Viagogo sorry for 'mistakenly' advertising England tickets
The ticket trading website Viagogo has apologised for \"mistakenly\" advertising tickets for a forthcoming England football match, despite the fact that the resale of football tickets is illegal in the UK.
'So many scary moments' Chronicling civilians forced to flee from Ukraine's frontlines
There's a moment in Ivan Sautkin's new documentary, A Poem for Little People, in which a humanitarian volunteer tries to reason with a group of women filling cans with the grimy water that has collected in a shell hole in their suburban street. They should come with him now, says the volunteer, Anton Yaremchuk.