Additional excitement for the event...

Will and Erica, two of our longtime Welly-mooters are currently making a documentary on the power of myths, and will be on hand to ask the Marathonners' a few questions.

Wilson Sze and Erica Brooks, producers of "An Underground Odyssey" - an educational documentary that explores the power and applicability of myth and fantasy in people's lives - will be present during the Middle-Earth Marathon to document the event. As Tolkien fans themselves, they will be interviewing attendees with questions such as, “What do you love about the LOTR/The Hobbit stories?”, “Where did you travel from to attend this event?”, “What is it about Tolkien’s Middle-Earth that you love so much?”, “Who is your favourite character in Middle-Earth?”, “Which character can you most relate to and why?”, “How has Middle-Earth impacted your life?” The interviews will be featured in the documentary, along with footage of fans in their costumes, capturing the warmth and passion of Middle-Earth fandom. If you would like to be interviewed and share your story, they would love to hear from you during the breaks and mealtimes!

 They'll be there during some of the breaks; if you feel like being record for all eternity, pop up to them and volunteer your services! The more the better!



Also: There are still a few places left on the FREE shuttle, so please don't be shy - drop me an email if you want to be picked up from (and dropped back to) town for the event. Contact me at jack@welly-moot.com.

  - Jack

We have a winner! Congratulations to Anna from Masterton!

Our competition for the best fan story attracted a good number of entries, and the Welly-moot committee spent most of the end of last week reading through them.

One story came out on top though; the prize was eventually won by Anna from Masterton, for her story about how she first met Jed Brophy and William Kircher a few years ago, at the Wellington Armageddon (now renamed to Comic-con NZ).


Anna, you can pick up your prize on the day; we'll be in touch via email with further details!

Also, another HUGE thank you to the Roxy Cinema, who donated this prizepack!

Anna, your prize includes a ticket to the event, as well as ALL of the following:

• LOTR postcard set (10)
• Hobbit postcard set (10)
• Middle-earth teatowel (Thorin’s Map)
• Middle-earth key-ring
• Red eye of Sauron pin/badge
• Hobbit Hole collectible
• Middle-earth Location Guidebook (hardcover – Ian Brodie)
• 2 x 1 litre bottles of Hobbiton Gingerbeer
• 1 x Box of Scorched Almonds
• 1 x Bar Whittakers Chocolate
• 1 x Pkt Popcorn
• 1 x Roxy Cap
• 1 x Roxy Notebook
• 1 x Roxy Pin

I hope you have enough space to display your new Middle-earth collection!


Also a big thank you to all the others who sent in stories - the standards were very high, and we enjoyed reading them all!

  - Jack

Wellington Rover Tours is providing a courtesy bus with driver, to and from the event!

Scott from Wellington Rover Tours (Wellington's biggest LOTR touring company, and oft sponsor of the Welly-moot) has kindly donated the use of a 20-seater bus (with driver Chewie), to take a limited number of people from Wellington central to the Roxy, and afterwards bring them back again.

If you don't have any way to get to the event and don't want to use public transport while you're in LOTR costume, then let me know at jack@welly-moot.com, so I can put you on the list.

Although this transport option is 100% FREE, there is a STRICTLY limited number of seats available, so please let me know AS SOON AS POSSIBLE! First in, first served. You snooze, you lose. Early bird gets the worm. Etc.


The bus will leave from the iSite at 12:01pm, lunchtime on Thursday the 24th, and will make its way to the Roxy. Since there's plenty of time before the movies begin, you may be able to convince Chewie to take you all to the very first LOTR filming location on top of Mount Victoria first... :)  I'll leave that open!

A full event itinerary will be posted in the next few days. It'll have a number of other surprises on it! VIP's you say? Muahahaha!

  - Jack

Competition is now closed!

The deadline has passed, and we've got a good amount of entries into our competition for a free Marathon ticket plus Hobbit Prize pack, so we're currently judging the best stories. The Welly-moot comittee is reading and voting today and tomorrow, and on Friday night we will announce a winner!

I have my favourite, but I won't tell anyone yet until all the results are in. :)

Some great stories from everyone!

  - Jack

Ultra Marathon - one free ticket to give away!

Heya everyone, I'm not sure if you saw this on TheOneRing.Net, but the Roxy Cinema has donated an amazing prizepack including a ticket to the full event, to give away to one lucky winner!

All you have to do to win it is to send an email to ‘competition@welly-moot.com’ with your best fan-story. It could be anything – the day you met one of the actors; your worst hard-luck story; what got you into Tolkien; – anything. Make it good, in less than 300 words! You’ve got until Wednesday the 16th, midnight (Wellington time). The Welly-moot committee will judge the best story, and they’ll be in touch with the winning entry!

The prizepack includes the following:

• LOTR postcard set (10)
• Hobbit postcard set (10)
• Middle-earth teatowel (Thorin’s Map)
• Middle-earth key-ring
• Red eye of Sauron pin/badge
• Hobbit Hole collectible
• Middle-earth Location Guidebook (hardcover – Ian Brodie)
• 2 x 1 litre bottles of Hobbiton Gingerbeer
• 1 x Box of Scorched Almonds
• 1 x Bar Whittakers Chocolate
• 1 x Pkt Popcorn
• 1 x Roxy Cap
• 1 x Roxy Notebook
• 1 x Roxy Pin
• 1 x Middle-earth Marathon ticket

So tell us your best story, as soon as you can, the deadline is in the next four days!

Also, please share this one far and wide on your favourite social media.

Finally, keep watching this space - there's still a few more announcements and surprises to come for this event!
 

Ultra-marathon update - LOTR-only tickets available as well now.

Quick event update - there are now also LOTR-only tickets available, for those who can't get Thursday 24th off, or aren't up to a 24 hour marathon (weaklings!).

The tickets get you all three LOTR (Extended Editions) at the Roxy Cinema, with breakfast and lunch as well. This starts from midnight (straight after The Hobbit Trrilogy) and is $150 for all three LOTR films plus breakfast and lunch.

You may purchase here: http://www.roxycinema.co.nz/movies/10770.php

Or call the Roxy, or visit them. As always, no refunds or unpaid bookings.

Shoutout to our Japanese followers!

As lots of you have already discovered, the tickets to the Ultra-Marathon are now on sale!  Check the Roxy's ticket office website,

A quick message from Alex to any Japanese LOTR fans who are interested in joining the movie marathon on the Welly-moot website: http://www.roxycinema.co.nz/page-event-3.php

Dear Japanese friends ー 日本のみなさんへ

今回のこのイベントー Movie Marathon にご興味がある方で、日本語で質問や問い合わせをされたいは方は、是非私Alex Ishikawaに直接メールして下さい。メールアドレスはalex@welly-moot.comです。できるだけお手伝いさせて頂きます。いつでも気楽にメールして下さいね！

(English translation)

Dear Japanese friends - to Japanese people - If you are interested in joining us for this event - Movie Marathon - and wish to talk or send any enquiries in Japanese, please contact me, Alex Ishikawa, directly. My email address is alex@welly-moot.com. I will try to help you as much as I can. Please feel free to contact me anytime!

Can I ask our Japanese friends to share this on your social media please, as much as you can?




And obviously this message applies to any other nationalities as well, but the communications will have to be in English I'm afraid. :)