WELLINGTON, NZ – An estimated 100,000 fans wearing elf ears and wizard hats waited patiently to greet their favorite stars for the film premiere of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey in Wellington, New Zealand. Mojo Barriers installed more than 1,968 feet of barriers along the length of the red carpet, which lined the city streets. This allowed the film’s stars to walk safely to the Embassy Theatre, where the event took place, and to keep fans from overflowing into the adjacent road traffic.
More details from Mojo Barriers (http://www.mojobarriers.com):
WELLINGTON, NZ – Mojo Barriers supplied one of 2012’s hottest film premieres, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey held Nov. 28 in Wellington, New Zealand.
Wearing elf ears and wizard hats, an estimated 100,000 fans waited patiently to greet their favorite stars including Cate Blanchett and Elijah Woods, who have both reprised their roles from Lord of the Rings.
Mojo Barriers worked with clients Director Sir Peter Jackson’s production company, 3 Foot 7 and Wellington City Council to install over 600m (1,968 ft) of barrier along the entire length of the red carpet which lined the city streets.
The barriers allowed fans to view and talk to the celebrities in complete safety as they made their way to the Embassy Theatre where the premiere took place. The carefully-designed configuration featured access gates to allow cast and crew cross over locations and a media pit. Curb jumpers and flexi panels were used to ensure the barrier system remained stable.
Robert Barclay, Mojo Barrier’s New Zealand distributor, comments, “It’s been nine years since the red carpet was rolled out to host the premiere of the Fellowship of the Rings which was held in the same streets. Mojo was a supplier then and we’re delighted to be back again this year helping to keep the audience, stars and crew safe. It is vital at film premieres to create a secure environment but one that still allows intimacy for the public as well as enough room for the global press contingent for interviews and filming.”
The 16-strong crew worked to strict timelines, building the entire configuration overnight starting at 9 pm and ending at 6 am, with just three hours to remove the entire system while the film was on.
The premiere marks a continued commitment from Mojo Barriers to the Australasian continent, after opening an official Australian office in Sydney last month.
