Product Description

Actor Andy Serkis relates how he and a team of animators brought Tolkien's character Gollum to life. Film-making history was made when, in "The Two Towers", an actor's performance and digital animation were seamlessly integrated to create the world's first totally lifelike animated character. Now Andy Serkis tells his own story about how a three week commission to provide a voiceover for Gollum grew into a four year commitment to breathe life and soul into "The Lord of the Rings'" most challenging screen performance. This book examines the transition to the big screen of one of Tolkien's most popular characters from "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings".

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #461341 in Books
• Published on: 2003-12-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 112 pages

About the Author
Andy Serkis is a stage, TV and film actor whose character roles in filmssuch as Topsy Turvy and 24 Hour Party People have brought him recognition though not instant fame. He courted controversy as Gollum in The Lord of the Rings when the film world was split over whether or not his digitally-enhanced performance qualified for an Oscar nomination. Andy is also an accomplished painter and in 2001 wrote and directed his first play, Snake.

Customer Reviews

An Actor's Insight
Andy Serkis writes with great wit and intimacy about his time spent creating the character of Gollum for the 'Lord of the Rings' film trilogy.

The book provides a fascinating insight into the processes by which this passionate and committed actor approached and developed Tolkien's most infamous creature.
Talking about everything from sleepless nights and blue lycra mocap-suits, to lonely river excursions and Gollum juice, Serkis provides an in-depth, humourous account of life as a 500-year old ring addict.
At one point the actor finds himself doing additional dialogue recording for LotR while playing the principal villain in Shakespeare's 'Othello'. "Playing Gollum and Iago at the same time is bad for your mental health," he observes. Quite.

Serkis also relates with clarity the experience of being a part of the many technological advances that were made both during principal photography and his extensive work on post-production.
Where necessary he hands over narrative to the writing and directing team, and the many experts in the fields of motion/performance-capture, animation and the rest of the Weta wizards.
The extent of the collaberation on show is astonishing.

A highly enjoyable book, it is a must-read for LotR fans, and anyone interested in the craft of acting, the technological leaps made during production, or filmmaking in general will find it absorbing to the last.

Entertaining...
This is a great little book that any LOTR fan will love. Even if you've watched every behind-the-scenes DVD disc and TV programme and know a great deal about the process of bringing Gollum to screen, you'll still love reading this. Written by the superb actor who played Gollum, Andy Serkis, it makes you appreciate even more the hard work put into producing the seamlessly realistic(and slightly creepy!) character we've seen and loved in the 3 LOTR movies.

Inside Gollum
Andy Serkis is the outstanding actor who is barely seen in his most beloved role: Gollum, the tormented Ring junkie. In "Gollum: A Behind the Scenes Guide," he talks frankly and easily about how this complex, difficult character was brought from the book to the screen.

Andy Serkis was unenthusiastic when he heard that they were searching for actors to play Gollum in "Lord of the Rings." But after his now-wife began gushing about what a wonderful character Gollum was, he went in for an audition, armed only with a voice that sounded like his cat throwing up hairballs. Not only did Serkis get the role, he also learned that there was more needed for Gollum than just the voice: He had to suit up in a motion capture suit to provide Gollum's movements as well.

"Gollum: A Behind the Scenes Guide" is more than just a guide about how the first really convincing CGI character was created. Serkis also chronicles bits of his everyday life in New Zealand, the birth of his son, September 11th, the premiere of "Two Towers," and the more widespread reaction to everybody's favorite Ring junkie (Gollum appeared on SNL and "The Simpsons, for example). Not to mention a sweet poem Serkis wrote to his young daughter.

To give further dimension to Serkis's story, there are lots of concept drawings and clay statues of Gollum (warning: avoid certain pages unless you're willing to see Gollum naked). There are also detailed sections written by Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, the mocap crew, and many others about how they also helped create Gollum. For example, there was a lot of thought given to what kind of nose Gollum should have, or whether he should have a potbelly.

Serkis has a nice, conversational style, with plenty of self-deprecating humor and excellent descriptions ("... suddenly this bald lunatic in pale green spandex comes lolloping into view. It was like a very bad nightmare, like a Dali painting gone wrong"). He's got a nice vocabulary and a great actor's sense, getting into Gollum's bald little head. And despite his claims of "ignorance of great literature," he makes some nice references to Narnia, Shakespeare, Dickens, Hugo, and ancient Norse sagas.

Andy Serkis and the people at WETA created movie history with the flawless Gollum. And Serkis's mini-memoir about how Gollum came to life is not just a good book for "Rings" fans, but for cinephiles and movie students as well. It's our precious.