Building Middle-earth: Bringing Tall and Small Together

This story was created in paid partnership with Prime

Most people think of VFX as bringing magic to the screen, but some of the most incredible work being done by the VFX producers working on The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is about bringing magic back to reality, so that Elves, Dwarves, humans, and Harfoots can all occupy the same space in a seamlessly beautiful way.

This video takes you inside how the show’s VFX producers created a realistic Middle-earth, where the world’s creatures and races naturally interacted with each other. Nowhere does that VFX work play a more crucial role than in the juxtaposition of Elrond (Robert Aramayo), an Elf, and Prince Durin IV (Owain Arthur), a Dwarf, two vital characters with a close, contentious friendship. Putting the towering Elf and diminutive Dwarf onto the same screen took some VFX sleight of hand, including some green-suited stand-ins and Aramayo wearing a peculiar-looking backpack.

This story is part of The Hollywood Reporter and Prime’s Building Middle-earth video collection. Click HERE to explore further.