Peter Jackson was ‘not on top of it’ when directing The Hobbit
Director Peter Jackson has spoken about the turbulent process behind making The Hobbit prequel trilogy. In a behind-the-scenes video included on the The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies DVD (via The Guardian), Jackson explains he was “making it up” as filming went on, often working without story boards and other methods of preparation.
Jackson had little time to prepare after Guillermo del Toro left the project; as a result, the cast and crew scrapped over a year’s worth of material and started from scratch to meet the director’s own vision for The Hobbit.
“You’re going on to a set and you’re winging it,” Jackson said, adding “you’re making it up there and then on the spot.”