A look back at some of the locations that played starring roles in Peter Jackson's movies of JRR Tolkien's epic fantasy.

A row of trailers line an otherwise quiet West Auckland road, as the only obvious sign of the mammoth production effort taking place in the city.

The $1 billion television production of Lord of the Rings is well underway, with hundreds of workers called upon in Auckland alone. Casting agents say some days, hundreds – maybe even 1000 – extras are needed.

Lord of the Rings, which is being produced for tech giant Amazon's streaming service, is also scheduled to film in other regions including Central Otago and Waikato.

RYAN ANDERSON/STUFF Security wait at the gate of Kumeu Studios in West Auckland.

Filming in New Zealand geared up this month, after months of pre-production work.



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Although Stuff understands filming started weeks ago, director JA Bayona​ posted his first confirmation that filming was underway on Saturday.

Due to the size of the production, crews are spread across studios and locations – but a large contingent is based at Kumeu Studios in West Auckland.

Before production started, earth work was undertaken to create a large hill barrier between the road and the studio.

Between the dirt wall and studio warehouses sit about a dozen trailers.



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The trailers, and bustling activity around them, are shrouded by an enormous green screen towards the back of the compound.

Kumeu Film Studios owner, Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED), says the site is almost 67 acres in size. The impressive set up includes two sound stages, a warehouse, a workshop and massive dive tank, among other facilities.

The large studio compound is on the boarder of industrial and rural zoning. On the one side, trucks, factories and storage. On the other, a forest and farmland. From the road and neighbouring lifestyle blocks, the most obvious sign of filmmaking is the huge green screen set up at the back of the facility. The screen is places on a wall of shipping containers, six containers high, which sit behind an outdoor "ocean" pool.

RYAN ANDERSON/STUFF Most of Lord of the Rings will be filmed inside, using these studios at Kumeu and other locations.

The ocean pool is separate from the indoor dive tank, which – along with the other indoor studios – can operate 24/7.

ATEED economic development manager Pam Ford told Stuff most of the filming will be done indoors in Auckland.

"They'll be shooting a lot in studios, because they need to create these worlds. But they will be shooting a lot in the South Island and around Auckland, as well as down in the Waikato and other places," she said, in an interview last year.

RYAN ANDERSON/STUFF The Kumeu set of the new Lord of the Rings series is hidden behind dirt walls and containers

According to locals, film crews arrive in the very early hours and often set up before or around 5am. Work can continue late into the evening.

Strict confidentiality conditions are placed on anyone connected to the film, and Amazon is taking heavy precautions to prevent leaking. Cellphones are banned not just during recording, but workers aren't allowed to even hold or use cellphones at studio sites.

A sizeable security team, of up to half a dozen men, guard the only road access to Kumeu Film Studios.

RYAN ANDERSON/STUFF A green screen, six shipping containers' high, sits behind a huge "ocean tank".

The guards are kept busy checking the steady stream of trucks and other vehicles arriving at the studios throughout the day. The speed limit on Access Rd, a mostly rural road, cuts to 70km just before the Kumeu Film Studios' driveway and amber warning lights have been installed to warn oncoming motorists of cars pulling out.

It's not clear how long this round of filming will last.

According to Deadline, the production will go on a four to five month hiatus after filming the first two episodes of season one. Showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay, with director Bayona will use that hiatus to start work on season two.

RYAN ANDERSON/STUFF Two workers scale the tall green screen at Kumeu Studios in West Auckland.

Season one isn't due to premiere until 2021, although no date has been set.