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Lith
The Shire
May 19 2007, 2:34am
Views: 7588
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The Hobbit Petition was sent to New Line and MGM...
[In reply to]
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Can't Post
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Speaking as the author and administrator of The Hobbit Petition, I can say that oh yes, indeed, New Line has been aware of the petition since the beginning. In fact, I recall, early on, that Bob Shaye was not too pleased about the accompanying letter-writing campaign, and the fact that New Line addresses and names were listed on the petition. A statement was promptly issued to the effect that fans really didn't need to write to New Line about making The Hobbit, because the studio had every intention of doing so as soon as the rights could be hashed out.
When the petition garnered its first 10000 signatures, I shipped out hard copies to New Line, MGM and Peter. My only response came from a friend with Weta who said Peter was pleased and touched by the fans' response.
Just prior to Bilbo's and Frodo's birthday in 2006, I arranged for simultaneous deliveries of hard copies of the petition - at that time at about 36000 signatures - to MGM on the West coast and New Line in New York on September 22nd. I personally carried the nearly 20-pound, 9-inch stack of signatures (thankfully, with the help of a couple of good friends) to New Line's offices in NYC, after having confirmed by phone a few days earlier that I would be allowed to leave the package at the desk in the lobby. When I arrived, however, I and my party were told that we could not leave the package there under any circumstances. I was allowed to call up to New Line's offices and explained that I had this delivery arranged, and had flown into the city from another state in order to deliver the petition. Nothing I said made any difference. In the end, the person I spoke with was kind enough to direct me to the nearest post office so that I could mail the petition to New Line. As my friends and I trudged toward the post office, we passed a FedEx store and I shipped it next day delivery, addressed to Bob Shaye.
I never heard a word from New Line, though there was ample contact information inside the package.
MGM, however, was much more gracious. They allowed the package to be dropped off, and one of their PR reps even emailed me about the petition just a few days later.
Not long after that, the firestorm about PJ not directing The Hobbit hit, and I made sure to contact both studios by email with news of the fans' reaction, and the link to the petition, so they could track developments and fans' comments. Once again, only MGM bothered to respond.
I've not shared these details publicly before, as I had hopes New Line would come around to seeing reason. Now, however, I feel it is only right that fans know the facts.
http://www.petitiononline.com/hobfilm/
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80,000 petition signatures from one site alone demanding that Peter Jackson direct the Hobbit.
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fmaximus
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May 17 2007, 11:53pm
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As long as Bob Shaye is in charge.... (in the immortal words of Tony Soprano)...
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diedye
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May 18 2007, 4:05am
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That petition
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grammaboodawg
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May 18 2007, 9:49am
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Did anybody in charge of it ever print it off and send it to New Line, I wonder?
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Patty
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May 18 2007, 11:35am
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The Hobbit Petition was sent to New Line and MGM...
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Lith
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May 19 2007, 2:34am
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I'm impressed!
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Ataahua
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May 19 2007, 3:10am
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Agree 100%, Ataahua...
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Patty
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May 19 2007, 2:52pm
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you have certainly done your share!
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weaver
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May 20 2007, 4:25pm
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Thanks, fmaximus and weaver...
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Lith
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May 20 2007, 6:33pm
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Yes,
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Ataahua
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May 20 2007, 7:04pm
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Maybe not corruption...
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grammaboodawg
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May 23 2007, 11:14am
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Thanks, Finding Frodo and grammaboodawg
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Lith
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May 24 2007, 12:28am
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Wow!
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Finding Frodo
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May 21 2007, 3:38am
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*flying tackle-hug* Greatest praise to you!
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grammaboodawg
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May 23 2007, 11:05am
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Thanks
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Severian
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Jun 14 2007, 6:38pm
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Not *quite* 80000 yet...
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Lith
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May 19 2007, 2:36am
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60,000 plus 20,000...
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fmaximus
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May 19 2007, 3:25pm
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It was the least I could do...
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Lith
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May 19 2007, 10:40pm
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Well Done!
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orcbane
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May 19 2007, 11:11pm
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Hope MGM has some say in this matter.
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fmaximus
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May 20 2007, 2:55pm
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