Wellywood Sign, Meh, Time To Get The Pillars of Argonath [Updated]

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Today it was announced (Stuff: A sign of success for Wellywood hills) that there will be a "Wellywood" sign on the side of a hill into Wellington Airport sometime in June - here's what the Stuff.co.nz artists think it might look like:
picture from Stuff.co.nz

Whilst I think that's an okay idea I still believe that Duncan's idea from way back in March 2008 is much better - either side of the Miramar Cutting have the Pillars of Argonath!

This what they look like from the films (made in Miramar, of course).
And this is what the Miramar Cutting looks like from Google Streetview:
See, perfect place to have them!

It's just before the landing/take-off from Wellington International Airport and so would be seen by thousands of people.

Awesome idea eh!
And one that is supported far and wide ... ish

Update - and this is a mashup between the two photos from MrReasonable:

BTW: I'm not actively pursuing this idea, I'm not really thinking it's gonna happen - it's a blog post, nothing more. Lighten up anti-Wellyword-sign people, life's a little more complex and important than a bloody sign on a hill. That is all.

And to help you smile, check out the Wellywood Sign Generator from SkullAandBones
Miramar Avenue, Wellington 6022, New Zealand

Comments

  1. ElpieMarch 09, 2010 8:03 pm

    Absolutely! I loathe the Hollywood sign rip-off and would happily donate towards the Pillars of Argonath. What an amazing sculpture that would be. Now, how do we get the powers-that-be to agree?

    ReplyDelete
  2. JackMarch 09, 2010 8:54 pm

    At this late stage (more than 10 years after LOTR was actually filmed here), I would rather have a REAL "wellywood" sign than two "possible maybe probably not" Argonath statue. Anything is better than nothing.

    On the other hand, the Argonath would like mighty fine there!

    Also, of the roughly two hundred complainers on stuff.co.nz, you're the only one with an alternative. Well done!

    ReplyDelete
  3. JackMarch 09, 2010 9:09 pm

    Actually, the more I think about it, the Argonath will never be built.

    - The Tolkien Estate would never allow their IP to be used for it.
    - The Wellington winds would blow them down within two years.
    - LOTR isn't the only movie made there.
    - The airport doesn't own both sides of the cutting, and the coucil isn't driving this project.
    - It would be far more expensive to make, and far less recognisable than a Wellywood sign.
    - A Wellywood sign is easy to put up, and easy to maintain. (easy = cheap)

    And probably dozens of other reasons. The Argonath will never be built there, but a Wellywood sign has already been approved and budgeted for.

    Maybe spend your energy getting behind that instead? I will be...


    - Jack

    ReplyDelete
  4. Mike RiversdaleMarch 10, 2010 8:54 am

    It's not serious Jack ... lighten up dude.

    I am not spending any more energy on that than I am on a dumb sign (or complaining about it).

    Maybe this will make you smile: http://wellywood.skullandbones.co.nz/

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sean GMarch 10, 2010 9:47 am

    maybe all the film workers who have had no work for over 2 years could build it.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Jack YanMarch 10, 2010 10:51 am

    Jack M., you mentioned the Tolkien estate. Well, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce isn’t too thrilled at the moment about the proposed Wellywood sign …

    ReplyDelete
  7. JackMarch 10, 2010 3:52 pm

    Sorry, I took things a little hard... it was all those naysayers on Stuff that got to me... :) I've been slogging for the last six years to try to get Wellingtonians to recognise that LOTR hasn't gone away... the negativeness gets to me after a while...

    And you're right, the skull-n-crossbones did make me smile... hehe... nice one!


    @Jack Yan : where did you hear that? Have you got a link for me? I would have thought "Wellywood" wouldn't break any copyrights, especially since it's done for humour... hey, maybe the Kiwi spirit will get behind the sign if Hollywood tells us we're not allowed to have it!



    - Jack, lightened up ;)

    ReplyDelete
  8. AnonymousMarch 10, 2010 9:33 pm

    Brilliant!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Jack YanMarch 11, 2010 2:57 am

    Jack M., I went to ask them directly, or, more accurately, Global Icons, which looks after the licensing, along with the Hollywood Sign Trust, a local community group.

    I know it’s normal for us Kiwis to take a pro-David, anti-Goliath stance but bear in mind we are affecting the rights of their local chamber of commerce, which mostly reps normal businesses like those we see here. And if someone ripped off Wellington, I would be pretty upset, so, I figured: let’s have a bit of transparency and openness about this issue.

    It’s a tricky area. Normally under US law, parody would probably be OK. But we are talking about something that goes beyond parody, in my opinion. It’s also likely to be fought under New Zealand law, and parody is not as well defined here.

    I thought this sign might be funny as a temporary installation for a few weeks but a permanent fixture irks me somewhat.

    I’m all for something original and Wellingtonesque to be there to celebrate us, whether it’s Tolkien (the Pillars of the Kings is fine by me!), King Kong, or something Kiwi-born, e.g. a statue of Her Hotness Anouska Hempel, circa 1970.

    —The other Jack (who has not lightened up but knows Mike from Real World 1.0 so he probably knows what he’s really like the other six days of the week) :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. JackMarch 11, 2010 8:46 am

    Jack (Yan):

    Interesting. I'm sure whoever came up with the idea, be it WCC, Wgtn Airport, or Weta/PJ, will have a team of lawyer on to it already, doublechecking every aspect of this. Let's see what they decide!

    - Jack (M)

    ReplyDelete
  11. JackMarch 12, 2010 9:45 am

    Looks like Tom Scott got there before you or your friend Duncan! Scroll down the page...

    http://deltorofilms.blogspot.com/2009/11/gdt-active-on-torn.html

    ReplyDelete
  12. Mike RiversdaleMarch 12, 2010 12:03 pm

    Wow, 2003 ... that's cool.

    Mind you Tom Scott is, of course, a "creative" and so working under an unfair advantage of being clever, funny and having his finger on the pulse :-)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Here I StandMarch 12, 2010 12:23 pm

    Great stuff - nice photoshop skills and a great idea that thinks outside the box!

    ReplyDelete
  14. JackMarch 12, 2010 3:10 pm

    I just realised - Jack Yan, you're a mayoral candidate? And you're trying to get Wellington sued by the very people we've been trying to compete with? Smooth... way to get behind Wellington!

    What's next, get the Wallabies to sue the All-Blacks as well?

    You lost one vote, right there.

    - Jack M.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Keith the shuttle manJuly 27, 2010 2:02 pm

    ISn't it time Auckland and Wellington both came up with there own unique branding ideas for our cities and Airports. Peter Jackson is a prime example of thinking outside the square. Giant statues or scupltures at the gates to our cities or airports and tourist attractions, I am sure John Key would support it for funding if it meant torism improved

    ReplyDelete
  16. AnonymousNovember 23, 2012 4:46 pm

    Hi, I've never been in New Zealand, not even near :S (I'm in Europe) but I always loved New Zealand, well I got into this website searching if the statues had something in the real world, maybe they would exist? and if not then New Zealand would have a great idea if they got constructed but now I see things more clear :P they don't exist and they would never exist :( I'm so sorry that's not possible...
    A big kiss for all New Zealanders :D I wish I was there!
    Lydia

    ReplyDelete

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