"I stood there, facing three trolls, utterly helpless."
The noisy banquet served as the backdrop. Bilbo Baggins was in front of the camera, recounting the adventures of a hobbit to a group of children. "They debated on how to eat us—whether to swallow us in one gulp or to crush us into meat paste one at a time..."
As he spoke, the old hobbit also showed matching expressions. "They spent too much time arguing until the first ray of sunlight crept over the treetops at dawn... Boom, they all turned to stone!"
"Cut!" Duke called out. "This one's good."
Ivanka Trump immediately walked over, handing him an iced coffee. Duke took a sip, ignored the crew bustling to set up the next scene, and asked, "Ivy, how's the negotiation for The Hobbit's rights going?"
"Still at a deadlock," Ivanka replied. "Nancy and Tina relayed that the price is still up for debate, and it might drag on for a while."
When Duke initially purchased the film rights to The Lord of the Rings trilogy, he hadn't acquired The Hobbit. It wasn't that he didn't want it; the rights holders didn't want to sell all their cards in one go, which led to the current negotiations.
After a brief moment of thought, Duke said, "As long as their demands aren't too excessive, we can consider raising the baseline slightly."
Like the chaos caused by The Lord of the Rings trilogy's rights, The Hobbit's rights were equally contentious. Duke's intention was to secure The Hobbit's rights outright, just as he had done with The Lord of the Rings.
He didn't want to end up like the Weinstein brothers' Miramax and Warner Bros., embroiled in disputes that made headlines.
Next, Duke sent out John Schwartzman and several other assistant cinematographers to capture scenes of the banquet. Naturally, they didn't waste time on the extras who were just there to fill the background; the camera focused on the main characters.
Additionally, the banquet was almost entirely composed of hobbits. To emphasize Gandalf's distinction from them, Duke used oversized actor models for the shots. These were all long-distance shots, further refined in post-production to avoid any inconsistencies.
Because Duke didn't plan for the film's pacing to be too slow, the banquet wouldn't occupy too much screen time. After nearly three hours of filming, he declared the session finished.
Of course, the filming wasn't entirely over—there was still a fireworks display to shoot.
Although most of Gandalf's fireworks would be realized through CGI in post-production, Duke opted for traditional methods to film the simpler scenes.
The crew had ordered a large quantity of fireworks from a British company with a history dating back to the 16th century, when it organized fireworks displays for Queen Elizabeth I. It was one of the world's top firework manufacturers.
Six cameras were positioned at different angles, ready to capture the fireworks in the sky. After receiving feedback that all departments were in position, Duke instructed the clapperboard to call for action.
"Scene 178, Take 23. Rolling now!"
As the amplified voice echoed, several sparks shot into the sky. Gandalf's Middle-earth-style fireworks soared into the heavens.
"Beautiful."
Behind Duke, Scarlett Johansson, who had just removed her hobbit costume, stood in a T-shirt and shorts beside Leah. "It reminds me of the Independence Day fireworks when I was little."
In front of her, dazzling fireworks lit up the sky like meteors streaking across it—sometimes resembling a shower of flowers, other times flames clashing, fluttering like colorful butterflies or blooming buds.
The fireworks painted the sky with vibrant blossoms, diverse in shape and color.
This was the last scene the crew filmed in the Shire and a carnival celebration before Christmas.
As Duke called "cut," the entire crew cheered, and more fireworks burst into the sky. Soon, catering trucks arrived in Hobbiton, and countless beverages and dishes—prepared by hired chefs and waiters—were served like a stream, replacing the stunning yet inedible polystyrene hobbit dishes.
"Hey, Duke."
Scarlett walked over, grabbing Duke's arm. "Why don't you join the party? I wanted to have a drink with you."
She still remembered sneaking beer with Duke as a child—one of her fondest childhood memories.
"You go ahead. Just don't drink too much," Duke said, freeing his arm and continuing with his work. "I still need to review tonight's footage."
"Then I won't go either."
Looking at the lively party, Scarlett resisted the urge to step forward. "I'll stay here with you instead."
Duke glanced at her. Her parents' divorce had significantly influenced her personality. Beyond her initial rebellious phase, she had become noticeably more mature.
"Where's Mom?" he asked.
"She doesn't like this kind of setting."
Unlike socialite parties, Scarlett pointed to the sky. "She left after the fireworks."
With that, she quietly stood beside Duke, watching him work without interrupting unnecessarily.
Scarlett was far from unintelligent. She understood that after their initially cordial interactions, Duke had deliberately distanced himself—likely due to her incessant chatter.
Though the party tempted her, Scarlett stayed put until Duke finished his work.
"Ivy..." Duke turned off the monitor. "Have security deliver the film reels to the vault truck."
Preserving the filmed reels had always been a priority for the crew, especially since Duke had a memorable lesson in the past.
As Duke completed his work, Scarlett gave up playing with her fingers, looked up at the starry sky, and asked, "Where are we spending Christmas?"
Christmas was just around the corner, marking the last of the millennium.
"I rented a private island near the Great Barrier Reef," Duke said, pulling over a chair and pointing. "Sit down, Scarlett."
"An island?" Scarlett turned the chair around, straddling it and resting her arms on the back. She said softly, "There are all sorts of doomsday rumors in New York right now. I think we should find a higher spot, like the world's highest plateau. Just in case there's a tsunami..."
"Scarlett!" Duke glared at her.
"I was just kidding," Scarlett said, shrinking her neck and murmuring, "Anyway, as long as you and Leah are with me, I'm not scared."
The crew's carnival party wouldn't end until midnight. When Ivanka returned, Duke checked the time and said, "If you're not joining the party, let's head back."
"Sure."
Scarlett stood up, linking her arm with Duke's as they walked toward the parking lot.
As the Shire scenes wrapped, the crew returned to the Wellington studio, followed by a five-day Christmas break. The usually bustling studio became eerily quiet, with many cast and crew leaving Wellington, along with most of the entertainment reporters who had stationed themselves there.
Some reporters chased Duke to the airport but gave up when they saw him head straight to a private terminal.
The plane's destination was Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Duke planned to first visit the Gold Coast, then take a rented private yacht to a secluded island near the Great Barrier Reef for a peaceful Christmas.
"Mom, you should consider buying a plane," Duke said, unfastening his seatbelt and asking the flight attendant for a drink. "You travel frequently between North America and Europe. It'd be more convenient."
Leah sipped her water. "I've already placed an order. The plane should be ready by March next year."
After a brief chat about planes with his mother, Duke turned to Scarlett, who was engrossed in a handheld game.
"What game are you playing?" Duke asked curiously.
Scarlett tilted the screen toward him slightly. "A surfing game."
"Surfing?"
Hearing Duke's question, Scarlett shrugged playfully. "I really like it. I even practiced in Hawaii last summer."
"You'll have a blast this time," Duke said, recalling the island's details Ivanka had mentioned. "There's a flat sea area there, perfect for diving or surfing."
"We can go together," Scarlett suggested when she noticed Duke hesitating. "You don't know how to surf, do you?"
"No," Duke admitted.
"I can teach you." She flashed a mischievous grin.
Duke shook his head again. "I seriously doubt your skills."
From what he knew, Scarlett was, at best, a beginner.
When the plane landed in Brisbane, Duke's phone turned on just as Leah received a call. After a brief exchange, her brows furrowed.
After ending the call, she sighed, "Duke, I'm sorry. I can't spend Christmas with you."
"Did something happen, Mom?" Duke asked quickly.
"Saint Fia's collaboration with Chanel ran into some issues," Leah replied, giving her assistant some instructions before turning back to Duke. "I need to go to Paris to address the contract with Chanel."
She looked between Duke and Scarlett. "Duke, I'll leave Scarlett in your care for now. I'll take the plane to Paris."
"Why don't I come with you?" Duke offered.
Leah shook her head. "You're unfamiliar with the European fashion industry and won't be much help. I can handle this on my own. You and Scarlett should continue your vacation."
Without giving Duke a chance to respond, she turned and headed toward the plane.
"Now it's just the two of us," Scarlett said, looking at the sky.