Just after Christmas, Duke left the island. Upon arriving in Brisbane, he arranged for Scarlett Johansson to be sent back to North America. Though he stayed on the island for only slightly more than a day, he noticed certain problems that, if left unchecked, could spiral into the worst possible situation.
Perhaps influenced by her parents' divorce, Scarlett Johansson mentioned more than once during their conversations that monogamy completely goes against human nature...
Duke was fully aware that he was no saint or gentleman. He liked sexy, beautiful women and had always pursued the thrill of fresh beauty. However, he also had his limits. Since entering Hollywood, he had never been involved with any underage girl. He also knew that his self-control in this regard was as limited as that of most men.
Thus, out of sight, out of mind was perhaps the best approach, especially since Scarlett Johansson had not yet turned sixteen.
Once such a boundary was crossed, Duke knew that maintaining his limits in the future would be exceedingly difficult, given his self-control.
What separates humans from beasts is undoubtedly the ability to control one's desires.
Putting these matters aside for now, Duke returned directly to New Zealand. The filming of The Lord of the Rings trilogy was only halfway through, with a massive amount of work still awaiting him.
Three days later, the crew reconvened in Wellington. Duke first held a brief meeting with the core team members to confirm progress in various areas and prepare for the next phase of filming.
After Zack Snyder left the crew to prepare for the sequel to The Matrix, the filming, which was initially progressing on three fronts, was reduced to two, with Duke and Anna Prinz leading separate units, causing a slight slowdown in progress.
"I've already filmed most of Éowyn's scenes," Anna Prinz reported after the financial officer presented the current budget and expenditures. "Ella Fisher's main scenes are also nearly done, with only a few shots of the confrontation with the Witch-King of Angmar and Minas Tirith remaining."
The actress, recommended by Cate Blanchett, had not crossed paths with Duke after her audition. Most of her scenes were directed by Anna Prinz.
Duke nodded, glanced at his schedule, and said, "Anna, for the next stage, you'll handle Faramir's scenes as well as those with Frodo, Sam, and Gollum. For motion capture, consult Andy Serkis extensively."
As Anna Prinz took on more directing responsibilities, Duke gradually gained confidence in her, entrusting her with significant scenes.
He then turned to the production manager. "Charles, when will the extras I requested be ready?"
"They'll be there when we reach the valley near Nelson," Charles Roven replied. Having taken only two days off for Christmas, he had already arranged for a large group of extras. "The male models playing the Elven reinforcements have also arrived in Nelson."
Richard Taylor added, "Weta Workshop is fully prepared and waiting for us to start filming."
The next major scene Duke planned to film was the Battle of Helm's Deep. Like all other sets and props for The Lord of the Rings, Helm's Deep and Minas Tirith were built from scratch based on the novel's descriptions. The exterior effects for these locations were outsourced to Weta Workshop.
The following day, the crew split into two units again. Elijah Wood, Andy Serkis, and other actors remained at the Wellington studio under Anna Prinz's direction, while Duke led the main unit to a mine near the small town of Nelson to shoot the exterior scenes for the Battle of Helm's Deep.
The western side of the mine featured a valley shaped by mining activities, which served as the prototype for Helm's Deep. Meanwhile, the southern side was where the Minas Tirith set was being constructed. However, the White City model was still in its early stages, currently resembling a rough outline.
In contrast, Helm's Deep was already fully modified by Weta Workshop. Upon entering the valley's entrance, one could see the ancient and rugged aesthetics of the Hornburg and Deeping Wall at the valley floor.
Of course, neither looked as grand and majestic as described in the novel. After all, this was a film production with a limited budget. Duke couldn't afford to build life-sized models like James Cameron.
While the construction of Helm's Deep was simpler than that of Lothlórien, and the architectural style of the Hornburg leaned toward practicality with minimal Elven-style embellishments, Weta Workshop still spent over six months building the Helm's Deep set. Duke had personally inspected and surveyed the site more than ten times.
Weta Workshop created two scale models of the Hornburg. The first, at a 1:4 scale, was built on the valley site. It used steel and wood for structural support, with high-density polystyrene panels layered on top. The panels were pressure-carved with patterns, coated with plaster, and finally painted, giving the walls a weathered and ancient appearance.
However, to save costs, much of the Hornburg, particularly its outer walls, was more appearance than substance. In fact, parts of the exterior could be easily damaged with just a fingernail.
Similarly, most of the Deeping Wall was represented by a 1:4 scale model, with only one full-scale section constructed for scenes requiring proper scale. This wall section was high but notably thin, primarily built to include an internal staircase for Legolas's acrobatic stunts.
The second model was a 1:35 scale version, used mainly for distant shots and as a background element.
The crew set up camp outside the valley. Duke first inspected the extras and male models. The male models naturally played the Elven reinforcements, while the extras, most of whom were tall and muscular, portrayed Saruman's Uruk-hai army.
Stunt performers took on the roles of soldiers engaged in direct combat, while the extras primarily served as background actors.
After inspecting the extras, Duke entered Helm's Deep. Due to time constraints, the day was dedicated to preparation rather than actual filming. Key personnel like John Schwartzman, Hannah Selina, Jimmy Carter, and Bill Morris accompanied Duke to discuss specifics.
Walking through the gates of the Hornburg, Duke climbed the battlements to a command platform, overlooking the valley. Even at a 1:4 scale, the fortress appeared massive.
A crew member followed closely, cautioning Duke and others not to touch any of the standing walls, as they were essentially jerry-built structures.
"Hannah," Duke pointed toward the left side of the main gate, "set up the blue screen on the left side of the passage."
He then addressed another member, "Bill, place the arrow-launchers at the junction of the Deeping Wall and the Hornburg."
The battle featured numerous scenes of arrows raining down. To enhance realism, the crew built multiple arrow-launchers capable of firing hundreds of soft-headed arrows at once.
"John," he called out to the cinematographer, pointing again to the gate area, "I'll need several wide-angle shots of the assault on the gate. Find the best spots to set up the cameras."
As a director, Duke's primary role was to coordinate the various departments of the crew.
As he often said, films are never the product of individual heroics but rather the result of extensive collaboration among talented individuals.
After circling the Hornburg and Deeping Wall, discussing many filming details, Duke and his team returned to the camp by mid-afternoon.
Although this was their nth time surveying the site, neither Duke nor John Schwartzman showed any signs of relaxation.
For Duke, the director, the next day marked the filming of one of the most critical scenes in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. He later met with Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, and Orlando Bloom to discuss their respective roles, then checked on the props and costumes for a final review.
The upcoming battle featured a mix of races, requiring a diverse array of weapons and armor—everything from the leather and chainmail of Rohan soldiers to the full plate armor of the Uruk-hai and the intricately designed Elven armor. Every detail had to be flawless.
The costume department, in particular, faced an early start. Together with the makeup team, they had to begin preparations at dawn. Transforming an ordinary stunt performer into a fearsome Uruk-hai took a minimum of six hours.
After a full inspection of the production areas, night had already fallen. Returning to his trailer, Duke found Ivanka Trump waiting.
"Weren't you going to spend New Year's in New York?"
Seated opposite her in the trailer's main room, Duke asked, "Why are you back so soon?"
"New York is boring, just endless parties," Ivanka replied, sounding exasperated. "When you were my age, you were already working hard for your future. But most people my age in New York…"
She sighed in frustration, "All they know is eating, drinking, and having fun. If I stay with them too long, I feel like I'll end up just like them. I'd rather come back to work."
With Tina Fey still in Los Angeles managing matters for Duke's studio, Ivanka's return to New Zealand suited his needs perfectly.
Soon, the crew began filming the Battle of Helm's Deep. The once-quiet valley became a hub of noise, filled with shouts, roars, and the occasional agonized screams of dying warriors.
During the shoot, Duke noticed that the valley's surrounding hillsides weren't particularly stable. He promptly arranged for a batch of hard hats from Wellington to ensure the safety of crew members working near the hills.
Battle scenes were Duke's forte, and filming progressed smoothly until the Uruk-hai reached the Hornburg's main gate, where the crew faced their biggest challenge.
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