Director Peter Jackson has posted to his Facebook account the first video blog from the set of The Hobbit, which began shooting in New Zealand last month.

Watch the 10 1/2-minute video here below.

This is truly a must-watch for those of us eagerly anticipating Jackson’s next installment from the world of J.R.R. Tolkien. There’s tons to see in this video, too, it’s not just Jackson sitting in Bilbo’s house talking — there’s much more.

Some of what you’ll see in the video is the cast doing a blocking at the Bag End set in Bilbo’s house for the scene where Gandalf (Ian McKellen returning to the role) and the dwarves come to talk to the hobbit Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) about their quest. That part right there was enough to make me teary eyed. Then there’s a return to Rivendell to Elrond’s chambers and to see Narsil, the broken sword. Jackson says we’ll see new parts of Rivendell in the upcoming film. We also go inside the goblin tunnels below the Misty Mountains and at creature make-up affects, wardrobe, weaponry, and practice for fight choreography. If that’s not enough, there’s also a heartwarming Powhiri welcoming ceremony to launch the first day of shooting for the film. When you get to the end of the video, you’ll see and hear a few seconds that will give you chills!

Jackson promises more video production blogs to come and if they’re anything like this first one, I think we’re in for an exciting few years watching as The Hobbit and its follow-up are made. It’s been a long time coming and many obstacles nearly prevented this project from getting off the ground, but after watching this video, we can all breath a sigh of relief that that’s all over with. Enjoy!

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