The inner workings of Road to the Shire.

Hello,

So...I'm not a hobbit, but I am on the road to the shire project and the boys told me to write a few things about the experience. Basically, it's the coolest project I have done at school so far. I am the account manager, so I keep the boys and the team organized.

We figured most people didn't realize how structured this whole thing was, so that's why i am here to let you know. There is me, Megan; and the three hobbit boys, Jon, Mitch, and John D; and then we have a  team of writers, who help with the scripts for our videos and help us keep facebook and twitter updated; and we have two PR people, who write the press releases we send them out to all our news outlets ;and then finally we have a group of people who help us with video editing, graphics, make-up and costumes, scrolls, choreography...you name it. There are about twenty people in all who help, but a lot of the work is done by our three hobbit friends.

I joined the project in the fall and it has been quite the adventure ever since. You really do feel like you're on a journey, only it's a viral journey mostly, and not a physical journey. I sort of feel like I am one of the fellowship. I am not going the whole way to New Zealand, but I am helping them get there, kind of how the rest of the fellowship never went the whole way to Mordor but they still kept fighting else where. Anyway, I bet that sounded really corny, but its true.

While the boys are in New Zealand our team of writers and I will be setting up for the documentary, writing the script, and compiling videos and photos from the past eight months.

I'll be honest, I never even dreamed this project would work as well as it did. But here we are, having articles published in New Zealand's top newspaper, writing blogs for the official movie blog, talking with the manager of the Lord of the Rings Franchise and sending our hobbits to the shire to be extras in a world  renown film.

It wouldn't have been possible without our fans though. Fans, you have helped spread Road to the Shire globally, you have helped legitimized us on facebook and twitter. You are the reason newspapers and  television shows have heard of us, and you are the reason the boys are on their way to New Zealand on Sunday. So just in case you didn't realize it and felt your part was minimal, I just want you to know, we would still be some odd characters taking videos of people dressed as hobbits in the woods if you hadn't helped us. So, thank you and I hope you continue to stay with us as we send the boys to the Shire and we make our documentary.

sincerely,
Megan
Account Manager