One of the most elaborate and computer generated films of recent history, the Lord of the Rings Trilogy has become a legend due to elaborate sets and seemingly impossible scenery. Almost entirely shot in New Zealand (where the original sets still remain and can be viewed on tours). The three films were all filmed simultaneously allowing less time ans effort from the production crew and the actors, some of whom had to live in the country till filming ended. The huge number of special effects required so massive an amount of equipment that a whole building had to be constructed to house them all (including the artists of course).
Many of the epic battle scenes had extras from all over New Zealand and its army which gladly lent a couple of their reserve fighting men. The military guys were too engrossed with the film that they destroyed some of their wooden swords and spears forgetting it was only a shoot. The scenes being shot simultaneously, one crew can be shooting a scene for the last installment and the one next door on the first and so on. Most of the actors who handled ‘the Ring’ thought they had the one and only ring on set. All these wrapped into one of the mos successful films of all time ranking second on the charts to top $100,000,000 in revenues losing by a fraction from Titanic