TheRingsOfPower star Robert Aramayo explains how the Lord of the Rings series films its Dwarf scenes, which is similar to how previous adaptations shot them.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power star Robert Aramayo explains how the Dwarf scenes were filmed, utilizing a similar technique to a prior adaptation of the novels. Premiering earlier this month on Prime Video, the show is based on the beloved fantasy novels by author J.R.R. Tolkien and takes places thousands of years before the events of Peter Jackson's acclaimed The Lord of the Rings trilogy, depicting the rise of dark forces during more prosperous Second Age of Middle-earth.
SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAY In addition to Elves, The Rings of Power features many of the races that fans of The Lord of the Rings will already be familiar with, including Dwarves, Men, and Hobbit ancestors known as Harfoots. In episode 2, Elrond travels to Khazad-dûm to see his old friend, Prince Durin IV , but doesn't get the warm Dwarf welcome he was expecting. Instead, Durin challenges Elrond to a rock-breaking competition as Dwarves chant and cheer around them.
"Especially in certain sequences! Owain Arthur, who plays Durin, would work with background actors who were around to make him look the same size as the dwarves around him. I would work with background actors who were around to make me look bigger than the dwarves around me.
Aramayo's comment is reminiscent of how Jackson handled different race sizes in The Lord of the Rings movies. Instead of relying heavily on CGI, the director would use scale doubles and different-sized sets to create the perception that certain characters were either big or smaller than who they were sharing the screen with.
With The Hobbit trilogy earning more mixed reviews than The Lord of the Rings due in part to its heavy reliance on CGI, many fans are likely thrilled that The Rings of Power has leaned into in-camera effects and clever perspective tricks to convey different character sizes. According to Aramayo, it also sounds like using real sets and real background actors benefited his performance during the scene.