Orkney man enjoyed ‘rather surreal’ experience as
The Lord of the Rings extra
(From The Orcadian dated February 7, 2002)

Most people can only dream of being involved in the production of a major Hollywood movie.

But that dream became a reality for an Orcadian man when he was given the chance to work alongside the likes of Hollywood stars Liv Tyler and Elijah Wood, while on a trip to New Zealand two years ago.

Fraser Budge, who now lives in Edinburgh, was given the opportunity to work as an extra on the set of the The Lord of the Rings, coming soon to the New Phoenix Cinema at Kirkwall’s Pickaquoy Centre.

Fraser Budge (middle) as an Elf in the Elvish army of the Second Age in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is the first of three movies based on the epic fantasy novels written by J. R. R. Tolkien.

All three movies were filmed in New Zealand during a shoot that lasted over a year and a half.

The Fellowship of the Ring is the first instalment and the second in the series, The Twin Towers, will be released later this year, with the third instalment, The Return of the King, due to come out in 2003.

Fraser, whose parents Leslie and Mona live in Kirkwall, explained that he got the job while travelling and spending time in New Zealand, back in 2000.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring was being filmed there at the time, and one of Fraser’s ex-flat mates was working as a camerawoman for one of the film’s making-of features.

“She just told me to come and see about getting a part as an extra. I had nothing to lose so I thought I’d give it a shot. I managed to fit into the costumes and I was about the right height, so I was given an extra part,” he explained.

Fraser was involved in the filming in March and April, 2000, and described the experience as “rather surreal”.

“It was like something from Monty Python a lot of the time. Basically, we all looked like a bunch of freaks,” he said. “It was a great experience though, and I had a lot of fun off camera. I played football with a group of Orcs and played chess with another Elf.”

He played three different characters during the couple of months he worked on the film – an Elf, a Rohan Soldier and an Orc.

“I really enjoyed playing all three of them,” he explained. “I was given a big stick-on beard when I was a Rohan Soldier and a very embarrassing blonde wig when I was playing an Elf.”

He explained that the best time to try to catch a glimpse of him is during a battle scene in the prologue.

“I’m an Elf in that scene,” he explained.

Fraser, who is currently undertaking a one year Music Production Course in Edinburgh, has seen the film once, and although he couldn’t see himself, his girlfriend claimed that she did.

“I couldn’t see myself at all. But my girlfriend’s seen it twice and she said she saw me at the very start, but I think she was just trying to be nice,” he said.

He was also delighted that he got the opportunity to fulfil a lifelong ambition – to play dead.

“I was delighted when I was told I was to get killed. It’s a pretty funny thing to get so excited about, but I’d always wanted to die in a film. I played a dead Elf.”

So did Fraser get the chance to rub shoulders with any of the film’s big name stars?

“I did a few scenes with Viggo Mortensen (who plays Aragorn), and Liv Tyler (Arwen), but I was involved a lot more with Bernard Hill, who won’t actually appear until the next film. Most of the scenes I was in are to be in the second film, I think.”

He continued: “I don’t know if you’ll be able to make out my face in the scenes though, but I certainly hope so. I know there should be a scene in the next film when I’m in amongst a group of Elves who are about to go to battle and the camera pans across us. Hopefully, I’ll see myself then.”

So what did Fraser think about his involvement in what will surely be one of the biggest films of the year?

“I enjoyed it, but let's just say that Ewan McGregor doesn’t have anything to worry about.”

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring starts showing at the New Phoenix Cinema in the Pickaquoy Centre on Friday, February 15, at 7.30pm.