VIDEO REPORT: An unexpected journey with ANZ

Credit where credit is due. Air New Zealand keeps finding ways to make some of the basic elements of air travel a little more interesting. Consider its new onboard safety video, “An Unexpected Briefing,” that features hobbits, dwarves and wizards. If you’re wondering where that came from, it’s been inspired by the upcoming release of the new movie fantasy adventure, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. The movie is produced by New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM), and is the first in a trilogy of films from director and Kiwi Sir Peter Jackson. The video has been created in conjunction with the Academy Award-winning Weta Workshop (The Lord of the Rings films) and features appearances from Jackson,as well as the unforgettable character, Gollum, and descendants of J.R.R Tolkien, author of the timeless masterpiece The Hobbit on which the trilogy is based. Oh and if you pay close attention to the safety video you could win a once-in-a-lifetime Middle-earth experience in New Zealand. Hidden within the video are secret Elvish codes. Viewers who spot the codes can then visit http://www.airnzcode.com/hobbitmovie to unlock the door to Bag End and be in to win a trip for two to New Zealand, including a tour of the Hobbiton movie set, a visit to the Weta Cave in Wellington, and double passes to the red carpet global premiere of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. So sit back, relax and go to http://www.youtube.com/airnewzealand to check it out.