Filming of the movie adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit has officially started (three cheers!).

Part one (of two) will open in theaters on December 19, 2012 (in 3D). Until then, director Peter Jackson plans to keep us in the loop as the filming progresses in New Zealand. On April 14 he posted on his Facebook page the first in a promised series of update videos. The 10-minute video provides fans with a nice look at the beginning stages of what will be a lengthy filming process.

You can watch it here:

HT