did they use any special technology for these films?
Yes, computer-generated faces and performance capture.
The Hobbit (film series)
As with "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, Weta Digital was involved in the creation of special effects. However, as opposed to "The Lord of the Rings", where the actors who played Orcs portrayed them through full-body makeup and prosthetics, many of those actors in "The Hobbit" had computer-generated faces in order to portray them. Many of the actors who played Orcs in this trilogy portrayed them through performance capture.
who plays gandalf in the hobbit an unexpected journey Ian McKellen how many films are there in that series? Three
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The Hobbit (film series) [SEP] Visual effects
As with "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, Weta Digital was involved in the creation of special effects. However, as opposed to "The Lord of the Rings", where the actors who played Orcs portrayed them through full-body makeup and prosthetics, many of those actors in "The Hobbit" had computer-generated faces in order to portray them. Many of the actors who played Orcs in this trilogy portrayed them through performance capture.