Ever wondered how movie magic comes to life? Right here at Wētā Workshop in Wellington, you can witness the artistry behind some of the world’s most iconic films.
Founded in 1987 by Richard Taylor and Tania Rodger, Wētā Workshop began as RT Effects. Initially, they crafted creatures and makeup for television shows like Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess. Their talent quickly gained recognition.
Wētā Workshop is now a multidisciplinary creative powerhouse. Its 58000 square-foot facility houses a passionate team across various disciplines. They handle projects of any size from creative development to manufacture and delivery.
The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies cemented Wētā Workshop’s reputation. They produced sets costumes armor weapons creatures and miniatures for Peter Jackson’s epic films. They aided in the making of Jackson’s 2005 version of King Kong.
One of Wētā Workshop’s innovations is the creation of realistic-looking chainmail. For The Lord of the Rings, they manufactured 82.9 million links from 7 miles of PVC pipe. Each ring was cut assembled by hand and then electroplated. Later they used PVC injection for Kingdom of Heaven which gave even better results.
Wētā Workshop is also known for its bigatures. These are very large miniature models. The Hornburg Minas Tirith and Rivendell were all brought to life as bigatures in The Lord of the Rings. Computer graphics seamlessly meshed these miniatures with live actors.
Beyond film Wētā Workshop has expanded into other areas. They teamed up with Team Fortress 2 creating weapons and cosmetics. Their video game division founded in 2014 is developing Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game.
Wētā Workshop is part of a network of creative companies in Wellington’s Miramar suburb. This area is home to some of the world’s leading filmmaking talent and technology. Other companies in this network include Wētā FX The Roxy Cinema and Stone Street Studios.
Wētā FX specializes in digital effects and CGI. Stone Street Studios has hosted productions like The Hobbit trilogy and King Kong. The Roxy Cinema is a beautifully designed art deco theater.
Richard Taylor says that Wētā Workshop’s team is a collective of creative thinkers and doers. They are all driven by an affinity towards the process and a love of making. They are committed to inspiring positive change and championing creativity in communities.
So as you stand here take a moment to appreciate the incredible artistry and innovation that comes from Wētā Workshop. It’s a place where imagination knows no bounds and movie magic becomes a reality.