Weta Workshop

History:
The company that would one day been known as Weta was born as 'RT Effects' in the back room Richard Taylor and Tania Rodger's Wellington flat in 1987. From this place of operations, Richard and Tania supported the emerging local film industry with a range of services in special effects, Creature work, Prosthetics and make-up effects. In 1994, Richard and Tania joined with friends Peter Jackson and Jamie Selkirk to expand the company dramatically to service the local and international industry's special effects requirements. They named their new company 'Weta', Richard and Tania headed up 'Weta workshop', the conceptual designa and creative services arm of the greater Weta company.

Kind of work that Weta workshop does:
Weta workshop is a multi-award winning conceptual design and physical manufacturing facility servicing the world's entertainment and creative industries. Weta workshop has a range of different faculties such as : Conceptual design, Weapons, Armour and Chainmaille, Specialist props, Vehicles, Speciality Costumes, Models and miniatures, Special makeup and prosthetics, public art and displays. Weta workshop engages in projects in holistically, from the earliest stages of technical analysis and conceptual design through to manufacture across all departments of design and effects. It can set anywhere in the world and has had 25 years of filmmaking experience. Weta has won Oscars five times  'Oscar-Winning Design', and Effects Supervisor 'Richard Taylor' is intimately involved in all projects from concept through to delivery. This company is best known for design and Effects work on award-winning film projects, including 'Lord of the Rings Trilogy', 'King Kong', 'Avatar', 'District 9', 'The Adventures of Tintin' and the 'Hobbit (in production)'. Weta workshop also offers services to all creative industries throughout the world.

Technology used:
Weta Workshop is a 65,000 square foot facility in the suburb of Marimba  Wellington, New Zealand. It is five minutes drive from the airport and fifteen minutes from central Wellington (the capital of New Zealand). The facility is the biggest in the world of its kind. Housed under one roof is the equipment infrastructure and capacity to create anything from fine jewellery, costuming or creature suits thought to large-scale tank and vehicle construction.  Working with clients and directors from around the world, Weta Workshop has secure Polycom and Videocome and FTP capabilities to allow effortless communication and the safe, confidential transfer of information between parties, no matter what the difference. When filming in New Zealand Weta Workshop was situated in Wellington, a film-friendly city on the lower North Island of New Zealand. Wellington boasts a strong local film industry, where the large proportion of the production process of a miltitude of award-winning films haev taken place within a 10-mile radius of Weta Workshop, including King Kong and Lord of the Rings Trilogy. New Zealand offers a wealth of filmmaking possibilities. More information including Location Scouting  Studio Space, Crew rates, Government grants and more, Contact 'nation film body, Film NZ'.