Giant flying creatures, a lush jungle planet, a futuristic flying machine and a “power suit” are just some of the images audiences are likely to see in Titanic director James Cameron’s new sci-fi movie Avatar. Concept art from the US$200 million film (NZ$320m), shot in Wellington with visual effects by Weta Digital, appeared online this week, sanctioned by the film’s backers 20th Century Fox. Weta brings sci-fi giant to screen
Category: WETA Digital
From the folks at WETA: Weta Cast Episode IX – Weta’s Creative Director Richard Taylor gives us an update on the projects Weta is working on. We also catch up with Shane Rangi, actor and stuntman in The Lord Of The Rings and The Chronicles Of Narnia. Download the interview here!
Wellington’s Weta Digital computer graphics workshop is launching a working group aimed at bringing advanced research together with movie production. The new group, Transfx, is headed by Sebastian Sylwan, who has joined Weta as head of research and development, Variety Magazine reported today. Sylwan was most recently senior industry manager for film and television at United States software developer Autodesk, where he led work on stereoscopic 3-D. Weta is already working on an innovative 3-D movie, James Cameron’s Avatar, as well as Steven Spielberg’s Tintin. Weta seeks advanced research for movie graphics
Our pals at WETA sent us an update: Daniel and Magnus drive off to see Gino Acevedo in his den of cool. They also enlist the help of Weta Designer Matty Rodgers to put some insightful questions to Hellboy creator and comic book artist Mike Mignola who’s visited Weta for a couple of weeks. Listen to the podcast here! Continue reading “WETA Podcast: Acevedo & Mignola Plus a Dick Smith Tribute”
TORn’s 10th Anniversary bash keeps getting better and better. Our good friend Magnus from Weta just posted a birthday card to TORn from Weta on in the VIP message thread on our Feedback board:
“Dear Tehanu, Xoanon, Corvar, Calisuri and thousands of other friends, No website has provided such a platform for fandom and creativity across literature and film as TheOneRing.net and for that we salute you! Past, current and future crew at Weta will be forever spiritually connected to TORn and we are absolutely relishing the opportunity to take on future journeys together – there… and back again… naturally.
We have recorded a short tribute at http://www.wetanz.com/torn10bday/ 
Where you can also see your card in high resolution glory.”
Check out the high res version of the Weta birthday card (pictured) and the TORn tribute video at the link above. You won’t want to miss it.
From the folks at WETA: It’s official – Weta Fans are the most patient. Ever. We sincerely apologise for how long it’s been since the last episode. But we’re back! This time we “air” an interview we recorded late last year with Lord Of The Rings veterans Matt Appleton and Emily-Jane Sturrock who have been travelling. We also take a closer look at the new website and get Richard Taylor’s as well as Tim Launders views on what the new site is all about. Listen to Episode VI of the Weta Cast here!