A director will have a vision in their head of the kind of movie they want to create but they always need great teams to realise that vision. This is what Weta Workshop and Weta Digital do. Based in Wellington, New Zealand, these two companies, founded by Peter Jackson, Richard Taylor, Tania Rodger and Jamie Selkirk, have been an intergral part of some of the most groundbreaking movies of all times.
From the vistas of Pandora to the slick suits of Iron Man, Weta Digital has been at the forefront of cinema's most groundbreaking and stunningly beautiful visual effects. Written by Clare Burgess with Brian Sibley, this colourful tome takes you behind the scenes of the digital effects powerhouse for the very first time.
Tracing Weta Digital's evolution from the early days of Peter Jackson's films, through to the seamless blend of live action and digital filmmaking that continues to shape Weta Digital's work today, this gorgeous hard cover volume is a tour de force of creativity and innovation. Alongside rare behind-the-scenes photographs, quotes, stories and more from the company's 20 year history, learn how Weta Digital helped to bring some of the world's biggest blockbusters to life:
...and so much more!
They are truly artists - a computer is a tool, no different than a pencil or paintbrush, and wonderful talent is needed to create the images you will see in this book. I'm immensely proud of the work they do.
20 Years of Imagination on Screen
Weta Digital: 20 Years of Imagination on Screen is a celebration of the people and projects that have defined the first two decades of Weta Digital. One of the world's premier visual effects studios, Weta Digital is known for its Academy Award-winning visual effects for such films as The Lord of the Rings, King Kong, and Avatar, as well as its groundbreaking work on Rise of the Planet of the Apes, The Avengers, Prometheus, and The Hobbit trilogy. Featuring a foreword by Peter Jackson, personal stories and recollections, expert technical insights, and a wealth of stunning behind-the-scenes imagery, this extraordinary volume offers an intimate look inside the studio and the minds of the people behind its innovative effects. Visual Effects Producer Clare Burgess wrote the boook with the assistance of esteemed writer Brian Sibley and countless others who helped chronicle the studio's remarkable history.
Wētā Workshop Showreel
"The effect is definitely special as the curtain is pulled back on The Lord of the Rings, Avatar, The Hobbit and other eye-popping hit movies."
USA Today (No 2 on Holiday Gift Book List)
"...a fabulous monument to the wonderful world of Wētā."
Bruce Monro, Otago Daily Times.
