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From a draughty hut to Hollywood: the rise of Peter Jackson's secretive animation giant From a draughty hut to Hollywood: the rise of Peter Jackson's secretive animation giant
(1 day later)
It is mid-morning and despite the spring sunshine the animator’s den is gloomy; the only sound whispered voices and the low hum of tapping keys.It is mid-morning and despite the spring sunshine the animator’s den is gloomy; the only sound whispered voices and the low hum of tapping keys.
A dozen of 100 animators hunch over large computers in partitioned warrens, their work-spaces shaded by large sun umbrellas opened above their desks.A dozen of 100 animators hunch over large computers in partitioned warrens, their work-spaces shaded by large sun umbrellas opened above their desks.
“Shhh,” says the public relations staffer leading me through the studios of Weta Digital, staring reverentially at the artists.“Shhh,” says the public relations staffer leading me through the studios of Weta Digital, staring reverentially at the artists.
“They’re creating”.“They’re creating”.
Ten years ago, Weta’s animators were housed in a draughty wooden house with a leaky roof. The tiny visual effects company, co-owned by director Peter Jackson, was initially solely reliant on Jackson’s films for work and made its name with ground-breaking motion-capture characters such as Gollum in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.Ten years ago, Weta’s animators were housed in a draughty wooden house with a leaky roof. The tiny visual effects company, co-owned by director Peter Jackson, was initially solely reliant on Jackson’s films for work and made its name with ground-breaking motion-capture characters such as Gollum in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
In the early days they only worked on one film at a time, and employees from that era still can’t fathom how the company made ends meet.In the early days they only worked on one film at a time, and employees from that era still can’t fathom how the company made ends meet.
“It was us against the world, a band of brothers and sisters, all in the trenches together,” recalls Daniel Barrett, who abandoned a career as a sculptor to join Weta and animate a giant’s toes.“It was us against the world, a band of brothers and sisters, all in the trenches together,” recalls Daniel Barrett, who abandoned a career as a sculptor to join Weta and animate a giant’s toes.
A decade on, Barrett is now head of the animation department and has twice been nominated for an Oscar.A decade on, Barrett is now head of the animation department and has twice been nominated for an Oscar.
“We were organic back then, very organic” laughs Barrett, dressed in faded jeans, sneakers and a sweatshirt, the unofficial uniform of Wetans.“We were organic back then, very organic” laughs Barrett, dressed in faded jeans, sneakers and a sweatshirt, the unofficial uniform of Wetans.
“We worked incredibly hard. And working in such isolation [in New Zealand] we found our own ways of doing things. We didn’t have any neighbours to compare ourselves too.”“We worked incredibly hard. And working in such isolation [in New Zealand] we found our own ways of doing things. We didn’t have any neighbours to compare ourselves too.”
But those days, now affectionately referred to as ‘the wild west”, are long gone and Weta Digital – named after a tiny insect native to New Zealand – has grown to be an award-winning, cutting-edge visual effects company that is routinely booked by the big Hollywood studios. Weta projects include a litany of box office hits – Avatar, Pete’s Dragon, The Jungle Book, War for the Planet of the Apes and the BFG. But those days, now affectionately referred to as ‘the wild west”, are long gone and Weta Digital – named after an insect native to New Zealand – has grown to be an award-winning, cutting-edge visual effects company that is routinely booked by the big Hollywood studios. Weta projects include a litany of box office hits – Avatar, Pete’s Dragon, The Jungle Book, War for the Planet of the Apes and the BFG.
Peter Jackson’s baby, which he has steadfastly refused to relocate to the northern hemisphere, has become the go-to VFX house for major film directors, including Steven Spielberg and James Cameron, who called Weta the “most powerful engine for imaginative imagery that ever existed”.Peter Jackson’s baby, which he has steadfastly refused to relocate to the northern hemisphere, has become the go-to VFX house for major film directors, including Steven Spielberg and James Cameron, who called Weta the “most powerful engine for imaginative imagery that ever existed”.
The company now employs 1500 people from 52 different countries, and is spread over 12 buildings in suburban Wellington, making it one of the largest employers in the capital city.The company now employs 1500 people from 52 different countries, and is spread over 12 buildings in suburban Wellington, making it one of the largest employers in the capital city.
Not that you’d ever guess that, if you happened to find yourself in the sleepy streets of the suburb of Miramar where Weta is housed, cheek by jowl with fish and chip shops, state housing and a busy branch of instant finance.Not that you’d ever guess that, if you happened to find yourself in the sleepy streets of the suburb of Miramar where Weta is housed, cheek by jowl with fish and chip shops, state housing and a busy branch of instant finance.
Despite turning over hundreds of millions of dollars every year, winning five Oscars and being likened to runaway successes Apple and Google, the company has staunchly retained its humble vibe. Employees wander through the staff kitchen in bare feet and threadbare t-shirts, munching on avocado toast and joking with colleagues with a family-like intimacy.Despite turning over hundreds of millions of dollars every year, winning five Oscars and being likened to runaway successes Apple and Google, the company has staunchly retained its humble vibe. Employees wander through the staff kitchen in bare feet and threadbare t-shirts, munching on avocado toast and joking with colleagues with a family-like intimacy.
“The day Weta get branded pencils is the day I leave,” says Jamie Beard, a British animation supervisor who is known for his work on The Adventures of Tintin, The Hobbit and Iron Man 3.“The day Weta get branded pencils is the day I leave,” says Jamie Beard, a British animation supervisor who is known for his work on The Adventures of Tintin, The Hobbit and Iron Man 3.
“It is so important to me that all the money at Weta goes into people and technology – it’s artist friendly. And our distance is one of our strengths, because the people that do make it down here are searching for more than just a job.”“It is so important to me that all the money at Weta goes into people and technology – it’s artist friendly. And our distance is one of our strengths, because the people that do make it down here are searching for more than just a job.”
The wooden house at the bottom of the world has done good - on a global scale. And - despite Beard’s branding reservations - its online shop means you can now buy a T-shirt to prove it.The wooden house at the bottom of the world has done good - on a global scale. And - despite Beard’s branding reservations - its online shop means you can now buy a T-shirt to prove it.
‘A bunch of crazy Kiwis’‘A bunch of crazy Kiwis’
Fourteen years ago, Beard packed up his life in London and caught a plane to the other side of the world .Fourteen years ago, Beard packed up his life in London and caught a plane to the other side of the world .
A Welsh-born self-prescribed “country bumpkin”, Beard was frustrated by the London grind and increasingly intrigued by industry talk he had heard of the visual effects company in New Zealandthat was breaking ground with animation on the Lord of the Rings trilogy, a feat that companies 20 times their size and budget hadn’t managed.A Welsh-born self-prescribed “country bumpkin”, Beard was frustrated by the London grind and increasingly intrigued by industry talk he had heard of the visual effects company in New Zealandthat was breaking ground with animation on the Lord of the Rings trilogy, a feat that companies 20 times their size and budget hadn’t managed.
“I turned up at a wooden house and realised it was the animation department of a world-class company, and weirdly, that made me really excited,” says Beard.“I turned up at a wooden house and realised it was the animation department of a world-class company, and weirdly, that made me really excited,” says Beard.
“You could see one person’s determination to make something work, despite everyone saying no, and that still impresses me the most. Weta’s ability to exist so far away from everything but still be an industry leader and compete with the great cities like London, Vancouver and LA.”“You could see one person’s determination to make something work, despite everyone saying no, and that still impresses me the most. Weta’s ability to exist so far away from everything but still be an industry leader and compete with the great cities like London, Vancouver and LA.”
In 2002, Emma Clifton Perry was a 19-year-old studying animation at Bournemouth university in England. She vividly remembers the day “a bunch of crazy Kiwis” gave a presentation to her class – they were Wetans.In 2002, Emma Clifton Perry was a 19-year-old studying animation at Bournemouth university in England. She vividly remembers the day “a bunch of crazy Kiwis” gave a presentation to her class – they were Wetans.
“Lord of the Rings had such a wow factor, especially the battle scenes, no-one could quite work out how they had done it.” says Clifton Perry.“Lord of the Rings had such a wow factor, especially the battle scenes, no-one could quite work out how they had done it.” says Clifton Perry.
Quietly, Clifton Perry thought that one day she’d like to work for Weta; but it was a pipe dream. Everyone knew only the best got in, everyone knew the company was something of a closed book. Secretive and protective of their own and located on a remote, wind-swept peninsula in the South Pacific ocean.Quietly, Clifton Perry thought that one day she’d like to work for Weta; but it was a pipe dream. Everyone knew only the best got in, everyone knew the company was something of a closed book. Secretive and protective of their own and located on a remote, wind-swept peninsula in the South Pacific ocean.
Young and keen, Clifton Perry built up her CV, rotating between contracts at the big animation houses in London, and falling into the well-worn groove of work, home, work, home.Young and keen, Clifton Perry built up her CV, rotating between contracts at the big animation houses in London, and falling into the well-worn groove of work, home, work, home.
Then Weta began crewing up for the Hobbit – and Clifton Perry was hired.Then Weta began crewing up for the Hobbit – and Clifton Perry was hired.
“On my first day in my new house [in Wellington] I decided to drive to work by the ocean. I could see the snow-capped mountains in the distance, and Seatoun beach on my left and I just burst into tears, it is such a beautiful, magical place to be,” recalls Clifton Perry.“On my first day in my new house [in Wellington] I decided to drive to work by the ocean. I could see the snow-capped mountains in the distance, and Seatoun beach on my left and I just burst into tears, it is such a beautiful, magical place to be,” recalls Clifton Perry.
“It is not every place in the world, you can work in the film industry, and at lunch, take a cheese and onion sandwich and a cup of tea, and go eat it on the beach.And you get ideas there, being in nature. It feeds your imagination.”“It is not every place in the world, you can work in the film industry, and at lunch, take a cheese and onion sandwich and a cup of tea, and go eat it on the beach.And you get ideas there, being in nature. It feeds your imagination.”
‘We walk a very fine line between fantasy and reality’‘We walk a very fine line between fantasy and reality’
During Barrett’s baptism of fire at Weta, he frequently suffered imposter syndrome, and went home every night feeling out of his depth, disappointed by his performance alongside his “heroes”.During Barrett’s baptism of fire at Weta, he frequently suffered imposter syndrome, and went home every night feeling out of his depth, disappointed by his performance alongside his “heroes”.
It was during this early period that a new Facebook group was launched - Weta Widows, for spouses left at home while their Wetan partners toiled in the studio.It was during this early period that a new Facebook group was launched - Weta Widows, for spouses left at home while their Wetan partners toiled in the studio.
As the company has grown so too have charges from ex-employees that the Wetan work culture can be unduly demanding with long work hours and short-term contract agreements.As the company has grown so too have charges from ex-employees that the Wetan work culture can be unduly demanding with long work hours and short-term contract agreements.
It is also notoriously secretive - even more so after landing Hollywood blockbusters whose studios dispatched security experts to audit their operations.It is also notoriously secretive - even more so after landing Hollywood blockbusters whose studios dispatched security experts to audit their operations.
Now, films the group are working on are only referred to by their code names (in all in-house conversation and written correspondence) and the company’s offices are largely unmarked; referred to only by their nicknames of ‘big house’, ‘the cave’, and ‘park’.Now, films the group are working on are only referred to by their code names (in all in-house conversation and written correspondence) and the company’s offices are largely unmarked; referred to only by their nicknames of ‘big house’, ‘the cave’, and ‘park’.
Indeed as one of the biggest companies in one of the world’s smallest capital cities, it has somehow managed to maintain a cloak of mystery around the operations - with the only real tease being a glimpse of an over-sized green screen visible from a back street of Miramar.Indeed as one of the biggest companies in one of the world’s smallest capital cities, it has somehow managed to maintain a cloak of mystery around the operations - with the only real tease being a glimpse of an over-sized green screen visible from a back street of Miramar.
Barrett says some employees find the transition from the bustling metropolises of the north to the bottom of the world too taxing, and those that adapt best are “spiritually New Zealanders”.Barrett says some employees find the transition from the bustling metropolises of the north to the bottom of the world too taxing, and those that adapt best are “spiritually New Zealanders”.
“Most people here have a strong streak of perfectionism, even a bit of obsessiveness about them,” says Barrett. “When we started, we were nobodies in the world of visual effects, and that made us hungry. But even as we’ve grown I think the essential attitude has remained the same - we’re always willing to give it a crack.”“Most people here have a strong streak of perfectionism, even a bit of obsessiveness about them,” says Barrett. “When we started, we were nobodies in the world of visual effects, and that made us hungry. But even as we’ve grown I think the essential attitude has remained the same - we’re always willing to give it a crack.”
Christopher White, an American VFX supervisor says it was Weta’s independent, “obsessive streak” that attracted him to the company fourteen years ago.Christopher White, an American VFX supervisor says it was Weta’s independent, “obsessive streak” that attracted him to the company fourteen years ago.
“The process of creation is just deeper here,” he says.“The process of creation is just deeper here,” he says.
“We don’t just animate an eye. We talk to an eye doctor. We learn how tears form, how they fall. How the tear duct works. Weta really encourages that level of scrutiny, to quite an incredible degree.”“We don’t just animate an eye. We talk to an eye doctor. We learn how tears form, how they fall. How the tear duct works. Weta really encourages that level of scrutiny, to quite an incredible degree.”
White recently travelled to Queenstown for the first time, and was struck by how familiar the landscape was - the scuttling clouds, teal Lake Wakatipu and the snowy peaks of the Remarkables.White recently travelled to Queenstown for the first time, and was struck by how familiar the landscape was - the scuttling clouds, teal Lake Wakatipu and the snowy peaks of the Remarkables.
“And then I realised I had seen it all before, in Weta’s work. We walk a very fine line here, between fantasy and reality.”“And then I realised I had seen it all before, in Weta’s work. We walk a very fine line here, between fantasy and reality.”