Exhibition shows secrets behind special effects

Visitors get a close look at the characters from fantasy films at the show The Future of the Visual Arts in Wuzhen, Zhejiang province. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Weta is known for its involvement of franchises, such as The Lord of The Rings, The Hobbit, and films like Avatar and King Kong. It designed the weapons, armor and the monster of Tao Tie for Chinese director Zhang Yimou's latest film, The Great Wall.

The exhibition consists of two parts: the arts and crafts of Weta Workshop and the world of Dr Grordbort.

It's the first time that the Oscar-winning company in Wellington has held a retrospective show. It shipped 10 showcases from its workshop to unveil how they work for Hollywood blockbusters. The seven Oscars won by Weta, mostly for visual effects, are also on display.

"All the items are uniquely made for the show, including videos showing how we work for sci-fi and fantasy films," says Taylor.

Each showcase reflects what the workshop's desks in different departments look like, from prosthetics and other props to makeup and collectibles.

In recent years, Weta Workshop has been a popular destination for Chinese tourists to New Zealand, says Taylor. He has even hired two Chinese guides in his company to help Chinese visitors understand how they make visual effects, weapons and armor for films.

The other part of the show is a sci-fi world of Dr Grordbort created by writer and artist Greg Broadmore. It has houses to display the store of ray guns used by Grordbort for interplanetary adventures and wars. From figures, photos, drawings, sculptures and miniatures, visitors can see how the artist created a sci-fi world.