By 3 News online staff
After nearly five years of work on The Hobbit, Weta Workshop chief Sir Richard Taylor says he can’t wait to see the finished result.
The five-time Oscar winner worked on all three Lord of The Rings films, but admits he’s still nervous about the Hobbit trilogy.
“I’m always nervous about our work. I’m proud of where we’ve got to at this point knowing all the different elements in play,” he says. “But I’m nervous as much for myself because I have a very high view of the work that I expect our company to put out.”
Sir Richard says a record amount of silicon was used to create the Hobbit fantasy world, as well as “an incredible number” of props.
He says a specific challenge of the new films was creating something unseen in the previous LOTR saga.
“We of course are back in the same world, the same universe of design but Peter never once asked us to rest on our laurels,” he says. “We’re trying to create a new and provocative set of images and items that an audience will enjoy and not feel they’re watching the same old stuff.”
But more than a decade on from the first LOTR’s film, Sir Richard says his work on the new trilogy is still a labour of love.
“I take great delight in what we do,” he says. “It is challenging though, there’s no way around that. You know that it’s going to be challenging, you don’t get into this business unless you’re up for the challenge. And it would be a very poor showing if you faltered halfway through the journey.”
Sir Richard says the LOTR and Hobbit films are intrinsically linked with New Zealand, and couldn’t have been made anywhere else.
“This is a New Zealand project and deserves to be made by New Zealanders, and I was very pleased that we managed to keep it here.
“These films are part of our culture now and it’s critical that as a country we get to share that with the world.”
Watch the video for Samantha Hayes’ full interview with Richard Taylor.
3 News
source: newshub archive
