Weta Workshop’s mastery is to come to horrifying life in a TV drama depicting the 1953 Tangiwai train disaster.
The frightening scene, when the train, with 285 people on board, plunges into a swollen river just minutes after a volcanic lahar knocks out the rail bridge, was recreated in one-sixth scale at Makara, west of Wellington.
Keen train buff and Weta founder Sir Richard Taylor oversaw the creation of a finely detailed scale replica of the original Ka Class steam locomotive and 11 carriages, complete with lights, blinds and dolls. The scene, shot over two nights last December, posed a series of challenges – the biggest of which was the low $3 million budget, director Charlie Haskell said. More..
The man in charge of communication between Hobbiton and the outside world wears many hats, but he promises none of them belong to a hobbit. Hobbiton Movie Set & Farm Tours media and communications manager Ian Brodie has read The Lord of the Rings 40 times, but he said his fan level had not crossed into the fanatical – he never dresses up in character. Mr Brodie, who moved to Matamata from Wanaka two years ago, was tight-lipped about when Waikato could expect to have movie stars in our midst again for the filming of The Hobbit.
“You know I can’t tell you that,” he said. “That information will come out of Wellington.”
Mr Brodie was just 14 years old when he first read The Lord of the Rings and, on a roadtrip with his family at the time, he decided New Zealand would make a perfect Middle Earth. More..
Wellington food writer Delaney Mes, author of the blog Heartbreak Pie (www.heartbreakpie.com), cook on the Good Morning show and Fishhead Magazine restaurant reviewer is going on 17 dates and eating 17 of the 50 Burger Wellington burger entries, then writing about it. She writes this about James Nesbitt: James Nesbitt is an actor. He’s well known for playing testicular-cancer suffering Adam in the hit British series Cold Feet. I know about the cancer part because an older lady at the table along from us hit him up about it before he sat down. She got the testicle bit wrong though, and it was hilarious. He’s known for other hit roles on TV and theatre, and he’s currently living with his family in Wellington filming The Hobbit. We talked wine, charm and foreign accents over The Polly Burger at Cafe Polo yesterday. And ladies and gentlemen, we may just have a winner. More..
From WETA’s latest Newsletter: From Monday 22 August and for the next three months, we’re delighted to have a special Weta Cave at SKYCITY in Auckland. At the very root of Auckland’s impressive Skytower (when we say ‘you can’t miss it’ – we really mean it), the cave doors will open and we’re looking forward to seeing all you Aucklanders and other visitors. skycityauckland.co.nz
RingerDingerDoo! writes: David Poland at Movie City News was invited to Wellington to meet with Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson to talk about Tin Tin and see some new footage. He took some pictures that reference Weta. More..
On this episode of Hobbit in 5, we talk about Peter Jackson’s latest production diary videos, show off the new trailer for The Lord of the Rings: War in the North, introduce pictures for The Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard, look for crew accommodations in Piopio, NZ, and find out what Peter Jackson and Andy Serkis think about Mikael Persbrandt. We’ll also cover Thrain in our character study!
Thanks to our executive producers: Henry Tobin and Danielle Logan
Weta Workshop’s mastery is to come to horrifying life in a TV drama depicting the 1953 Tangiwai train disaster.
