A knight in shining armour, a mythical creature and a medieval court? It all sounds a bit twee for an animated children’s series in 2007. But what if the knight was a feisty 12-year-old girl, the creature was a clumsy dragon and their living quarters were designed by the team who gave us Gollum in Lord of the Rings? Weta Workshop’s first TV series, Jane and the Dragon, premieres in New Zealand on Saturday. It is hoped the early evening timeslot will entice a family audience to what is being heralded as a massive achievement for the Oscar-winning company. [More]
Category: Original TORn
The awards are sponsored by Zonta, an international club of business women who recognize women who have shown potential in design. Zonta rewards the aspiring designers with a cash prize of $1000 for the four runners up, and a $5000 cash prize for the Supreme Winner.
Each contestant was required to exhibit pieces of their own work. Lucy displayed her range of public furniture, made using recycled tyre rubber as one of the key elements.
Lucy says the win came as a complete surprise. “I was nervous as hell beforehand because I had to give a speech”, she laughs. “When I heard my name being called I just couldn’t believe it. The organisers had told us to prepare an acceptance speech, but of course I hadn’t!”
Lucy’s fellow nominees were Nina Wells, visual communication design, sponsored by Saatchi and Saatchi; Rachel Higham, fashion and textile design, sponsored by Rembrandt Suits; Rosemary Horn, Photographic design, sponsored by Image Lab and Hannah Ferens interior design sponsored by Limited Editions interior design.
Lucy is currently working in our Miniatures and 3D department at Weta Workshop. She is interested in sustainable design, which aims to reduce the amount of materials used to create a design and considers the effect it has on the environment.
LONDON — Saruman, that grizzled old necromancer, is caught in a spotlight, sounding a battle cry to his army of orcs: “I have trained you and equipped you! I know your hearts beat with a single purpose!” The orcs scuttle purposefully as the martial score swells and Saruman brandishes his staff (very old-school, price unknown) while rising up, borne aloft on a nifty piece of stage technology (very new-school, price at least $1-million). The music fades, Saruman (also known as Brian Protheroe) thunks down to stage level, and the assistant choreographer comes out to have a word with her orcs. In an instant, their body language changes from rampaging chimpanzee to off-duty actor: shoulders slumped, legs splayed, chins on spears. The stage they’re on, at the historic Theatre Royal Drury Lane, is framed by creeping branches that reach out into the auditorium, partly obscuring a couple of the boxes. [More]
Geoff writes: I have learned about another screening of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, in Albany NY on 06/30. Spread the word! I’ve got links at my blog, where I try to help people find their favorite movies Back on the Big Screen. [More]
From Wired: In the wake of Spidey 3’s record breaking weekend, Sony Pictures plans to make more Spider-Man movies – – no surprise there. But Sam Raimi, who says he’s “exhausted” after seven and a half straight years in the Spidey tunnel, has not yet committed to directing the next one. “The wheels aren’t spinning,” he told me a few days ago during a conversation about the making of Sandman…Given Peter Jackson’s feud with New Line over the fate of a big screen “Hobbit,” Raimi, a longtime J.R. R. Tolkien fan, seems a natural heir to the middle earth throne. “I love the book but that’s all I can say honestly at this point,” Raimi says. “I did speak to (New Line boss) Bob Shay once, but I’m not sure the rights are sorted out yet. It’s still Peter Jackson’s movie so it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to say if I even had intentions. First, an offer would have to be made to me.” [More]
LONDON – Orlando Bloom will make his debut in London’s West End in veteran Brit playwright David Storey’s 1969 drama “The Contractor.” The play will be directed by Anna Mackmin and produced by Sonia Friedman. [More]