{"id":71613,"date":"2013-05-14T00:36:24","date_gmt":"2013-05-14T05:36:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/?p=71613"},"modified":"2013-05-14T00:36:24","modified_gmt":"2013-05-14T05:36:24","slug":"getting-to-know-magnus-hjert","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/2013\/05\/14\/71613-getting-to-know-magnus-hjert\/","title":{"rendered":"Getting to know Magnus Hjert"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Magnus\"Welcome to the latest “Getting to know” – questions that need answering. It’s based on the old Getting to know you threads that I occasionally post on the message boards here on TORn, so those familiar with them will know that the questions can be a little crazy and the answers even crazier.<\/p>\n

This month we’re asking questions of self-described Online guy at Weta Workshop and all round top bloke, Magnus Hjert.<\/p>\n

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Kelvarhin:<\/strong>\u00a0Thanks for joining us this month Magnus, as always we’ll start with grammas favourite question…<\/p>\n

\"ArtWhat was your favourite cartoon when you were growing up?<\/p>\n

Magnus:<\/strong>\u00a0I grew up in Sweden on a rich and varied comics diet consisting of Tintin, Asterix, The Phantom, Spirou et Fantasio, its spin-off Marsupilami, Iznogoud\u2026 but my all-time favourite (that I still read) is Tintin.<\/p>\n

\"MarklinTrainAd\"Kelvarhin:<\/strong>\u00a0What was your favourite toy as a kid?<\/p>\n

Magnus:<\/strong>\u00a0My M\u00e4rklin train set\u2026 it initially provided much entertainment for my father and uncle, as I believe I was about three when I got it for Christmas. But it was awesome when I was older and could build model buildings etc.<\/p>\n

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\"WetaSandcastle\"Kelvarhin:<\/strong>\u00a0Some of the \u00a0TORNfolk (Tehanu, Garfeimao, deej and entmaiden) were in attendance to help Weta and the Neonatal Trust break the Guinness Record for most sandcastles built in an hour. They know that they built enough, but Guinness requires a lot of documentation and time to certify the results, and they\u2019re wondering if you’ve gotten the official results from the world record Sandcastle Build last November?<\/p>\n

Magnus:<\/strong>\u00a0I don\u2019t actually know the answer, but I promise I will find out from Martin Baynton, who is the main link between Adventure Wellington and Weta Workshop. I was on that beach myself, covering it on behalf of Weta. The event was organised by Adventure Wellington and Weta Workshop helped out with buckets and quite a few crew, including Richard, Tania and many others.<\/p>\n

\"Castlepoint-Postcard\"Kelvarhin:<\/strong>\u00a0What is your favourite location in NZ?<\/p>\n

Magnus:<\/strong>\u00a0I\u2019ve lived here now for 10 years and I have many favourites. But that\u2019s a bit of a cop-out, so I will try to pick one. \u00a0To narrow it down little by little, the region called the Wairarapa is about 90 minutes\u2019 drive away from Wellington and is predominantly a rural area, but with a twist \u2013 it\u2019s one of New Zealand\u2019s premier wine regions. Small towns that 50 years ago were as rural as rural can be have blossomed with the increased interest the wine has brought to the region. On the way to my favourite place, you pass through several of these, Featherston, Greytown, Carterton. When you get to Masterton, you take a right and head for the coast. And after driving through orchards and sheep stations, you get to Castlepoint. A Pacific beach community with a spectacular lighthouse and rock formations, a fantastic beach and a camping ground. And very little else. The weather is often unforgiving, but lying in a tent, listening to the ocean\u2026 it doesn\u2019t get much better. Oh \u2013 I just realised you probably meant shooting location? Well, other than Hobbiton which is truly AWESOME, a favourite is the Dimholt Road\/Paths of the Dead at Putangirua Pinnacles in\u2026 you guessed it: The Wairarapa.<\/p>\n

Kelvarhin:<\/strong>\u00a0What are your most favourite places, of all the places you\u2019ve been to in the world?<\/p>\n

Magnus:<\/strong>\u00a0Monterey, California. Montpellier, France. London, England (lived there for 7 years). Copenhagen, Denmark (being from Malmo in Sweden, Copenhagen is a natural place to hang out \u2013 back then it was a 45 minute boat trip away. Now there\u2019s a bridge\u2026). And Wellington \u2013 on a good day\u2026 \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

\"FreemanKelvarhin:<\/strong>\u00a0What movies or television shows are you into right now, apart from The Hobbit?<\/p>\n

Magnus:<\/strong>\u00a0Star Trek: Into Darkness was awesome \u2013 I went with a band of colleagues and everyone was pretty much in agreement it was a great film. With two kids of 6 and 10 years, I watch a LOT of \u2018children\u2019s\u2019 flicks \u2013 like Wall-e, How to train your Dragon (and Riders of Berk) and love it, but Game of Thrones, Boardwalk Empire, House MD, Doctor Who, Sherlock and even the occasional UK detective show\/murder mystery re-run like Midsomer Murders, Morse, Miss Marple, Hercules Poirot\u2026 I\u2019m easy to entertain\u2026<\/p>\n

Kelvarhin:<\/strong>\u00a0I\u2019m a child of migrants, and I know you\u2019re originally from Sweden, so I was wondering what inspired your move to New Zealand?<\/p>\n

Magnus:<\/strong>\u00a0I was dragged here kicking and screaming by my Kiwi wife\u2026 nah, it was actually the other way around. I get itchy feet staying in one place for too long and when we were living in London (where we met and wed) and expected our first child, we decided there were healthier places to bring up children than south London, so we chose New Zealand. Thinking we\u2019d only be here for 4-5 years and then perhaps go to Sweden (where all my family is). But then I got my job at Weta \u2013 as close to my dream job as I\u2019m ever likely to get \u2013 and we\u2019ve now decided not to up-root the kids, but stay here for at least as long as they want to stay. Then we\u2019ll see.<\/p>\n

Kelvarhin:<\/strong>\u00a0What was the most difficult thing about organising Wetas surprise for TORn\u2019s 10th Anniversary?<\/p>\n

Magnus:<\/strong>\u00a0Getting everyone to the same courtyard at the same time. Gino from Weta Digital down the road, Richard Taylor from somewhere in the building, Guillermo del Toro from 3 Foot 7 and then getting the crew to pick up some props and waving them around. We had many false starts on different occasions, but in the end we got it together. Woohoo! Man, that seems like a long time ago now\u2026 I was very nervous directing Guillermo del Toro, but he was very good about it. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

TORn 10th Anniversary Weta Video<\/a><\/p>\n