Richard Taylor

Richard Taylor (Sir) and his partner Tania Rodger began what would become Weta Workshop Ltd over 20 years ago. Taylor and Rodger dreamed of creating a special effects facility to support the New Zealand film and television industry.

Their first job was providing caricatured puppets for Gibson Group’s Public Eyesatire show. In the years that followed, a close working relationship developed between Taylor, Rodger and New Zealand director Peter Jackson, working on Jackson’sMeet the Feebles, Braindead, Forgotten Silver, Heavenly CreaturesandThe Frighteners. The culmination of this relationship would see the formation of Weta with Taylor, Rodger, Jackson and producer Jamie Selkirk going into business together. Over the past 15 years the company has provided physical and digital effects for many films, advertisements and television shows including the popular Herculesand Xena TV series, Master and Commander, I Robot, Van Helsing, The Last Samurai, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobeand Prince Caspian, The Legend of Zorro, King Kong, Black Sheep, The Water Horse, 30 Days of Night, District 9, Daybreakers, Under the Mountain, The Lovely Bonesand most recently James Cameron’s Avatar.

The crowning achievement for Weta has been the globally acclaimed The Lord of the Rings trilogy for which Weta provided the design, fabrication and on-set operation of the creatures, special make-up effects and prosthetics, miniatures, armour and weaponry. Weta also provided the full range of digital services from simple compositing through to animation of fully computer generated creatures. For this unprecedented undertaking Weta has garnered worldwide praise including six BAFTAs and seven Academy Awards to date.

Richard and Tania have continued to develop their company by diversifying into a variety of new and intriguing creative ventures. These include a high-end collectibles company, with over 260 sculptural figures and busts on the market, a chain-maille manufacturing company, a publishing arm, and most recently a children’s television production company: Jane and the Dragon and The Wotwots. Richard, with his collaborative partner Martin Baynton, have appeared at many Storylines Festivals.