Weta Workshop announces new Weta Originals collectibles
Wellington, NZ (July 22nd, 2006) Weta Limited, a division of Weta Workshop, proudly announces the Weta Originals, a new line of high end collectibles based on original concepts generated by the award winning artists of Weta.
Weta Workshop has established a reputation for excellence in the creation of realistic props and creatures for the motion picture industry, having done so for such notable films as "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, "King Kong" and "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe". This same creativity and superior level of finish has been applied with equal love and attention to detail to Weta Collectibles' licensed collectible ranges, with many of the same artists and craftspeople who worked on the films creating products based directly on their designs. The Weta Originals products now carry that trend further, with new ultra-detailed theatrical collectibles drawn straight from the imaginations of Weta's artists.
Debuting at Comic Con San Diego in July 2006, the first of the Weta Originals will be The Shadows and Rayguns collections.
The Shadows are a polystone statue line created entirely by Weta Workshop Artist Jamie Beswarick. Jamie is a self taught Conceptual Designer and Sculptor. Since joining Weta Workshop in mid 1996 he has been involved in designing for a variety of different projects including creatures for television shows like "William Tell," "Hercules, The Legendary Journeys," "Xena, Warrior Princess," and "Young Hercules." Most notably, Jamie has designed creatures, armour and weaponry for Peter Jackson's "King Kong" and "The Lord of the Rings" film trilogy. Jamie has a keen interest in zoology and he brings his knowledge of anatomy and physiology to his sculpting, to ground the subject in a believable reality.
The Shadows are depictions of demonic entities drawn from mythology and ancient lore, reinterpreted in Jamie's own unique artistic style. First in this line of highly limited statues will be "Ifrit, of the Jinn" and "Terrakula, Harbinger of the Damned."
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The Rayguns: Dr, Grordborts Infallible Aether Oscillators, is a line of 1:1 scale classic science-fiction styled hand weapon props, conceived by Weta Workshop's Designer Greg Broadmore and built by Master Model Maker David Tremont. With a charming, 1900s contraption styling and finish, the Rayguns evoke the nostalgia of a lost age of exploration and discovery, and possess an intentional sense of humour and fun in their design that is all Greg's.
Greg Broadmore designed and sculpted creatures for Peter Jackson's "King Kong" and "The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe." In 2005 he co-designed and oversaw the art direction of "The Tripod," a Wellington Film Industry Tribute sculpture that looms six meters tall over Courtenay Place in Wellington city. Greg was one of the illustrators and concept writers for Weta Publishing's first book, "The World of Kong: A Natural History of Skull Island." Before joining Weta, Greg illustrated over 30 children's stories and books for Learning Media Ltd and released his own comic, "Killer Robots will Smash the World" through Urbanist Publications.
David Tremont is Weta Workshop's Master Model Maker. His extensive industry background includes building architectural and engineering models as well as running his own model making business at the Warner Bros. Studios in Sydney, Australia -The Model Smiths- for ten years. In 2000 he moved to New Zealand to work on "The Lord of The Rings" at Weta Workshop. David was responsible for Grond, the Orc Siege Tower and the Minas Tirith Gates miniatures seen in "The Return of the King" and has since also contributed to the construction of miniatures for other films including the tall ships for "Master and Commander, the Far Side of the World." In addition to model making, David looks after the final clean up of all Weta Collectibles' prototypes.
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There will be three distinct Rayguns released to debut this line, the Manmelter 3600ZX, the Goliathon 83 and the FMOM Industries Wave Disrupter Gun. Each is available with a gorgeous, custom-designed case and accessories.
WETA ORIGNIALS - THE SHADOWS:
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IFRIT, OF THE JINN
Made of polystone.
Dimensions:
Height - 19 inches
Width - 12 inches
Depth - 10 inches
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TERRAULA, HARBINGER OF THE DAMNED
Made of polystone.
Dimensions:
Height - 10 inches
Width - 9 inches
Depth - 9 inches
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WETA ORIGNIALS - RAYGUNS: DR, GRORDBORT'S INFALLIBLE AETHER OSCILLATORS
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MANMELTER 3600ZX
Dimensions:
Length - 13 inches
Height - 11 inches
Width - 4 inches
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GOLIATHON
Dimensions:
Length - 14 inches
Height - 11 inches
Width - 3 inches
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FMOM INDUSTRIES WAVE DISRUPTER GUN
Dimensions:
Length - 17 inches
Height - 9 inches
Width - 4 inches
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About Weta Collectibles
Weta Limited is the merchandise division of Weta Workshop and through the brand Weta Collectibles brings together the same designers and sculptors who created the wonderful worlds you see on the big screen. This collection of talented people has now sculpted over 250 pieces of merchandise for the public to collect and enjoy. Weta Collectibles was created to launch our extensive range of high-end polystone collectibles for The Lord of the Rings. It has since gone on to produce limited run of the Muppets busts, King Kong & The Chronicles of Narnia statues and a selection of individual pieces for a range of collections. Weta Collectibles is celebrated by collectors around the world and is now seen as the leading sculptor of high-end polystone figures, busts, environments and other assorted collectibles. www.wetaNZ.com
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