WE-T-A DAY!

Warning: LOTR alert--non-fans skip this posting!

Well, WHAT a day! Some you will know that, back when we were making our original plans for this trip to New Zealand, I wrote to Weta Workshop, the company that created all the prosthetics (such as elf ears and hobbit feet), weaponry, miniatures and artifacts for The Lord of the Rings, offering our voluntary labour on any project they cared to assign--we were keen to simply be part of this amazing company for a time.

I received a warm letter back from Richard Taylor, the head of Weta, thanking us for our interest but saying that it would not be possible to accommodate our offer due to confidentiality concerns. I was, needless to say, disappointed, but kept Weta employee Tracey Morgan's email address 'just in case.' Last week, I emailed her again, reminding her of our original correspondence, and asking if there was any way we could even have a tour, now that we were in the area. No response for several days, and my hope waned, but then, suddenly an email offering a tour, with Richard's blessing, Monday at 4 p.m. Would that be convenient? Oh, yes, it would!!

As it happened, we were booked to spend the day in Wellington anyway, the morning with Dr. Kathryn Sutherland of Victoria University at Wellington, of their Teaching Support Centre. I had corresponded with Kathryn while in Canada, as we have mutual colleagues in the Society for Teaching & Learning in Higher Education. We had a great chat for several hours, finding we had much in common, and sharing resources--very worthwhile. We also met Dr. Tom Angelo, co-author of the book Classroom Assessment Techniques, which we use frequently at Fanshawe. See, I do clean up and go to work some days!


In the afternoon, we visited the same university's School of Architecture and Design, where we were investigating both their Masters of Design program for some Fanshawe faculty, and the potential for degree completion programs for our Landscape Design graduates. Daniel Brown, an award-winning professor in the programs, gave us a wonderful tour and a thorough briefing--again a very worthwhile discussion.


But, now for dessert!! At 4 p.m. we duly presented ourselves at Weta Workshop, in Miramar, a commuter suburb of Wellington. Behind the low-key facade of the Camperdown Studio building lay a treasure trove of LOTR artifacts and history. We were met by Tracey, who had us sign a confidentiality agreement, signed us in as visitors and gave us special badges. Then, alas, they confiscated my camera (nicely!). No photos in the studio! But they promised photo ops at the end of the tour, in the so-called 'trophy room.'


Our guide for the 1 1/2 hour tour was Mike Grealish (above), a master leather worker who had a hand (literally) in the making of almost every suit of armour and costume in LOTR, as well as major work on The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and King Kong among other movies. Mike was a friendly, warm, and funny guide, full of insider tales and memories. As we walked around, I did plenty of rubber-necking and excited whispering to Frank--"That's Tania Rodger!! And THAT's Gino Acevedo!!"as I recognized people from the DVD documentaries. It was a bizarre feeling to actually see the real people that I've been watching on screen for almost 5 years now. When I asked permission to get their autographs in my book on the art of LOTR (conveniently on sale in a bookshop this weekend!), I was warmly received and each person happily wrote a lovely personal note in my book.

At times we were steered firmly away as a door shut tantalizingly on 'top secret' current work. Mostly, though, we were allowed to see everything from foam model-making through miniatures to scale model maquettes and, most impressive, the 'weaponry wall' where everything from the The Last Samurai swords through a WWI helmet replica (plus all the Narnia weaponry) were displayed on one side, and all the LOTR weaponry on the opposite wall. Yours truly has now held Aragorn's sword Anduril, and drawn the white knives from Legolas' quiver!! (OK, never mind the Freudian implications here, guys--keep your mind on the movies!). These were the actual weapons used in the film-making, not models or prototypes--pretty cool to be allowed to handle the real things! They are truly works of art, with incredible detail. My hands were itching for my camera, but...

Our last stop was Mike's leather shop, where, among many other fascinating things, he showed us a huge emu-like bird model that originally had a part in King Kong (which was later cut). The model's feet and beak were wired and we were allowed to make it move--eerily realistic! As our tour came to a close, Mike presented me with a key ring and a bookmark made of leather, stamped with LOTR designs, that he had made for me--what a lovely souvenir!

Back in the reception area, we went into the trophy room, where the case holding all Weta's Oscars for The Lord of the Rings was opened, and we were allowed to actually hold one! We were allowed to take photos of this, but not for publishing on the web--personal use only. I am here to say that those gold statuettes are REALLY heavy! You could brain someone with one!

I was then allowed to photograph anything in the reception area, so herewith is a selection of some of my favourite artifacts. LOTR fans will have no trouble recognizing these characters!


We left the building reluctantly--I could have stayed for hours examining all the wonderful 'things'. We made a quick photo stop at nearby Stone Street Studios where all the 'backlot' sets were filmed, and then headed further around the coast to the village of Seatoun. Here we stopped at The Chocolate Fish cafe, known as the only retaurant in the world with a road running through their dining room (they have tables set up on both sides of the road along the beach). This cafe was highly recommended by the actors in LOTR, as most of them lived in Seatoun during filming. Sadly, the cafe was just closing for the day, so a photo was all I got, but nevertheless it made a good ending to a very exciting day. Today will be a cherished memory and will be great fun to share with future students in my Tolkien course.


When we got back to Saddle Creek, David had moved his herd of highland cattle into the field directly behind our residence--they seemed as curious about us as we were about them!