From Wintec to Weta Workshops
Stephen Edwards of Weta Workshops talks about his experience in the film industry and in making props.
Movies bring magic to life and one of the people behind this is Wintec alumnus, Stephen Edwards.
Edwards works for the world-renowned Weta Workshops
in prop creation and has been involved in at least 24 films.
Edwards came to Spark as both a guest speaker and to host a workshop, which became an informal Q&A and a chance for guests to interact with him.
Edwards changed up his workshop saying, “you can’t really show someone how to make a prop”.
The audience quickly learnt what he meant when he showed photos from inside Weta of large groups of people that work together on everything.
“One person will never make a prop, there will be a whole team”.
Edwards described his job in a few short sentences, “we spend a lot of time making plastic not look like plastic” and “community-based fabrication”.
He mentioned ‘The Hobbit’ frequently as a milestone for the company and as the standard to which the employees now hold themselves.
It was the first film that was shot in 48 frames which meant that the quality of the props needed to rise to meet the quality of the filming.
His example for this was the difference between swords used for stunts compared to the swords the characters held in close-up scenes. “We had to make it so that they (the audience) would not be able to distinguish a stunt weapon from a hero weapon.
Edwards is currently in his 10th year at Weta Workshops and over that time he has amassed a wealth of experience for his resume.
“I’ve made three dragons and a giant King Kong”.
He has made giant eagles that hang in Wellington Airport, a dragon that breathes smoke in a natural cave system in South Korea, and an endless supply of both small and large props that are littered through Hollywood film.
