Wētā FX

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The name Weta refers to more than one character, item or concept. For a list of other meanings, see Weta (disambiguation).
Current logo of Wētā FX

Wētā FX, formerly known as Weta Digital, is a digital visual effects company that created all of the special effects for The Lord of the Rings (film series) and The Hobbit (film series).It has also co-created special effects for the series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power alongside others visual effects company such us Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) and DNEG. It was founded by Peter Jackson, Richard Taylor, and Jamie Selkirk in 1993, and it is based in Wellington, New Zealand.

In November 2021, the company was sold to video games software company Unity Technologies for US$1.625 billion.[1] The acquisition was completed the following month in December 2021.[2]

Awards

Previous logo of Wētā FX, as Weta Digital

To date, Wētā FX has won six Academy Awards for Best Visual Effects: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002), The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003), King Kong (2005), Avatar (2009) and The Jungle Book (2016).

Peter Jackson's The Middle-earth Saga

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

  • Academy Award® for Best Visual Effects: Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences
  • BAFTA for Best Visual Effects: British Academy of Film and Television Arts
  • Satellite Award for Best Visual Effects

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

  • Academy Award® for Best Visual Effects: Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences
  • BAFTA for Best Visual Effects: British Academy of Film and Television Arts
  • Visual Effects Society Award for Best Visual Effects in an Effects Driven Motion Picture
  • Visual Effects Society Award for Best Character Animation in a Live Action Motion Picture
  • Visual Effects Society Award for Best Special Effects in a Motion Picture
  • Visual Effects Society Award for Best Models and Miniatures in a Motion Picture
  • Visual Effects Society Award for Best Visual Effects Photography in a Motion Picture
  • Visual Effects Society Award for Best Effects Art Direction in a Motion Picture
  • Visual Effects Society Award for Best Compositing in a Motion Picture
  • Visual Effects Society Award for Best Performance by an Actor in an Effects Film

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

  • Academy Award® for Best Visual Effects: Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences
  • Technical Achievement Award for Gollum: Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences
  • BAFTA for Best Visual Effects: British Academy of Film and Television Arts
  • Visual Effects Society Award for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Visual Effects Driven Motion Picture
  • Visual Effects Society Award for Outstanding Models and Miniatures in a Motion Picture
  • Visual Effects Society Award for Outstanding Character Animation in a Live Action Motion Picture
  • Visual Effects Society Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male or Female Actor in an Effects Film

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

  • Academy Award® - Academy Scientific and Technical Award: Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences
  • AEAF Awards for Feature Film - Visual Effects
  • Visual Effects Society Award for Outstanding Virtual Cinematography in a Live Action Feature Motion Picture
  • Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement in Character Animation in a Live Action Production:International Animated Film Society

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

  • Visual Effects Society Award for Outstanding Animated Character in a Live Action Feature Motion Picture

Amazon Studios's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

The Rings of Power - Season One

  • Visual Effects Society Award for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode (for "Udûn")
  • Visual Effects Society Award for Outstanding Created Environment in an Episode, Commercial, or Real-Time Project (for Volcano Destruction in "Adar")
  • Visual Effects Society Award for Outstanding Effects Simulations in an Episode, Commercial, or Real-Time Project (for Númenor City in "Udûn")

See also

External links

References

  1. "Peter Jackson Selling Weta Digital’s VFX Tech Division To Unity For $1.625 Billion" dated 9 November 2021, Deadline (accessed 19 October 2022)
  2. "It’s Done: Unity Completes Weta Digital Acquisition" dated 2 December 2021, Awn (accessed 19 October 2022)