(click!)

Curious as to how the Weta’s new Lord of the Rings Master Swordsmith Collection looks? We take you up close and personal with the blades in our gallery. Click through to behold Strider’s Sword, Anduril, Sting, and Glamdring, as handcrafted by Peter Lyon himself.

Do also check out the utterly fascinating video of the swordsmith in action on Weta’s site.

For even more show floor images of Weta’s latest, don’t neglect to peruse our Comic-Con 2009 Gallery!

• See more In-Depth features from Comic-Con 09

This is not an old image from Weta’s archive somewhere. It’s released just minutes ago, and what these individuals are looking at is a new sculpture: one promised to be at Comic-Con. (click to see the entire photo)

And while we haven’t a good idea of just what this object d’mystery is (looks awfully much like a steed, dunnit?), it should warm the hearts of any SSW collector to see Richard Taylor, John Howe, and fan-fave sculptor, Brigitte Wuest, huddled around any particular lump of clay, sculpey, chavant or wax, no matter how pixelated it happens to be.

Which brings me to my pet speculation that The Hobbit may just have its official coming out party at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con. Let’s play CSI and “follow the evidence” shall we?

• Peter Jackson will attend SDCC this year for the first time, officially, to promote District 9 (Neil Blomkamp’s film which he is producing). Surely he could spare a seat for Mr. Del Toro as well on the charter jet out of New Zealand?
• theonering.net, via an MTV news story, has reported that casting for Bilbo will be announced in “a couple of weeks” (we’re liking Michael Sheen here at the [[AP]])
• And finally we have this teaser from Weta Collectibles– and while it’s no big shock to see Weta honcho RT pictured with any statue, the presence of a Mr. John Howe certainly gives it much Tolkien flavored intrigue, though it is acknowledged that Mr. Howe is a designer with great versatility (and thus not guaranteeing this Hobbit-related). Brigitte Wuest can take credit for sculpting some of the most acclaimed of Sideshow Weta collectibles, and if this is indeed a Hobbit statue, you can bet it will be welcomed with open arms.

I’ve long dismissed the idea that a Weta collectible could serve amongst the first glimpses of this long anticipated film, but think how often leaks from big name films come courtesy of ill-begotten toy packaging scans nowadays. And if James Cameron can serve up a good bit of Avatar for a video game, why not have Weta Collectibles at the front line of Hobbit hype? If I were running Weta Collectibles I would be lobbying hard for it!

Regardless of how far off the mark this all might be (the timing still seems impossibly early), it’s exciting that the cogs it seems are really beginning to spin. Let’s party like it’s 1999, shall we?

Here’s an oldie but goodie. Kind of an obscure item both cinematically speaking and in collectible-dom as well. What you’re looking at here is the haunting Santi and Bomb statue from Sideshow. Based on one of Guillermo Del Toro’s earlier films, The Devil’s Backbone.

I fell in love with this one right away and even had an order lined up back in the day. Alas, finances did not pan out and Santi left my grasp– judging by its value of late– forever it seems. Sure, GDT’s stock has since gone way up, but are we seeing a genuine indication of its worth or some other sort of fluke? Surely the edition size of 100 does help to support the case, but we are ultimately looking at a 747% appreciation, folks!

And while its got Sideshow’s name on it, Weta can at least claim co-parentage as the piece was sculpted by Weta Workshop’s Greg Tozer and Mary Machlachlan. Ah the one(s) that got away…

Valuation: +747%

(See latest completed Ebay auctions)

Weta reports that the three one-of-a-kind Manmelter 3600ZX Rayguns to have undergone Weta painters Sourisak Canpaseuth and Jonny Brough’s stylish transformations have sold out in just 20 minutes.

The Yellow Peril | The Crimson Curse | The White Devil

$1250 was the asking price for each piece, a roughly 80% increase from a standard Manmelter. Which, considering you have the ducats, doesn’t seem entirely unreasonable!

Did you miss the teaser announcement last week right here at [[Artist Proof]]? Yes indeedy, Weta Collectibles will be selling prop swords from Peter Lyon, and the latest Weta Cast sheds more light on the mystery. One thing is certain, the swords will in fact be “one-offs” and not a part of any concrete mass produced ‘range’– as Peter himself describes it, this is all coming about as the downtime between film projects sometimes affords him the opportunity to work on “special commissions” for collectors.

Have a listen to the pod cast for yourself and see if you can decipher it any better than I.

Better yet, pick Mr. Lyon’s brain yourself at the Leeds, UK exhibit this upcoming weekend and more importantly, give us the scoop!

Forum member Oxfordian recently caught up with Peter Lyon at the Weta Exhibition in Leeds, UK. Not only did he manage to chat with the master swordsmith after his presentation, he also got Mr. Lyon’s to inscribe one of his works from the Sideshow Weta days to give away on our forum. Swell chap ain’t he!

Do check out Oxfordian’s recap of Peter Lyon’s presentation as well.

• More on Weta’s Exhibition at the Royal Armouries Museum
• Weta to produce a range of sword replicas!

I had always held out some hope that Peter Jackson’s Halo film project would see the light of day, despite its vanishing act. I saw the Halo short films by Neil Blomkamp as a reel to the studios, as assurance that it was safe to put the money back on the table. On the other hand, the possibility of the scenario being “Well, the film’s not happening, what should do with all this stuff?” also seemed equally real, but my optimism held. News of other Halo film projects proceeding ahead be damned!

As you’ll hear in the latest Weta Cast from Richard Taylor himself:

As everyone listening in knows, we very sadly had the Halo film that we had been working on for so many months disappear. For various reasons, it didn’t get made last year.

With the man’s remarks on the situation, I can finally put that idea to bed. Hollywood, that was as good of a chance as you’d ever had with Halo (which in itself had a great chance of being the first ‘good’ video game movie), and you blew it, nice going guys. The interview is centered on Mr. Taylor’s art direction role on Weta’s new Halo collectibles, but it branches off in all sorts of interesting directions.

There’s also a nice interview (and if you’re like me– an introduction) with Weta Workshop designer Paul Tobin conducted by Daniel Falconer. You’ll not find better designer on designer action for the money!

And finally, a few of the miniature Goliathon 83 Rayguns are now available to order from their site, should you be in the UK or NZ.

• Check out Weta’s latest podcast
• Get thyself a mini Goliathon 83

The Hammer of the Gods must strike Weta Workshop pretty often as Led Zeppelin gets another nod in our second interview with the Kiwi effects and collectibles powerhouse. Ramble on for thoughts from designer and Rayguns: Dr. Grordborts Infallible Aether Oscillators creator Greg Broadmore on gorgeous groupies, abusing his artwork, and so much more!

[[AP]]: In the latest transmission from Dr. Grordbort, we found out that you had contracted a rare flesh eating disease. We certainly hope you are feeling better.

Greg Broadmore: It was not so much a flesh eating disease and more a brain eating disease in the form of a film I’ve been doing conceptual design work for. (I can’t name the film yet, sorry.) I’ve been designing for that film now for the last 8 or 9 months solid and that’s meant doing testimonial art has taken a back seat. I managed doing both for a while but then my poor brain started melting. We’ve been preparing a bunch of cool stuff for this year for Dr. Grordbort’s behind the scenes but I will be back creating art for Dr. G anytime now.

The film I’ve been designing for will rule, by the way. I cannot wait for this film. It’s one of the most unique and exciting films I have ever been involved with.

Could you describe what a typical day for you is like at Weta Workshop? Allow us to live vicariously just a little.

Well, first I roll half asleep down the hill to the workshop ( I live one minute from Weta, I could throw a beer bottle on the roof of the workshop from my deck) drink a coffee and spend the next two hours waking up. I usually work a 10 to 12 hour day and spend most of that concept designing.

When I am working on Dr. Grordborts’ a lot of that time is spent writing, which is a pretty new trick for me. I can barely spell. As well as time spent concept designing in photoshop a lot of time can be spent art directing the various builds. For instance, making sure that colours, textures, details etc are correct on one of the new Rayguns. And at about 3pm we take a break to have gorgeous groupies feed us exotic delicacies as we take a bath in a massive pool of film money while a reformed Led Zeppelin covers all my favourites songs. That was for the vicarious part of your question.

We’ve all heard of writer’s block; ever suffer from concept artist’s block? What’s the best cure?

Oh sure, they’re the same thing. Concepts are just visual stories. I don’t have that problem too often, luckily. Best cure? For me, when I find a concept isn’t working, I get really pissed at it and end up visually abusing it. I draw angry and beat the image up until it gives in. Works quite well. Loud punk rock or death metal can help too.

Let’s get to the nitty-gritty and talk some Rayguns. Where do the sci-fi/steam punk (steam funk!) influences come from?

I’ve talked a little about this before and it made me realise that steampunk, whatever that may be, isn’t what really inspired me to create Dr. Grordbort’s world. It was my fascination with Flash Gordon and the pulp Sci-fi of the 20’s, 30’s and later that inspired me. I just drew these rayguns as idealised prototype weapons from the science fiction aesthetic of that era.

To be honest, I didn’t create it as a historical riff like some Steampunk, I just boiled down all the influences I enjoyed from early 20th century Sci-fi and made a world that I liked. And it’s not even science fiction, it’s more like Science parody or Pseudo-Science fiction (but not pseudo-science in the style of non-scientific popular misconceptions like homeopathy etc..). The principals I play with are outmoded or far fetched ideas like Phlogiston and the Aether (Phlogiston is more of an alchemical concept than science I know, but it’s a fun idea that typifies some of the conceptual misdirections we’ve had in the history of human understanding).

The response from collectors across the globe have been phenomenal. Fortunately, that is a fact, and not something I made up just to be cordial. Has the success of the line met your expectations?

It is amazing too me and really bolstered me. It’s totally exceeded my expectations. I am so lucky that Richard loved it and wanted to run with it, his enthusiasm and support for the Rayguns and Dr. Grordbort has allowed me to expand on the idea and given us the opportunities to take it to bigger and better places. I’m looking forward to getting into the big plans we have for this year and the next.

What challenges (or on the other hand, advantages) do you face with building a collectibles property with which there are no binding multi-million film or entertainment properties- and all of the innate marketing power that comes with?

It’s all challenges all the time. As you pointed out, we don’t have a multi-million dollar advert playing in cinemas to help us sell high end art pieces like these so it’s a real challenge.

The greatest asset we have are enthusiastic fans who’ve seen the guns and loved them and helped us to show them to the world via the internet and print. It’s a real triumph to get as far as we have.

What’s one hilarious/shocking/disturbing/repulsive tidbit about the Rayguns that most people might not know?

Well, that might get [Weta senior modelmaker] David Tremont put in jail so I better not say. It involved the Manmelter, some pre-chewed chewing gum and a commercial drainage pump just to give you some background though.

Have you given any thought to expanding the line into statue form? The lively inhabitants in the Grordbortverse are as compelling as their weaponry. I’ve got a soft spot for the Moon Mistress meself, having been the humble blog’s masthead since inception.

Oh, you’ll just have to wait and see. But personally I think sculptures of really cool hunting expeditions involving bizarre aliens, beautiful space heroines and arcane machinery are a terrible idea and I would never put one in my study.

A 1/6 scale version of the Lord Cockswain and Moon Mistress display at Comic-Con would sell like hot buttered Shallow Beaked Grogan steaks!

Send money orders forthwith!

Any parting words to the Weta collectors out there?

Yes, thanks! You rule. If you bought a kick-arse, high-end
toy Raygun then you clearly have your priorities right.
Your kids don’t need to go to college anyway!

• The official Rayguns page at WetaNZ.com
• Read our interview with Weta’s Eden Small
• Go to the interviews index

For the [[AP]]’s inaugural interview, we were lucky enough to shoot the breeze with Eden Small, a sculptor all Weta collectors have been familiar since the Sideshow Weta days. Read on to see what the man has to say about tweaking Legolas and Gimli, Hellgate, and the challenges faced on an ever-evolving Kong.

[[AP]]: Hi Eden, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to chat with us. How’s the weather these days in New Zealand?
Eden Small: The weather here has been great! Plenty of sunshine and a lot less wind than usual.

Speaking of your busy schedule, describe what a typical work day is like for you at Weta?

After a good strong coffee it’s a matter of arranging the relevant reference photos, getting tools out, and getting to work!

Are you yourself much into collecting? If so, what sort of things grace your shelves?

I am more of a collector of reference material that could be useful to future art work than any thing else. Anatomy reference, particularly in regard to animals is always something I find I can never have enough of. Also Led Zep Bootlegs.

Though one of the more challenging pieces to display in the LOTR line, we love your Legolas and Gimli on Arod statue. Was there a great deal of deliberation prior to settling on the final composition?

Thank you. That piece did change a bit from its original design. It was a challenge to have the dynamics of the figures as balanced as they needed to be, so there was a little, tweaking in the maquetting stage. An interesting note is that it was a last minute change to the sculpt to have Gimli grabbing the hood of Legolas’ cape to keep himself from falling off Arod as he leans heavily to one side to strike with his axe. This had another visual bonus for the piece of adding a touch of humour to it, and showed a developing trust between the characters.

As an effects house, it is very unique (and advantageous I imagine) that you guys are instrumental in creating the actual films from which the collectibles are often based. What special perks do you sculptors utilize in way of reference materials etc. when it comes time to create the statues?

On the Lord of The Rings collectables for example, having access to actual costumes, weapons, and life casts of actor’s faces is great for accuracy in the work. Also, on set photos can provide good reference when sculpts are being made as the movie they are based on is still being shot.

Let’s talk about the Templar statue from the Hellgate: London range; what differences did you find in working from a videogame property as opposed to film?

From a technical view point, the armour on the Templar was difficult to realise in clay. On a personal level, the guys from flagship studios came over from the U.S.A and were very inspiring and we collaborated with them on the poses of the pieces for the Hellgate: London range and this is something that was an added incentive that would not happen with movie product.

Can we expect more of Weta from the Hellgate: London franchise?

That would probably depend on the popularity of the current figures, but it would be fun to do some more work for Hellgate.

You guys are running a draw in which a winner will have their face sculpted onto a custom Templar Knight (details here). That is one of the coolest giveaway ideas I’ve seen. Will you be handling the duties?

It does seem like a cool idea to have your own head on a Templar cutting a swathe through some nasty zombies and I hope I am involved!

Looking back at your incredibly diverse oeuvre, which includes –in addition to what we’ve discussed: Gothmog on Warg, Kong vs. V-Rex, Returning Son, Zorro on Tornado, and an Elton John bobble! Is there one piece that stands out in your memory that you most struggled with? Most proud of?

The biggest struggle on a piece was Kong Vs V-Rex as Kong’s hair was at a stage in design which in meant it was constantly evolving. Which meant a lot of changes to the sculpt. Sometimes changing back to the original look. And then away from it only to come back again. Also, copying directly from the scannable maquette of the V Rex that was in the movie, meant that I had to do my best to ensure that all the beautiful hand sculpted scales on it, made the transition as faithfully as possible to the version I sculpted. Given the difference in size and deadline from the scannable to the collectable, that was demanding to say the least. I am proud of my work in that it can inspire some and hopefully accurately depict subject matter for others. As for any one piece, I do like the Legolas, Gimli, Arod sculpt too.

Any parting words for your fans out there?

Thanks for the appreciation of my work. It does mean a lot to know that people enjoy the pieces, and I hope to keep delivering for as long as I can.

• See more of Eden’s work- I know you want to see that Elton bobble
• Go to the interviews index

The One Ring Celebration, Pasadena | January 14, 2005

Daniel Falconer is possibly the nicest person you’ll ever meet. As a guest of the inaugural One Ring Celebration, his appearance at the convention was hosted by Weta’s then-very chummy partners, Sideshow Collectibles. Read the rest of this entry »