Wellington

Jean writes:

This morning we took a bus into the city centre and another out to Miramar, where the Weta Cave workshop are located in a small side street in a largely residential area.

The workshop made made award-winning props, costumes and armour for many great films, like the Lord of the Rings series, the Hobbit and Avatar.  It looks unprepossessing from the outside, but the interior is full of examples of the craft of the many workers, from Frodo's short sword, Sting, to the gun used by aliens in District 9 or a miniature of the castle used in Prince Caspian.

The tour was a fantastic insight and we heard about the different stages of the process that go to make any items needed in a film.  First of all ideas about design are tossed around by artists and, once approved, other people become involved - mother computer designers, the modellers, the engineers and the painters.  The last group not only have to paint items but may have to bash them around to ensure that they don't look too shiny and new! 

Some items, for instance, Aragorn's Sword, has to be made in steel for close up high definition shots, although another, much lighter version may be made for other shots.  

Vigo Mortensen, who played Aragorn, is a "method" actor, who likes to wear the clothes and handle important items in a film for some while before actually making the film.  Apparently he wore his sword when going to a night club in Queenstown and was refused entry due to carrying an offensive weapon! 

The afternoon was spent at one of our favourite places from our last visit to Wellington, six years ago, the Botanic Garden.  It was good to take a trip down memory lane, despite the steepness of some of the slopes! 

One small irritating part of the day was a scam when I went to buy stamps and acquire air mail stickers from a convenience store.  I had already stuck the air mail stickers on to my postcards when the guy behind the counter demanded two dollars forty cents.  Not much, I grant you, but since they are free at the post office and everywhere else, I was somewhat surprised and expressed my disbelief.  The guy's English was poor, and clearly had no idea what I was talking about, so Eventually I paid up for the stickers and left, without the stamps! 

Dining Out

Dave writes:

Lovely meal out with Greg at Asian restaurant in downtown Wellington.

Venue famous some years ago for fisticuffs between top journo and politico

No such excitement tonight as we worked through some authentic cuisine.