Source: Radio New Zealand
Sir Richard Taylor has been honoured in Los Angeles tonight. File picture. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Wētā Workshop co-founder Sir Richard Taylor has been recognised for his contributions to the visual effects industry at the 24th Annual VES Awards on Thursday night in Los Angeles.
Global professional honorary society the Visual Effects Society (VES) awarded Sir Richard the VES Visionary Award. Previous recipients include Christopher Nolan and J.J. Abrams.
“I’m honoured by this recognition from the Visual Effects Society, a community of artists and practitioners that I feel blessed to have been a part of since its inception,” Sir Richard said.
“I accept this award on behalf of all of our crew at Wētā Workshop, whose work has always been in creative service – using practical effects, design, and physical craftsmanship to help expand what’s possible in collaboration with VFX and film-making teams around the world.”
He said the award reflected the dedication, ingenuity, and generosity of spirit by the many artists who had joined him on his journey over the past 38 years.
He said he was incredibly grateful to the VES for celebrating the creative and collaborative journey of him and his colleagues and their efforts to bring imagined worlds to life.
The VES Visionary Award recognises an individual who has uniquely and consistently employed the art and science of VFX to foster imagination and ignite future discoveries by way of artistry, invention, and groundbreaking work. The society selected Sir Richard Taylor for his undeniable impact on the VFX industry as co-founder of the Wētā companies.
Wētā Workshop has provided the design and physical effects for more than 160 films, including the globally acclaimed The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit and Avatar trilogies, as well as Chronicles of Narnia, King Kong, the Thor series and Black Panther.
It has won five Academy Awards across three disciplines, special effects makeup, VFX, and costume design. Sir Richard has also received four BAFTAs and more than 35 national and international awards for his work within the creative industries.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
