Frequently asked questions

Wētā Workshop is one of the world’s largest creative services companies. We design and manufacture for the world’s film, television, immersive entertainment and creative industries, develop video games in our game studio, make consumer products, and share our creativity with the world through our attractions in Auckland and Wellington.

We work across film, television, immersive experiences, tourism, consumer products, game development, media production and more. We’ve even worked on children’s playgrounds. If it’s creative and exciting, we want to know about it.

A physical effect is a real, tactile object, whereas visual effects are digital, such as computer-generated imagery (CGI). Almost every film and television show uses physical or visual effects in some way. 

Wētā Workshop makes physical effects. These include things like costumes, weapons, armour, vehicles, models and miniatures, special makeup effects and much more. 

We don’t make movies, but we do help to design and make the cool stuff that you see in movies.

Wētā Workshop specialises in concept design and manufacture for the world’s creative industries. We make physical items like props and costumes for movies, public art sculptures, exhibitions, collectibles, games, multimedia and much more. 

Wētā FX specialises in digital visual effects and CGI for movies and television shows. Though we share the name ‘Wētā’, we are two separate companies who operate independently of each other.

Wētā Workshop is located on the Miramar Peninsula in New Zealand’s capital city of Wellington. We’re just five minutes from Wellington International Airport and 10 minutes from the CBD. You can find Wētā Workshop Unleashed, our mind-blowing, awe-inspiring adventure into the heart of movie magic, at Auckland's SkyCity.

Although our workshop is in New Zealand, we work with clients all over the world, from concept to delivery. 

We love to share our work with others. Contact us at info@wetaworkshop.co.nz to talk further.

We attend many different conventions in the US, Europe, Australia and more. For the latest news on where to find us, follow us on LinkedIn.

For all enquiries relating to Peter Jackson and WingNut Films, please contact reception@wingnutfilms.co.nz   

A wētā is an indigenous New Zealand insect. This creature has been on the Earth since the time of the dinosaurs. This amazing bug is also called wētāpunga in te reo Māori, which means ‘god of ugly things’. In our opinion, the wētā is the coolest little monster in the world, making it a fitting name for a company that, among other things, makes monsters for a living! 

We work with clients at any stage of a creative project. Many clients engage us at the earliest stages to help them come up with — and then shape — ‘the big idea’. Others engage us at the conceptual design or manufacture stage. Have a chat to us about your needs.

If you’d like to let us know about your product, service or idea, get in touch with us at services.enquiries@wetaworkshop.co.nz

We take on creative projects of many sizes and scales. We are always happy to hear about potential projects. Contact us at services.enquiries@wetaworkshop.co.nz   

Sorry, but Wētā Workshop doesn’t make films. We suggest you get in touch with a studio or filmmaker to start making your story a reality. 

For concept design and practical effects for your script, you can get in touch with us at 
services.enquiries@wetaworkshop.co.nz

Get in touch at services.enquiries@wetaworkshop.co.nz

Unfortunately, we can’t help everyone as much as we would like to, but we are always happy to consider donation and sponsorship proposals. Visit our Sponsorships page to learn more.

Head to our Wellington page to find out more and book.

Book online and save! Visit our Wellington page to book all of our experiences or email us at bookings@wetaworkshop.co.nz

Sorry, as we are a fully operational workshop, there are some hazards that make entering our workspace unsafe. Because we’re also working our movie magic behind the scenes, we’re unable to take you onto the workshop floor itself. However, our tours do give you an exclusive look into the workshop through multiple viewing windows, getting you as close to the magic as possible.

Yes, our tours are wheelchair accessible. For more information, please email us at bookings@wetaworkshop.co.nz

Yes and no! Your guide will let you know when you can use your camera.  

There are certain rooms of our tour space where photography is permitted, however, there are some rooms where we ask for you to not take photographs.  

There’s also the opportunity to receive a free digital photo within the tour space, so you’ll be able to take home a fun memory of your experience.  

We’re open seven days a week (except Christmas Day). Our opening hours are seasonal, please see our Plan Your Visit page for details. 

Our Wētā Cave retail store is a favourite destination for film enthusiasts, guarded by our iconic Cave Trolls. You can buy authentic Wētā Workshop-designed collectibles, prop replicas, movie memorabilia and much more, located in both Wellington and Auckland. 

For more FAQs, check out our Plan Your Visit page. 

Head to our Unl​eashed page to find out more and book.

Book online and save! Visit our Unleashed page to book all of our experiences or email us at bookings@wetaworkshop.co.nz

Wētā Workshop in Wellington is our creative home, where we design and create practical effects for your favourite movies.

In Auckland, we invite you to get hands-on and immerse yourself in a wacky world of special effects, props and larger-than-life sets. Explore three film projects from the imagination of our crew, and discover how we bring sci-fi, fantasy and horror movie concepts to life. 

Yes, they are. For more information on different accessibility needs, please see our Plan Your Visit page.

Yes! Photography is welcomed at Wētā Workshop Unleashed. There’s also the opportunity to receive a free video within the tour space, so you’ll be able to take home a fun memory of your experience.  

We’re open seven days a week (except Christmas Day). Our opening hours are seasonal, please see our Plan Your Visit page for details.

Our Wētā Cave retail store is a cavern of creativity in its own right. Offering something for every fan of the industry, the Wētā Cave retail experience in Auckland hosts a must-see collection of cool stuff to buy.

For more FAQs, check out our Plan Your Visit page.

Be sure to check out our support centre. We might have answered your question already. 

All our collectibles are designed or developed here at Wētā Workshop by our dedicated team of artisans, craftspeople and production staff. We then work with trusted manufacturing partners in China to put these beautiful collectibles into production.

Our customer service team are always happy to help. Contact us on support@wetanz.co.nz or visit our online support centre. 

Contact us at press@w​etawo​​rkshop.co​.nz. We’re happy to help, but sometimes we cannot share photos or information on the things we’ve made because they’re not our intellectual property.

Wētā Workshop was founded by Richard Taylor and Tania Rodger in 1987. We officially became known as Wētā Workshop in 1993. We’ve been making cool stuff for over 30 years!

We are known for contributing props, weapons, costumes, vehicles, armour, miniatures and much more to a variety of wonderful projects including The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies, Avatar, Alien: Romulus, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes and Blade Runner 2049, to name just a few. We’ve also transformed Haikou International Duty-Free Shopping Complex into a fantastical, multisensory retail experience, and created larger-than-life, hyper-realistic sculptures for Expo 2020 Dubai’s Alif: The Mobility Pavilion.

We take on projects of any size, scope or scale. From bespoke, one-off suits and low-budget indie films to big-budget blockbusters and entire armies, exhibitions and displays at monumental scale.

Check out our Careers page for our latest job openings.

We employ all sorts of talented, tenacious individuals from all over the world, each with different backgrounds, experiences and skills. It’s not necessarily about having an official qualification. To us, the most important attributes are passion, tenacity, enthusiasm and talent — in that order. Work at your craft every day, learn as much as you can from the folks who work in your desired field, and keep your eyes and ears open for opportunities. You never know where they might lead.  

We don’t usually offer internships as we prefer to offer jobs instead! However, you can always check our Careers page for opportunities.

Wētā Workshop occasionally collaborates with like-minded companies to offer art and design competitions. You can stay up to date on Facebook or LinkedIn.