Project-based funding + Gov’t grants
Film studios
1993
Deep R&D investment
Visual effects
Founded by filmmaker Peter Jackson with partners Richard Taylor and Jamie Selkirk in 1993. Early funding came from their film projects. Wētā FX grew through contracts for films like Heavenly Creatures and The Lord of the Rings.
Initial customers were Peter Jackson’s own films; the studio later served international filmmakers.
Startup Rollercoaster
The Spark
In 1993, Peter Jackson, Richard Taylor, and Jamie Selkirk founded Weta Digital in Wellington to create digital effects for Heavenly Creatures.
The Peak
The studio’s reputation soared with The Lord of the Rings trilogy, followed by King Kong, Avatar, The Jungle Book, and Avatar: The Way of Water. Its groundbreaking work won multiple Academy Awards and established Wētā as one of the world’s leading VFX companies.
The Drop
Building a world-class VFX studio in Wellington required global recruitment and heavy infrastructure investment. Cash flow was closely tied to major film projects, creating financial and operational pressure.
The Reset
Weta expanded its client base beyond Peter Jackson’s films, taking on Hollywood productions and investing heavily in proprietary software. In 2021, the company sold its technology division to Unity Technologies for US$1.625 billion, and in December that year rebranded the retained VFX business as Wētā FX.
The Discipline
The company built proprietary tools, such as the MASSIVE crowd simulation system, and nurtured a culture of innovation. Strong relationships with filmmakers and consistent delivery under tight deadlines reinforced its reputation.
The Climb
By the mid-2000s, Wētā had become one of the most influential VFX companies worldwide. Today it employs thousands across multiple sites and continues to set benchmarks for visual storytelling through projects like Avatar: The Way of Water.
Read more
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W%C4%93t%C4%81_FX
- https://variety.com/2021/digital/news/weta-digital-sold-unity-1235110287/
- https://vfxblog.com/2018/03/27/from-live-action-to-final-shots-a-weta-digital-case-study-on-maze-runner-the-death-cure/
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