Ghouls come out for visit
Ghouls and goblins are emerging from the darkest corners of creative Wellington’s imagination for the royal couple.
In a display of the best of the capital’s film industry, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will meet young artists eager to display their talent in fantasy horror make-up, costume and virtual reality.
And Wellingtonians can get a preview: the Things That Go Bump In The Night exhibition is open this weekend at the Courtenay Creative.
The creative hub, the brainchild of Weta Workshop co-founder Jamie Selkirk and Miramar Creative co-founder Kristy Bryant, threw its doors open two weeks ago.
Bryant said the hub, housed in the old BNZ building on Courtenay Place, would bring the film industry’s energy into the central city. ‘‘It’s a bit of an exhibition and testing space, and also we’re setting up some workshops in 2019 for educational interaction.’’
The presentation for the royals will display seven stages of creativity, including a previously unseen mixed-reality project, and involves students from Te Auaha, Toi Whakaari, Massey and Victoria.
‘‘Each step is an engagement with an industry professional, like an artist in residence, and a student.
We’re taking them on a bit of a journey, and all of these things Wellington have excelled at. They’re going to be able to see whatever comes our way, New Zealand is equipped because of our creative capacity, to lead the world.’’
Weta creative director Gino Acevedo, responsible for goblins in Lord Of The Rings among other film creatures, has curated the exhibition.
His creations – illustrated in airbrush, painting and pencil – aren’t seen in any of the films he’s worked on, they’re simply the ‘‘little friends in my head’’.
‘‘You can imagine what’s going through the artists’ heads, they’ve been creating all these things – but they’re safe people.’’
On Monday evening, he will transform his 12-year-old daughter Ruby into a character from Planet Of The Apes.
‘‘Meghan and Harry will get to meet a real chimpanzee kid, and we’ll talk about the whole process of how it’s done.’’