Behind the Scenes of the Trilogy
Milton Ngan, Digital Operations Manager, Weta Digital Ltd.

Weta Digital exemplifies the “Kiwi way” of leading in technology, design, and innovation. Weta talent has been recognised by the 2003 BAFTA Award and the 2003 Academy Award for their special effects.

Reports are that the culmination of the trilogy, The Return of the King, due out November, is the most technically challenging of its predecessors. Whereas The Two Towers claimed 800 digital effect shots, the third instalment will rack up nearly 1200 complex shots and battle scenes – ones more intricate than in the other epics. To meet Peter Jackson’s challenge, Wellington’s Weta Digital studio has spent millions of dollars doubling its processing capacity. The outcome? The largest Intel-based high-performance computing centre in the world! Movie-goers will be able to view the impressive results on the screen.

Pull the curtain aside and behind the scenes you will find Milton Ngan, Digital Operations Manager, working his own sorcery with a 30-strong IT team. As with project managers, some might call him an unsung hero. For example, they created their own disk allocation system to handle the massive processing demands by dozens of special-effects artists. Milton’s role has been pivotal; his vantage point, unique. Busy? What do you think? We’re pleased he’s finding time to share with us the challenges of planning, implementing, and sustaining Weta’s incomparable achievement in technology.

Delivering Lord of the Rings Exhibition
Chris Bicknell, Director, The Carson Group

Te Papa engaged Story!Inc to design and build the exhibition for presentation at Te Papa and to tour internationally. Carson Group were engaged by Story!Inc to manage the project from concept development to opening day. Key project stakeholders included Barrie Osborne (LOTR producer), Richard Taylor, Newline cinemas, 3’6”, Weta Digital, and associated exhibition build contractors. The exhibition opened in December 2002 and has been Te Papa’s most successful show, both in visitor numbers and public feed back.

The relationship of this project to such a high profile venture in the film industry made it unique. The passion and creativity that brought the movies to the screen played a large part in getting the exhibition completed. This paper will explore the project management techniques utilised to ensure a managed delivery within tight constraints while still giving full reign to the creative input that has made the movies and the exhibition so successful. This project makes a great case study of how creativity and innovation can be harnessed through project management to produce a fantastic business result. This presentation will explain how this was done from the viewpoint of the project manager.