Set in Middle-earth, the story tells of the Dark Lord Sauron who is seeking the One Ring. The film features monumental battles with digital characters, fantastical landscapes and CG creatures created with newly developed, cutting-edge software tools.
The film saw a lot of firsts for Weta Digital and the VFX industry. The famous Balin’s Tomb sequence was the first time a virtual camera had been used in a virtual production context and Massive software enabled the creation of the vast computer generated armies. The global success of The Fellowship of the Ring became a matter of national pride for New Zealand. The film was nominated for 13 Oscars, winning Best Visual Effects.
With its spectacular scenery, stupefying effects and epic scope, [The Lord of the Rings] is a dream come true.
Rita Kempley, Washington Post
Best Visual Effects
Jim Rygiel, Randall William Cook, Richard Taylor, Mark Stetson
Achievement in Special Visual Effects
Jim Rygiel, Richard Taylor, Alex Funke, Randall William Cook, Mark Stetson
Feature Film Visual Effects
Weta Digital - Winner