-
Weta Digital Oscar nominee Joe Letteri - Source: Reuters
On the eve of the Oscars, ONE News LA correspondent Dominic Bowden talked to the Kiwi connection to this year's Oscar ceremony - Weta Digital nominee Joe Letteri.
Letteri is no stranger to the Oscars, having already won three of them for his special effects work on Lord of the Rings trilogy and King Kong.
Now Avatar brings him his fifth Oscar nomination, against District 9 and Star Trek for Best Special Visual Effects.
"It's still exciting& this is the fifth time I've been to the Oscars as a nominee, I've won three times already as you know, but there is still no thrill like it, so it's pretty exciting," says Letteri.
Wellington's Weta Digital brought the 3D world of Pandora to life, under Letteri's supervision.
"All the other work that we've done, we've been doing with Peter (Jackson), it's been very much in the family&but this was Peter taking a break after Kong& gearing up for Hobbit, there was a little bit of down time and Jim (Cameron) just stepping in and saying, I like the way you work I'd like to work with you," says Letteri.
But none of them imagined it would become the blockbuster it has, breaking box office records as the highest grossing film of all time.
"The success of Avatar has been so unexpected& like people have loved it worldwide and I don't think any of us, speaking for Jim I don't even think he thought it would do this well," says Letteri.
After nine years in Wellington, Letteri is happy to be called an honorary Kiwi and says a win on Monday is a win for New Zealand.
"Most of the movie really was done in New Zealand and so it's just really just a great tribute to every one there and I really hope everyone is just enjoying this moment."
Letteri says he is still hoping Avatar can win several Oscars, though he understands that The Hurt Locker is going to be really strong competition.
"I am still hoping it goes to Avatar. As good a movie as I think Hurt Locker is, and I know it's a race between the two, I think we'll be celebrating tomorrow one way or the other&"
The Oscar party will extend all the way down to New Zealand, where Weta Digital will host their own Oscar after-party in Wellington.
Oscars Video
-
Hollywood rewards its finest (2:44)
-
On the red carpet at the Oscars (4:45)
-
Oscar in the bag already for Weta whiz (1:41)
