Weta Workshop launches Thunderbirds Are Go experience

Weta Workshop launches Thunderbirds Are Go Experience

5 December, 2015

Fans of the Thunderbirds Are Go television series will be able to go behind the scenes and see the artistry behind the show from early December when the latest Weta Workshop tourism experience opens in Miramar.

The Thunderbirds Are Go Behind-The-Scenes Experience takes guests on an exclusive tour of the authentic props, models and set pieces used in the production of the hit Pukeko Pictures and ITV television show.

Filming for the second season is happening now in Miramar, and the miniatures that visitors will discover on the tour are the same ones used on set. In fact, a shooting stage has been incorporated into the tour to provide a fascinating glimpse at the tricks of the trade used to bring this highly detailed world to the screen.

Thunderbirds Are Go, the contemporary retelling of the beloved 1960s TV show, features a blend of digital characters and physical sets, with the iconic vehicles and aircraft being a mix of the two. This unique approach keeps the show true to its lineage while giving filmmakers the ability to incorporate enthralling action sequences and a wider range of character emotions and movements.

Weta Workshop CEO and Co-founder, Richard Taylor has long been a fan of the original show, which inspired his filmmaking career.

“My life-long fascination with model making and practical film effects was born of the Thunderbirds and other shows like it. So it has been terrific to have been involved in the design and manufacture of what you’ll see on this tour.”

Visitors to the Thunderbirds Are Go Behind-The-Scenes Experience will see a selection of the concept art that the designers at Weta Workshop created and continue to create as production moves forward on Season 2. The 40-minute guided tour also features the scale models used as the filming sets for Tracy Island, the Thunderbird Hangers, and Creighton Ward Manor, as well as the shooting stage and authentic models being built by Weta Workshop technicians who are more than happy to answer any questions guests may have.

For Jake Downing, Head of Tourism at Weta Workshop, the Thunderbirds Are Go Behind-The-Scenes Experience is an exciting addition to the growing selection of Weta Workshop filmmaking tours on the Miramar Peninsula.

“We’re committed to the development of a range of unique and exclusive filmmaking experiences that give visitors to Wellington, and Wellingtonians alike, a fantastic reason to come visit us on the Peninsula for the day. The Thunderbirds Are Go Behind-The-Scenes Experience will be a real draw card for families and fans of the Thunderbirds from all over the world.

"The experience complements our Weta Cave and Weta Cave Workshop Tour experiences which continue to attract tens of thousands of fans of Middle-earth and other movies that Weta Workshop has worked on over the past 21 years.”

The Thunderbirds Are Go Behind-The-Scenes Experience officially opens on Saturday, December 6 and will be open every day excluding Christmas day, with a new tour departing every half hour from 9.00am – 4.30pm. Bookings can be made online at www.wetaworkshop.com/TAG, at the Weta Cave Shop, or at the Wellington i-SITE in Civic Square. Tours depart from the Weta Cave Shop, 1 Weka Street, Miramar.

PRICES:
ADULTS - $25
CHILDREN (6 - 12 YEARS)- $12
INFANTS (5 AND UNDER)- Free
FAMILY: (2 ADULTS + 2 CHILDREN)-$65

ENDS

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