LOCAL LIFE

SAMMY MURRAY

Want to know every Weta Workshop secret? You'll discover it all at Weta Workshop Unleashed. Staff member, Sammy Murray gives us the low-down.

What can visitors expect at Weta Workshop Unleashed?

Expect the unexpected! We think of it as offering our guests whatever their mind can unleash. Unlike most museums and exhibitions, guests can play with so many elements – touch is such an important part of learning. It’s a hyper crazy version of our workshop in which there are three movie elements – a classic, lowbudget, horror flick, a fantasy film and an epic sci-fi movie with a local connection.

How do your tours differ from Weta Workshop tours in Wellington?

They are really quite different. Our Wellington tours showcase the cool stuff we've made over 25 years. In some cases, the items are precious so you can’t touch them. In Weta Workshop Unleashed, guests can see, feel and touch what we’ve made; take photos and play.

Tell us about your role

I am the experience lead, so my job is to make sure everything is running properly. And I look after our fantastic crew. We call them Unleashed Technicians and they are the face of our experience – bringing it to life and making it really fun and lively. I also help our team in the Weta Cave. This is our biggest and most exciting retail site where visitors can come and see the displays and rare collectibles.

What do you like about it?

Every day here is very different and I really love the fast pace – there’s always something happening. Another great part of my role is seeing how the hosts build relationships with our guests. All of our crew bring a little of themselves to Weta Workshop Unleashed.

What is the most popular workshop and why?

You really can’t compare them – they are very, very different experiences. We encourage people, if they can, to see both.

Any other thoughts?

We have had such a wonderful response from our guests and we would love to see plenty more Kiwis come and experience Weta Workshop Unleashed.