John Harvey - Weta Senior Modelmaker - Q&A with the RPF

[Sid 6.7]

1. If you had to choose one prop that would best represent who and what John Harvey is all about, what would it be?

2. What single prop (or series of movie props) would you say that you put every ounce of your heart, soul and creative effort into?

3. What brings you the most satisfaction? A)Seeing your creations on screen. B)Seeing fans rally around a particular prop. C)Receiving accolades from peers in the industry.

4. What movie or movie franchise released within the last 25 years that you were not involved with, would you say "Man, I really wish I had been the prop supervisor on that film!"?

5. Any chance of WETA releasing a 1:1 set of realistic Hobbits in costume? And by 1:1 I mean they look exactly like Elija, Sean and company, but proportionately scaled down to screen accurate "Hobbit" size.

 

[BRRogers]

Hi John,

I guess I have a couple questions also:

1) Who or what event in your life would you say was a great inspiration that set you on the path towards prop-making?

2) More specifically, what project or event led up to working at WETA? Was working on the team at WETA something you dreamed of doing and pursued, or did life take you there on it's own?

3) Life has many different parts, and perhaps your position at WETA is one dream accomplished... what do you dream of accomplishing next in life?

4) Does WETA have a need for a seasoned barista on staff??

Thanks for your time!

 

[Mercury]

1)Do you always get sketches of props a certain movie wants or do they give you an open canvas to create?

2)In the process, do you ever use the method a lot of older prop makers did back in the day when they saw a random cool looking object and incorporating it into the design or, with today's technology as good as it is, is it all custom designed and built?

3)Do you feel that today's prop makers are able to be more creative with the technology they have and by having that advantage, have an easier time in creating a unique piece or have they perhaps lost a certain amount of ingenuity because in the older days prop makers had to work with little to nothing to achieve the effect required?

Finally, thanks for allowing us this opportunity to ask these questions and we truly hope WETA continues to fill our days with lots of fantastic imagery of things that were, are, and will be!:cool

 

[T2SF]

What was the last prop you obsessed over? or what prop would you like in your collection?

 

[FuseNova]

John,

Appreciate the time you're taking to visit the RPF!

1 - What technology has dramatically changed prop making since you started your career and on which of your projects did this really come into play?

2 - What technology do you believe will change prop making over the next 20 years?

Cheers!

 

[Snowflake]

i'm a young propmaker trying to make my way into the industry, what would you suggest to become a succesfull professional?

 

[Chewbacca]

Hi Mr Havey,

I want to become a prop designer /creator,
What is my first step to making it happen?

 

[Ikariya]

What is the most memorable piece you had a part of making and why?

What is your most memorable piece rejected for any reason? What prop was nearly done but was rejected for some reason?

 

[NICKSLICK]

John, i have a non asked question yet:
What materials are currently being used to build props, what kind of thermoplastics(i guess) you use and what will be the better material for an example a halo weapon to get the right metal look?

Luck.

 

[SmilingOtter]

Mr. Harvey -

On one of the Fellowship of the Ring documentaries, they went into how Weta fashioned a small knife and sharpening stone for Aragorn, based on input from Viggo Mortensen. How often have actors involved themselves in the design/fabrication process in your movies, and have any impressed you with their insights or suggestions?

 

[Deanwormer]

Mr. Harvey:

Writer's often create whole bios of each character, regardless of how insignifigant the character and whether any of that information is important to the larger story. It helps them conceptualize the character.

My question is: do you do the same thing with props when you're creating them from scratch?

I'm thinking specifically of my favorite prop that you had a part in: The Samaritan from Hellboy but it really extends to any other prop you had a hand in creating.

 

[tk1055]

of all the projects you have worked on what is your favorite and least favorite?

 

[Aztek Dummy]

John,
I know you must strive to make your props as realistic and detailed as possible, but have you found yourself under increased pressure to make them that extra level better knowing that the work will end up on on higher definition systems when viewed by the folks at home?

Whereas a single prop might be seen fleetingly for a few seconds in a theatre, now it lives forever on Bluray, that sort of thing

 

[Alex]

When you build stuff, and mess up halfway there, do you keep going and see whats the final result or do you throw everything away and start again?

 

[Goodwolf]

When making swords and armor for the LOTR movies I was blown away by the detail that went into the pieces. But how much "function" if any, is discarded to crank up the "form" or wow factor?

 

[rollerboi]

How does Weta set themselves apart from the competition when it comes to propmaking for the movies? By that, I mean, can you describe some of the processes, be it mockup or final prop, that you feel are unique and take pride in?

 

[General Anesthesia]

Seems as though a lot of people are asking where the creative juices are coming from so I thought I'd ask from a different angle of if he ever has to put the brakes on those creative streaks

1.) Do you ever feel limited in your design process if you are making a piece that is a non-CGI prop, or 2.) Do you feel that sometimes you have to limit yourself in the design in the CGI realm to keep the believability of the prop?

 

[Jannix Quinn]

What are the top three essential & most used items in your toolbox?

 

[jedistine]

When working on a job, are you locked into what the contract calls for or do you get to explore your personal ideas?

 

[rvb18]

what did WETA use as a base for their warthog (vehicle, body, wind shield) as i am thinking of making one. also i must say you guys did an awesome job on the halo shorts. i only wish they would make a movie already!