Sir Richard Taylor, founder of Wētā Workshop, began his career cleaning airplane bathrooms. Today, he leads one of the world's most respected visual effects companies. His leadership philosophy is not based on pure ambition, but on love: for oneself, for the work, for the team, and for the clients. A lesson in humility and passion for building enduring companies.
The art of building worlds with software and clay 🎨
At Wētā Workshop, technology does not replace manual craftsmanship. They combine digital modeling with physical sculptures to bring creatures like Gollum or the orcs from The Lord of the Rings to life. Their workflow integrates 3D scanning, printing, and computer animation, but it always starts with a pencil sketch. Taylor insists that the team understands every layer of the process, from code to brush, to maintain creative control without sacrificing technical efficiency.
The boss who asks you to love your neighbor (and your orc prosthetic) 🧌
Imagine your boss blurts out in a meeting: We need to love each other more. It sounds like a weekend guru talk, but at Wētā it works. Taylor says that if you don't love your work, the audience will notice. And if you don't love your colleague, the troll costume looks bad. Sure, it's easier said when you don't have to clean airplane bathrooms. But in the end, his method has lasted for decades. Maybe love does sell, and not just on Valentine's Day.