📌 Core Information
🔹 Job Title: Creative Director - Seeking expressions of interest
🔹 Company: Weta Workshop
🔹 Location: Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
🔹 Job Type: Full-time
🔹 Category: Movies, Videos, and Sound
🔹 Date Posted: 2025-07-21
🔹 Experience Level: 10+ years
🔹 Remote Status: On-site
🚀 Job Overview
Key aspects of this role include:
- Leading and inspiring teams to create groundbreaking immersive experiences
- Acting as the 'vision-holder' for projects, maintaining and communicating creative intent
- Creative management of design deliverables from vision development to completion
- Bringing strong experience in creative leadership and expertise in experience design, exhibition & museum design, spatial design, or themed entertainment
- Proficiency in software such as Photoshop, Vectorworks, Adobe Creative Suite, Revit, Grasshopper, and Blender
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a high level of creativity, leadership, and technical proficiency. Applicants should have a proven track record in creative direction and relevant design experience.
📋 Key Responsibilities
✅ Lead and encourage early creative development explorations to arrive at the best vision and ideas for the project
✅ Act as the 'vision-holder' for the project team, inspiring, maintaining, and clearly communicating the project's creative intent to all team members and stakeholders
✅ Creative management of design deliverables from vision development to completion
ASSUMPTION: The role involves guiding multidisciplinary teams, requiring strong communication, organizational, and leadership skills.
🎯 Required Qualifications
Education: Not specified, but relevant degree or equivalent experience is expected
Experience: 10+ years of experience in creative leadership and relevant design field
Required Skills:
- Proven experience in creative leadership
- Expertise in experience design, exhibition & museum design, spatial design, or themed entertainment
- Proficiency in Photoshop, Vectorworks, Adobe Creative Suite
- Experience with Revit, Grasshopper, and Blender is a plus
Preferred Skills:
- Experience with international projects
- Knowledge of the film, games, or themed entertainment industries
ASSUMPTION: Applicants should have a strong portfolio showcasing their expertise in relevant design fields.
💰 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: Salary information not provided. Industry standard for a creative director role in New Zealand is NZD 120,000 - 180,000 per year.
Benefits:
- Not specified, but may include health insurance, retirement plans, and other standard benefits
Working Hours: Full-time, 40 hours per week. May include flexible hours and overtime as needed.
ASSUMPTION: Salary range is estimated based on industry standards for creative director roles in New Zealand.
📌 Applicant Insights
🔍 Company Context
Industry: Weta Workshop operates in the movies, videos, and sound industry, specializing in concept design, physical effects, collectables, immersive visitor experiences, and games.
Company Size: 201-500 employees. This size allows for a medium to large-scale work environment with opportunities for growth and collaboration.
Founded: 1987. Weta Workshop was established by Richard Taylor and Tania Rodger and has since grown into a world-class design and manufacture facility.
Company Description:
- Weta Workshop brings imaginary worlds to life by delivering concept design, physical effects, collectables, immersive visitor experiences, and games to the world’s entertainment and creative industries.
- Their 65,000 square foot facility offers a wide range of services, including 3D modelling, 3D printing, costume and leatherworking, consumer products, design, electronics and animatronics, engineering and metal shop, hair, imaging, make-up, prosthetics and creatures, blacksmithing, sculpting, technology and innovation, tourism, weapons, publishing, miniatures, model making and props, moulding, paint shop, video games, and location-based experiences.
- Weta Workshop is best known for its screen work on The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Avatar, and Dune, as well as its immersive visitor experiences, such as Gallipoli: The Scale of our War, Expo 2020 Dubai’s Mobility Pavilion, and Weta Workshop Unleashed.
Company Specialties:
- Electronics and Animatronics
- Vehicle Design
- Pitch Packages
- Illustration
- VR/AR/MR
- Art Direction
- Concept Art
- Weapons
- Armour
- Video Games
- Prosthetics
- Special Effects (SFX) Special Effects Makeup
- Design
- Miniatures
- Props
- Location-based Experiences
- Bigatures
- Collectables
- and Sculpture
Company Website: http://www.wetaworkshop.com
ASSUMPTION: Weta Workshop's diverse range of services and expertise offers applicants a unique opportunity to work on various projects and gain experience in multiple aspects of the entertainment industry.
📊 Role Analysis
Career Level: This role is at the senior management level, requiring significant experience and expertise in creative direction.
Reporting Structure: The creative director will lead and inspire teams, acting as the 'vision-holder' for projects. They will report directly to the company's management team.
Work Arrangement: This role is on-site, with the possibility of international travel for projects.
Growth Opportunities:
- Potential project-based roles, with fixed-term or contract opportunities currently available
- Permanent employment opportunities may arise in the future
- Chance to work on high-profile international projects and gain exposure to various aspects of the entertainment industry
ASSUMPTION: Applicants should be open to fixed-term or contract roles, as permanent employment opportunities may not be immediately available.
🌍 Location & Work Environment
Office Type: Weta Workshop's headquarters is a large, state-of-the-art facility housing various departments and services.
Office Location(s): 21 Camperdown Road, Miramar, Wellington 6022, New Zealand
Geographic Context:
- Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand, known for its vibrant arts and culture scene, as well as its natural beauty and outdoor activities
- The Miramar neighborhood is home to Weta Workshop and other film and technology companies, offering a creative and collaborative work environment
- Wellington has a mild, marine climate with moderate rainfall throughout the year
Work Schedule: Full-time, 40 hours per week. May include flexible hours and overtime as needed.
ASSUMPTION: Applicants should be comfortable working in an on-site environment and may need to adapt to flexible hours and overtime as required by project demands.
💼 Interview & Application Insights
Typical Process:
- Online application submission
- Phone or video screening
- In-person or virtual interview with the hiring manager and/or team members
- Portfolio review and/or creative challenge
- Final decision and offer
Key Assessment Areas:
- Creative vision and leadership skills
- Technical proficiency in relevant software
- Portfolio and past projects
- Communication and interpersonal skills
- Cultural fit and alignment with Weta Workshop's values
Application Tips:
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant experience and skills for this role
- Prepare a strong portfolio showcasing your creative direction and design expertise
- Research Weta Workshop's past projects and be prepared to discuss how your vision aligns with the company's creative direction
- Be ready to present your ideas and thoughts on potential projects during the interview process
ATS Keywords: Creative Direction, Experience Design, Exhibition Design, Museum Design, Spatial Design, Themed Entertainment, Photoshop, Vectorworks, Adobe Creative Suite, Revit, Grasshopper, Blender
ASSUMPTION: Applicants should tailor their application materials to include relevant keywords and demonstrate their fit for the role.
🛠️ Tools & Technologies
- Photoshop
- Vectorworks
- Adobe Creative Suite
- Revit
- Grasshopper
- Blender
ASSUMPTION: Applicants should be proficient in the listed software and be prepared to demonstrate their skills during the interview process.
👔 Cultural Fit Considerations
Company Values:
- Craftsmanship
- Innovation
- Collaboration
- Excellence
- Integrity
Work Style:
- Creative and innovative
- Collaborative and team-oriented
- Attention to detail and commitment to quality
- Adaptable and responsive to project demands
Self-Assessment Questions:
- Do you have a strong portfolio showcasing your creative direction and design expertise?
- Are you comfortable leading and inspiring teams to create groundbreaking immersive experiences?
- Do you have experience with relevant software, such as Photoshop, Vectorworks, and Adobe Creative Suite?
- Are you open to fixed-term or contract roles, with the possibility of permanent employment in the future?
ASSUMPTION: Applicants should assess their fit with Weta Workshop's values and work style, as well as their qualifications for the role, before applying.
⚠️ Potential Challenges
- Working on fixed-term or contract projects may require frequent adaptation to new teams and environments
- International projects may involve travel and working in different time zones
- The role requires strong leadership and communication skills to manage multidisciplinary teams and maintain creative intent
- Applicants should be prepared to work flexible hours and overtime as needed to meet project deadlines
ASSUMPTION: Applicants should be aware of the potential challenges and be prepared to adapt to the demands of the role and work environment.
📈 Similar Roles Comparison
- This role is unique to Weta Workshop, offering applicants the opportunity to work on a wide range of projects and gain experience in multiple aspects of the entertainment industry
- Creative director roles in other companies may have more or less focus on specific design fields or project types
- Applicants should research Weta Workshop's past projects and be prepared to discuss how their vision aligns with the company's creative direction
ASSUMPTION: Applicants should compare this role to similar positions in other companies to understand the unique opportunities and demands of working at Weta Workshop.
📝 Sample Projects
- Gallipoli: The Scale of our War - an immersive visitor experience showcasing New Zealand's role in World War I
- Expo 2020 Dubai’s Mobility Pavilion - an interactive exhibit exploring the future of mobility and transportation
- Weta Workshop Unleashed - an immersive visitor experience offering a behind-the-scenes look at Weta Workshop's creative process and facilities
ASSUMPTION: Applicants should research Weta Workshop's past projects and be prepared to discuss how their creative vision aligns with the company's approach to immersive experiences and visitor attractions.
❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview
- What are the key priorities for this role in the first 90 days?
- How does this role fit into the company's overall creative vision and strategy?
- What are the most challenging aspects of working on international projects, and how does the company support its creative teams in these situations?
- What opportunities are there for growth and development within the company?
- How does the company approach work-life balance, and what resources are available to support employees in managing their personal and professional responsibilities?
ASSUMPTION: Applicants should prepare thoughtful questions that demonstrate their interest in the role and the company, as well as their commitment to understanding the demands and opportunities of the position.
📌 Next Steps for Applicants
To apply for this position:
- Submit your application through this link
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant experience and skills for this role
- Prepare a strong portfolio showcasing your creative direction and design expertise
- Research Weta Workshop's past projects and be prepared to discuss how your vision aligns with the company's creative direction
- Follow up with the hiring manager one week after submitting your application to confirm receipt and express your continued interest in the role
⚠️ This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.
