The dragon Smaug, crafted by the artists at Weta Digital for the second Hobbit film is one of several animated characters in a live action film that is the subject of a special category at this year’s Visual Effects Awards. The team behind the creature is nominated along with teams behind the work for China Girl in Oz the Great and Powerful, Leatherback in Pacific Rim and Ryan in Gravity.

Check out the video below for exclusive Weta Digital breakdowns from The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.

Watch the Smaug breakdowns from Weta Digital.

You can also find out more about the craftspeople behind the making of the film in this special eBook created by fxguide in conjunction with Warner Bros. The eBook breaks down even more of the VFX work, plus provides insights into directing, screenwriting, production design, costume, cinematography, editing, sound and the film’s score.

fxguide's eBook on the craft of 'The Desolation of Smaug' includes a section on editing where you can watch previs, rough cut and final versions of part of the barrels sequence.
fxguide’s eBook on the craft of ‘The Desolation of Smaug’ includes a section on editing where you can watch previs, rough cut and final versions of part of the barrels sequence.

Click here to read the Desolation of Smaug eBook.

4 thoughts on “Behind the scenes of Weta Digital’s Smaug”

    1. Mike Seymour

      First – call me Mike !…. and
      Yes there is from the VES main web site – but voting is closing very soon. You do need to be a VES member. BUT….

      We have a link to the special Award season Hobbit ebook ( this year both APPLE and non-Apple ebook)
      The link is above in the story, it is a special Award Season book – so it wont be online past the current award season. So if are not a VES member you can still see exclusive content – produced by fxguide for film.

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