Wētā FX has proposed changes to 100 jobs in its support departments, largely based in Wellington.

The company, a global leader in special effects, employs about 2000 people globally, and it says most of these are contractors not affected by the changes.

It said it informed staff yesterday, beginning a consultation period after which changes would be confirmed after staff feedback.

The changes would take effect from different dates, the company said, depending on individual agreements.

It blamed a number of factors for the changes, including challenges facing the global entertainment industry.

Among them were unexpected delays in projects being greenlit due to financial considerations, the industry continuing to feel the long-tail impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, industry strikes and changes in audience content consumption habits.

A Wētā FX employee – caught up in the cuts – said staff were told the move was necessary to ensure the company’s survival.

They said Wētā FX was “one of a kind” in New Zealand and many employees would be unable to find similar roles in the sector.

“My fear is that I will have to leave New Zealand in order to find more work. It sucks.”

They said the news came at a difficult time – in the middle of a big push to complete work on Avatar 3.

The staff member said there had been warning signs, such as notifications the firm would have to cut costs. Perks such as food and Friday drinks disappeared in the months leading up yesterday’s announcement.

“The vibe is terrible. We’re surrounded by good people and we are supporting each other, [but] morale is very low,” they said.

Founded by Sir Peter Jackson, Sir Richard Taylor and Jamie Selkirk in 1993, the company is famous for its award-winning work on productions such as Heavenly Creatures, the Lord of the Rings trilogy, King Kong and Avatar.

It has also received Emmy nominations and had wins for television series such as The Last of UsGame of ThronesHouse of the Dragon, and Ripley.

Late last year the New Zealand Herald reported Wētā FX had made net losses of up to $190 million across the previous two years.

In 2023, billion-dollar global game tech Unity Software cut ties with Wētā Digital, leading to 265 redundancies.

At the time, a Wētā FX spokesperson said the business was aiming to hire as many of the staff back as possible.

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