Dannevirke: Ri's wizard role working at Weta

Ri Streeter, executive assistant to Sir Richard Taylor, at her desk at Weta Workshop in Wellington. Photo / Supplied

As Weta Workshop celebrates 20 years of special effects and wizardry, Dannevirke's Ri Streeter is working at the heart of the movie kingdom and, although travelling the world for work isn't so unusual these days, when you're in the company of a man who's won five Oscars and four Baftas, life is never dull or ordinary.

Ri has been the executive assistant to Sir Richard Taylor, the creative force, co-founder and co-director of Wellington's world renowned Weta Workshop, for eight years and gets to jet around the world, visiting China and New York in the past few weeks, but insists her life isn't as glamorous as it sounds.

"It's work and a lot of meetings and you mainly see the inside of cars, airport terminals and hotel rooms and not too many red carpets I'm afraid. But I love it," she said.

"It's always exciting and I've been fortunate in being able to travel to Los Angeles, Hollywood, New York, Germany and Korea, but it's also nice to come home again. Yes, I love going to Los Angeles, especially in the middle of a Wellington winter, but it's not home."

Life is always busy for Ri and while she was speaking to the Dannevirke News last week, she was helping Sir Richard and Sir Peter Jackson host 150 hobbit fans in Wellington celebrating the 20th anniversary of Weta Workshop which has provided the special effects wizardry behind blockbuster movies including the Lord of the Rings, King Kong, District 9 and the Hobbit trilogies.

"Working for Sir Richard here at Weta where we're involved in designing special effects and props and with some amazing equipment, including a 3-D model machine, is exciting but in some ways it's like your dad's garage, too," Ri said.

But how does a girl from rural Dannevirke find her dream job?

Ri, the daughter of Athol and Marie Streeter, attended St Joseph's Primary School and Dannevirke High School, found the job in the pages of the New Zealand Herald.

"I had been working in Wellington with a high court judge for eight years which involved travelling around New Zealand and, to be honest, I've got to thank one of my Dannevirke High School girlfriend's husband for pointing me towards this job. He told me the page number of the advertisement, but not the job. But when I looked there was only one job which stood out so I applied and now, eight years on, I'm still here."

Ri joined Sir Richard after The Lord of the Rings success, but has been part of the Hobbit trilogy.

"I don't think I've ever had two days the same in all the years I've been here," she said. "At the moment, my desk is covered in DVDS, bags, soft toys, a laptop, material samples and contracts to sign, but I can't imagine a life after this."

But it isn't all movie premieres, long hours and hard work are also part of the job.

"We work 10 to 12 hours a day," Ri said. "But I did have the opportunity to be part of the premiere of the Hobbit here in Wellington. It was wonderful especially when you see how New Zealand embraces the movies."

Glamour for Ri at that particular event was tempered by the fact she was wearing a moon boot after surgery a month earlier.

"But as an assistant, if you're doing your job well you just blend into the background anyway," she said, adding she loves working with Sir Richard.

"He's the warmest person you could meet," she said. "He's very gracious, kind and considerate and very down-to-earth in business, his life and with his family."

And despite her hectic schedule, Ri still finds time to visit her parents in Dannevirke.

"Growing up in Dannevirke was wonderful and I loved being a kid there," she said. "I can remember 25-30 years ago riding my bike with my friends. It felt so safe. I still have those same friends and it's amazing, when I travel overseas I always seem to meet someone from Dannevirke."