10 Under The Radar Talents Who Made Cinema Awesome

4. Richard Taylor (Props, Practical Effects)

One of the most impressive and informative behind the scenes look at the making of any cinematic endeavor has to be the special extended editions of The Lord Of The Rings trilogy. Over the many hours of special features, one of the most enlightening parts is the chance to see the incredible accomplishments of Weta Workshop, and its founder/leader Richard Taylor. He and his company created a staggering amount of props, prosthetics, weaponry, and costumes for the trilogy, in addition to the famous "bigatures" which helped to give the films such a realistic feel. Taylor's influence over the entire look of the film was so large that he won four Academy Awards over the course of the trilogy in makeup, visual effects, and costume design. He has since gone on to make Weta Workshop one of the most important special effects companies in the world. Taylor is an excellent example of how important the behind the scenes people are to huge blockbusters. Without the right people working on the special and practical effects, the movie just won't work, regardless of how good the director and actors are.