Ben Hawker Explained

Benjamin Joseph Hawker
Birth Date:	29 November 1975
Birth Place:	Christchurch, New Zealand
Occupation:	Film director

Benjamin Joseph Hawker (born 29 November 1975) is a New Zealand film director and special effects artist.^[1]

Early life

Hawker was born in Lincoln, Christchurch. He attended Killara High School in Sydney, Australia and graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in 1995.^[2]

Career

Hawker is best known for his work in special effects as a creature and make-up effects artist, predominantly in association with Weta Workshop on The Lord of the Rings film trilogy. Hawker has directed music videos for New Zealand musicians, Louis Baker^[3] and Thomas Oliver.^[4] His first feature film was Blackspot, which was released in New Zealand on 15 July 2009, following festival screenings in Europe and the United States.^[5] He has also directed numerous short films and the 2015 documentary series, Building Gallipoli for New Zealand's National Museum, Te Papa Tongarewa.^[6]

Filmography

• Blackspot (2008) - Director
• Building Gallipoli (2015) - Director

Art Direction

• Ghost in the Shell (2017) - Weta Workshop Design^[7]

Special effects

• Avatar (2009) - Prop design
• District 9 (2009) - Creature effects
• 30 Days of Night (2007) - Prosthetic effects
• (2005): Sculptor / designer
• King Kong (2005) - Creature designer
• Peter Pan (2003) - Sculptor / Puppeteer
• The Last Samurai (2003) - Prosthetic effects
• Perfect Strangers (2003) - Prosthetic effects
• (2003) - Creature designer
• (2002) - Creature effects
• (2001) - Prosthetic effects
• (1998) - Special effects technician

Notes and References

1. Web site: Ben Hawker - Industry of imagination . 2017-09-02 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170902093808/http://www.art-and-industry-of-imagination.co.nz/portfolio/1233/ . 2017-09-02 . dead .
2. Web site: 23 September 2015 . All Alumni . NIDA.
3. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Louis Baker - Fade (Official Music Video) . YouTube.
4. Web site: Thomas Oliver's spacey if I Move to Mars music video. October 2015.
5. News: June 19, 2009 . BLACKSPOT New Zealand Premiere: WETA brothers bring home international award winning film . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20211025154729/http://www.creativenz.govt.nz/news/blackspot-new-zealand-premiere-weta-brothers-bring-home-international-award-winning-film . October 25, 2021 . creativenz.
6. Web site: Ben Hawker. IMDb.
7. Web site: Hart . Hugh . 2017-12-28 . The Dazzling Design of Ghost in the Shell . 2024-11-26 . Motion Picture Association . en-US.