Grant MajorProduction Designer

About Grant MajorGrant Major, best known for his work on ‘The Lord of the Rings’ trilogy, was born in 1955 in New Zealand. He studied graphic art at Auckland Technical Institute where he holds a honorary Doctorate of Arts and Design. He began his career as a set designer for TVNZ. A few years later he worked with BBC in London and Belfast but later returned to New Zealand and worked with TV One’s news broadcast. Major then began working on films in 1984 as an art direction for ‘Other Halves’ and later worked as a production designer for other films such as ‘An Angel at My Table’. Director Peter Jackson began working with Major on various films, leading Major to become the production designer for all three ‘The Lord of the Rings’ films. Major worked closely with artists such as Alan Lee and John Howe to create functional full-scale sets.

About Grant Major (continued)

Grant Major continued to work with Jackson on films such as ‘King Kong’. However, Major also works on projects outside of just film and television. His design for New Zealand’s World Expo pavilion won the award for Best Concept and Implementation in 1990. In the same year he also worked on both the opening and closing ceremonies of the Commonwealth Games. He also worked on advertisements which one him various awards, some of these ads were aired during the Superbowl. Grant Major has been nominated and won several other awards during his career including Oscars, BAFTA Awards, Art Directors Guild, New Zealand Film and TV Awards, Satellite Awards, OFTA Awards, and many more. In 2005 was given the New Zealand Order of Merit for his work for the New Zealand film industry.

Filmography/other works (selection):

• Other Halves (1984)

• An Angel at My Table (1990)

• Heavenly Creatures (1994)

• Whale Rider (2002)

• The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003)

• King Kong (2005)

• Green Lantern (2011)

• X-Men: Apocalypse (post- production, 2016)

• Coke ‘Heist’ Ad (2009)

• Guinness ‘Bring it to Life’ (2010)

• NZ Pavilion for the World Expo in Spain (1990)

Bibliography• http://www.grantmajor.com/

• http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0538194/

• http://www.legendariummedia.com/2014/10/04/an-interview-with-grant-major-production-designer-of-the-lord-of-the-rings-trilogy/

• http://www.nzonscreen.com/person/grant-major/biography

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfaajN4uTQ0