IBM sells workstations to Weta for 'Lord of the Rings'

LOS ANGELES: International Business Machines Corp on Wednesday said it had
sold 150 workstations to Oscar-winning New Zealand-based Weta Digital Ltd. for
work on the "Lord of the Rings" film trilogy.

Under the deal, valued at under $10 million, IBM will supply Weta Digital
with more than 150 6580-WEA Intellistation work stations by the end of the year.

Weta and its sister company, Weta Workshop, won two Oscars this year for
their digital effects work on the first film in the Peter Jackson-directed
"Lord of the Rings" trilogy. The deal underscores IBM's recent push
into digital effects as it and other technology giants try to capitalize on
studios' move to embrace the Linux operating system, which has been promoted for
its cost savings and flexibility.

Computer maker Silicon Graphics, or SGI, is also a strong contender in the
field for computers that can design special effects and animation for Hollywood,
contributing to such films as "Monsters, Inc." and "Lord of the
Rings."

Weta had already been using SGI computers running its type of Unix and Linux
to produce the effects in "Lord of the Rings," SGI said earlier this
year. IBM in August announced the launch of its Linux Digital Studio package,
made up of workstations, server computers and data storage machines.

(C) Reuters Limited.