When completed, Cameron expects Avatar to be about 60% CG animation, based on characters created using a newly developed performance capture-based process, and 40% live action, with a lot of VFX in the imagery.
"It is the most challenging film I've ever made," Cameron said.
Still, the innovative filmmaker and digital 3-D pioneer and champion has never shifted his emphasis from storytelling.
"You have to make a good film that would be a good film under any circumstances," he said. "You have to put the narrative first. The reality is no matter how many (3-D) screens we get, you are still going to have a large number of people -- possibly the majority of people -- who see the film in a 2-D environment."
The live-action principal photography for Avatar was shot in New Zealand last fall and winter using the Fusion 3-D camera system. Cameron first used the Fusion to make his 2003 Imax 3-D film Ghosts of the Abyss; he and "Ghosts" director of photography Vince Pace invented the camera system for the project.
"It is the most challenging film I've ever made," Cameron said.
Still, the innovative filmmaker and digital 3-D pioneer and champion has never shifted his emphasis from storytelling.
"You have to make a good film that would be a good film under any circumstances," he said. "You have to put the narrative first. The reality is no matter how many (3-D) screens we get, you are still going to have a large number of people -- possibly the majority of people -- who see the film in a 2-D environment."
The live-action principal photography for Avatar was shot in New Zealand last fall and winter using the Fusion 3-D camera system. Cameron first used the Fusion to make his 2003 Imax 3-D film Ghosts of the Abyss; he and "Ghosts" director of photography Vince Pace invented the camera system for the project.
to check out the rest of the article.Avatar was released December 18th, 2009 and stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Joel Moore, Giovanni Ribisi, Michelle Rodriguez, Laz Alonso. The film is directed by James Cameron.
Comments (26)
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glorious_dead
RIGHT ON PYPEBOMB! didn't they all attend the same school at the same time??!?!? Speilberg is the worst of them all. does he even have one good 'stand alone' movie??? He creates one camera shot(jaws.. pull back and zoom in) and he thinks he is god
4 years agoby @glorious-deadFlag
PypeBomb
let's wait and see this before we start sucking off James cameron like George Lucas swallowing Steven Speilberg's load.
4 years agoby @pypebombFlag
glorious_dead
Sounds interesting. CGI is in its league of it's own when used properly(there are some kick ass artists out there). Practical effects have improved so much in the last decade. If it wasn't for CGI there would be no competition between the two mediums and the boys who do practical effects would be out of work if they didn't step up their game.. Movies like Transformers, where they use both mediums are good ways to use effects.. Hellboy 2 is the most amazing movie to date with effects(practical and then CGI)
Lucas had a vision.. to create CGI so it would replace human actors(we all know that lucas can't direct humans so it makes sense to him to do it digitally) The clone troopers in SW are all CG.. it's hard to tell sometimes..
I think the future will be bright with effects on both sides.. Each side will be stepping up their games to compete. It's sh*tty movies and there cheap ass producer's that give CGI bad names(remember the more money a producer can save on effects, maybe the more money can go into his pocket)
If this movie looks like Beowulf it will be rad! if it looks like some takashi miike effect film.. I am not sure..
One question??? Why didn't they do the new hulk with practical effects??? It would have been the best movie ever if they did
4 years agoby @glorious-deadFlag
Saquin Turok 'X'
This is an interesting idea, I'd like to see how this turns out. And fuxkoffcgi, how did Jackson and Lucas mess up modern filming? Lucas seems to have lost his way recently, but how can you call Cameron or PJ? Have you even seen the LOTR films? I think anyone who's seen the LOTR films realised it wasn't all about the CGI. Sure, a lot of CGI was used, but the acting and natural scenery was great, and it looked fantastic. It enhanced an already great story, and wasn't lazily used to cover up any cracks. Anyone who pushes back the frontiers in this positive way should be applauded, not condemned.
And use CGI sparingly? Why? What do you propose should be used instead? Great as it is, LOTR wouldn't have been as great if CGI wasn't used. I've read the books, and the Middle Earth of the films wouldn't have been recreated to match the books' description of it's more fantastic inhabitants or incredible landmarks any other way. Lazy production, whether it be a poor idea or bad scripting, directing or acting is what makes a film bad. Blaming today's incredible looking CGI special effects is ridiculous.
4 years agoby @teesterxFlag
crazymustan
I can't believe some people are comparing Cameron to Lucas. Cameron is a genius and way better that him. And Peter Jackson? WTF? Lord o the Rings had Gollum, which is arguably the best CGI to date on a human like character.
Seriously, some of you need to grow up and stop whining
4 years agoby @crazymustanFlag
-comrade-
No more comments?
4 years agoby @taberjohnson18Flag
-comrade-
But I agree with you. That's why I'm glad Del Toro has the reigns of THe Hobbit, because he believes in practical effects.
4 years agoby @taberjohnson18Flag
-comrade-
fuxkoffcgi, 1D would just be a point in space. I think you meant 2D
4 years agoby @taberjohnson18Flag
fuxkoffcgi
Oli, he can take all the time he wants, special FX aren't 'special' anymore, they're computer FX and they look so cheap, obvious and lifeless...every 'escapist' movie now looks the same. Peter Jackson and Lucas really messed up modern cinema, where is the magic and hands on creativity? I'll say it again, f*ck off Cameron and join the 'lets not get our hands dirty' world of 'cheap' modern movie making. That's why CGI is used for everything instead of just a worthy tool that should have been used sparingly.
4 years agoby @fuxkoffcgiFlag
Oli
fuxkoffcgi, why do you think he's taking his time...
4 years agoby @reviloleeFlag
They call me ITCHY BALLS
What did he say? "BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH."
4 years agoby @danbrchFlag
ShadowfoxSC
we need a trailer!!!
4 years agoby @shadowscFlag
desperate hot guy10
it does sond good !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4 years agoby @kevinbacon34Flag
fuxkoffcgi
3D CGI? So what? It will still look flat, cheap and actually 1D like all movies nowadays. Another boring soulless video game! Movies like Aliens & T2 will never be beaten cuz they used real FX - real and untouched backgrounds, animatronics, creative set pieces that where made by hand, real stuntwork Etc Etc...and only minimal CGI in T2...and it all looked brilliant. F*ck off Cameron, you've just become another Lucas, Spielberg and lazy director like all the rest nowadays who do everything with computers. And that is so sad.
4 years agoby @fuxkoffcgiFlag
Raoul Duke
I have a feeling this is definitely going to be worth the wait.
4 years agoby @raoulduke33Flag
The Doctor
Sounds brilliant!
4 years agoby @ghettokidFlag
drexll
sh*t ,i cant wait to see something,anything that moves from this movie.even if the movie is crap its gona be some proper eye candy.
4 years agoby @drexllFlag
-comrade-
At least he understands that 'You have to make a good film that would be a good film under any circ*mstances' unlike George ToyBoy Lucas and his new trilogy of sh*t.
4 years agoby @taberjohnson18Flag
Nyfresh
wow... the most challenging film he ever made, this should b good, def gonna go see this, Cameron is one of the best
4 years agoby @leo16Flag
Shadow Of The Day
Cool.
4 years agoby @asifFlag
ed_wood
Can't wait to see it, Cameron is great.
4 years agoby @ed-woodFlag
The Kwisatz Haderach
this sounds awesome. Love Cameron's flims.
4 years agoby @the-kwisatz-haderachFlag
Err
hopefully the story wont get lost in the pile of cgi's.
4 years agoby @err2005Flag
monkey03
I'm soooo watching this...
4 years agoby @monkey03Flag
NAME GOES HERE
i don't care so much for 'avatar' but where the hell is Tin Tin?!?!?
I WANT TIN TIN, JIMMY!
at least they will have gained experience in the special human-mimicking technology when they made this movie so by the time they use it on tin tin, it will have been perfected!
4 years agoby @pinget-69Flag
Stiles
This is sounding so exciting. I know it'll look great. I just hope Jim doesn't give us any of the bad, titanic-style dialogue.
4 years agoby @stilesFlag