Raising The Bar In 3d Tech: James Cameron's Avatar

Ground-breaking film to launch first IMAX theater outside Metro Manila in SM City Cebu Academy Award®-winning filmmaker James Cameron’s AVATAR was finally unveiled last August 24 at the IMAX® Theater of SM North Edsa, his first feature directorial effort since Titanic in April 2007 which starred Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. 

Twentieth Century Fox, in partnership with Magic 89.9, Monster Radio RX 93.1, 99.5 DWRT and ClickTheCity.com joined forces as major theater cinema groups, pioneer digital filmmakers, movie critics, kids and fans set foot in the breathtaking world of AVATAR. After a most enthralling peek at the selected 3d scenes from the movie, the audience has the following to say about the film’s preview:

Rianne Hill Soriano, digital filmmaker and reviewer – “Experiencing Avatar is seeing the future of film technology right before my eyes.”

Paul Daza, movie director and reviewer – “Avatar looks and sounds like a wild, vivid, beautiful, sometimes scary dream you’re having with your eyes wide open. December 18 seems so far away!”

Andrew Paredes, film critic, Spot.Ph and Contributing Editor, YES! Mag – “Avatar is a ginormous epic with a stunning, immersive vision. Nobody makes ‘em like James Cameron.”

Adel Gabot, Copy chief, CCPMG, ABS-CBN – “So, does it live up to the hype? In a word, spectacularly. Only Cameron’s 3D is light-years beyond everything we’ve seen thus far…the simplest way to put it is that it’s more 3D than anything 3D I’d seen previously.”

Utilizing a blend of live-action photography and new virtual photorealistic production techniques invented by Cameron’s team, AVATAR offered the Phils.’ select audiences a unique cinematic experience. AVATAR was filmed in 3D for release in the new digital 3D format. Cameron made use of the revolutionary image-based performance capture techniques, and a real-time virtual camera system, to create new CG worlds and blend them with dramatic performances and live action in ways never before possible.

AVATAR is written by Cameron from an idea he nurtured for over a decade, while working on the technology necessary to realize its wholly imagined world. A return to the action adventure sci-fi genre that made him famous, AVATAR is also an emotional journey of redemption and revolution. It is the story of a wounded ex-marine, thrust unwillingly into an effort to settle and exploit an exotic planet rich in bio-diversity, who eventually crosses over to lead the indigenous race in a battle for survival. It thus again combines the elements of massive spectacle and intimate character that made Titanic the highest grossing film of all time; a title it still holds by over three quarters of a billion dollars.  

Just as he did with the then little known Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron wanted a new face to portray the lead, Jake Sully. Having searched around the world and screen tested a number of emerging young actors, Cameron has chosen the young Australian Sam Worthington (recently seen in “Terminator Salvation”), a rising star who has been recognized by The Australian Film Institute and The Film Critics Circle of Australia, in his homeland from such work as “Somersault” and “Dirty Deeds.”  

Other lead casts also include Zoe Saldana (“The Terminal,” “Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl”) will portray the local woman Jake first betrays, then loves. Both actors have signed on for possible future installments as well, as AVATAR is conceived as a potential franchise.

“For me, as a lifelong fan of science fiction and action, Avatar is a dream project. We’re creating an entire world, a complete ecosystem of phantasmagorical plants and creatures, and a native people with a rich culture and language.   The story is both epic and emotional. The two things that make this film even possible are pioneering advances in CG effects and performance capture, as well as my 22- year relationship with Fox, since only with great trust can you operate so close to the cutting edge. I plan to honor that relationship by bringing them a winner. And I have the team to do it, the best team of artists and technicians I’ve ever been privileged to work with. This one’s going to be a grand adventure,” Cameron said.

“Every year, our business makes hundreds of films, most of which come and go. But a Jim Cameron film is different,” said Tom Rothman and Jim Gianopulos. “Jim’s movies raise the bar, both in storytelling and use of technology. AVATAR will do so again. The world he has created is breathtaking and the action breathless. It will take two more years, but this December 18, AVATAR will be a seismic change in the movie going experience.”

The film’s new image-based process of facial performance captures all the subtle nuances of the actors’ performances. The virtual camera system allows Cameron to work intimately with the cast while seeing in real-time, as each scene evolves, the computer generated worlds and characters. This revolutionary approach allows Cameron to direct scenes with CG characters and environments exactly as he would on a live action set.

The edited performances and scenes, incorporating Cameron’s hands-on camera moves, have been delegated to Peter Jackson’s Oscar-winning visual effects house Weta Digital (“The Lord of the Rings” trilogy). Weta’s artists incorporated new intuitive CGI technologies to transform the environments and characters into photorealistic 3D imagery that will transport the audience into the alien world rich with imaginative vistas, creatures and characters.

Produced by Cameron and Jon Landau for Cameron’s Lightstorm Entertainment, live action will be shot using the proprietary FUSION digital 3D camera system developed by Cameron and Vince Pace. AVATAR is the latest creative partnership between Cameron and Twentieth Century Fox, one of the most successful filmmaker-studio alliances in motion picture history. Cameron and Fox first joined forces in 1985 for “Aliens,” which became a sci fi classic. Next came “The Abyss,” which revolutionized visual effects technology; and “True Lies,” a blockbuster starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. In 1996, Fox greenlighted Cameron’s “Titanic,” which became the most successful film in history, and won a record-breaking eleven Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

One of the world’s largest producers and distributors of motion pictures, Fox Filmed Entertainment produces, acquires and distributes motion pictures throughout the world. These motion pictures are produced or acquired by the following units of FFE: Twentieth Century Fox, Fox 2000 Pictures, Fox Searchlight Pictures, Fox Atomic, and Twentieth Century Fox Animation.

“Avatar” will open December 18 in theaters all over the Phils. from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros. The film will also launch the first IMAX Theater outside Metro Manila and the third IMAX Theater in the country at SM City Cebu's Cinema 4.