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post #31 of 314
1/8/07 at 4:41pm

Re: Avatar (James Cameron)

Cameron begins shooting this April.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/...3b57ad6f2ed194


Quote:
"We think we're going to blow people away. We want to throw you to the back wall of the theater. My goal is to rekindle those crazy mystical moments my generation felt when we first saw '2001: A Space Odyssey,' or the next generation's 'Star Wars.' It took me 10 years to find something hard enough."

Gear mentioned in this thread:

Avatar (Blu-ray + DVD Combo) [Blu-ray]
Avatar DVD
post #32 of 314
1/8/07 at 7:28pm

Re: Avatar (James Cameron)

Sounds like Cameron has his enthusiasm in the right place (finally!). Can't wait for his long-awaited return to movie-making.
post #33 of 314
1/8/07 at 7:41pm

Re: Avatar (James Cameron)

Been following this for what feels like a while already - hearing it won't come out until 2009 is disheartening.

At the same time, I can't say I'm a big fan of making this a landmark 3-D release if that is what he is looking to do. Count me in the crowd who finds it just a bit too gimicky. Not to mention both Superman Returns on Imax (with 3D sequences) and the Matrix Reloaded in old fashion Imax gave me headaches while watching it.

I realize he is a big proponent of 3-D filmmaking, but I'm hoping its more subtle and he doesn't overuse it for the "Ohh, neat" effect.
post #34 of 314
1/9/07 at 3:11pm

Re: Avatar (James Cameron)

Cameron used 3-D to good effect with Ghosts of the Deep. But that wasn't an action film. Considering that every time Cameron has been at bat, he's pushed the VFX/spectacle bar much higher than any of his peers (while supporting and enhancing storytelling), I think Avatar will actually live up to the hype.

Great news that it is moving forward. Best news in some time for me. 2007 and 2008 already have their big tentpoles, so I can wait. Save the best for 2009
post #35 of 314
1/12/07 at 10:05am

Re: Avatar (James Cameron)

Well, this forces a decision on me. I'd been happy with my SD DVDs and in no rush to spend the money to upgrade to HD; what with the cost of a new TV, new DVD player (which format?) etc.

But.... Now that I know this is coming in 2009 with a probable HD-DVD around Christmas 2009, I know that I HAVE to be upgraded by then. There won't be any way to see a 3-D film on SD (Unless they attempt red/blue - yuck!) -- the only way to present true 3-D with polarized glasses will be in HD. At least now I have a personal deadline to work with, because I will be seeing this movie AND buying the HD-DVD.
post #36 of 314
1/12/07 at 12:22pm

Re: Avatar (James Cameron)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian D H
But.... Now that I know this is coming in 2009 with a probable HD-DVD around Christmas 2009, I know that I HAVE to be upgraded by then. There won't be any way to see a 3-D film on SD (Unless they attempt red/blue - yuck!) -- the only way to present true 3-D with polarized glasses will be in HD. At least now I have a personal deadline to work with, because I will be seeing this movie AND buying the HD-DVD.

Brian--

I imagine (and hope) that by then they will have a good combo player available, or that one side will have completely won the format war. So waiting that long won't be a bad thing.
post #37 of 314
1/12/07 at 12:42pm

Re: Avatar (James Cameron)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris Atkins
Brian--

I imagine (and hope) that by then they will have a good combo player available, or that one side will have completely won the format war. So waiting that long won't be a bad thing.

Yeah, without stepping on any toes outside of the designated format war forums, I can't imagine buying either technology now based on assumptions about what a movie not scheduled to hit until 2009 will come out on.
post #38 of 314
1/19/07 at 9:01am

Re: Avatar (James Cameron)

If you can wait until 2009...there won't be a format war

But there is a lot worth seeing in HD before then, so you are in a pickle.

I will say Avatar is probably going to be something not easily replicated at home.
post #39 of 314
2/15/07 at 2:06pm

Re: Avatar (James Cameron)

Some major new Avatar details straight from James Cameron's mouth, at AICN:
  • Sigourney Weaver has, indeed, been cast in the film, in the role of "Grace" (reportedly one of the inventors/scientists behind the whole "Avatar" project).
Other cast members mentioned by Cameron in the interview:
  • Wes Studi (hell yeah!)
  • Peter Mensah (appearing in 300 as a Persian warrior)
  • C.C.H. Pounder
  • Joel David Moore
  • Laz Alonso
Other details:
  • Cameron has just (as of this past week) completed three days of live-action filming in Hawaii, in Kauai's tropical rainforests. Sam Worthington, Lola Herrera, and Sigourney Weaver were reportedly onhand for the shoot.
  • He's returning to California, where he plans to commence a filming stage called "Pre-Capture," where he'll mainly be shooting with Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana. The reason is that their characters will be fully entered into the CG system. This way, with the realtime rendering, he can actually compose and find his shots -- and then work with the actors to get the performances he wants within those shots.
  • Cameron refers to this method as being much more "director-centric" (as opposed to Zemeckis's method of capturing the actors' raw performances, then trying to find shooting angles around them).
  • He'll be deciding upon a cinematographer "very soon," and the DP will be brought in on for the live-action elements of this film -- and will be consulted for the CG-DP "aesthetic," but likely will not be involved throughout that process.
  • Jim said that each person was "perfectly cast for the part they're playing." He said there was more casting to be done, but that a great deal of it had fallen into place.
So...there it is, and there's much, much more on the film (and Cameron's feelings on other projects gestating in Hollywood) in the interview than what I mentioned above. Dunno who he used as DP for the Hawaii shoot, but probably someone on the CGI-side of things.

Still hoping for an announcement on the (heavily-rumored) Michael Biehn casting fairly soonish. Paxton would be hella cool, too, while he's at it.
post #40 of 314
12/12/07 at 12:29pm

Re: Avatar (James Cameron)

Well, principle photography is nearly done or done (I don't know which), and Avatar has been officially rescheduled for December 18th, 2009. That will allow for TWO YEARS of post-production. So, if you were excited about a Cameron film in 18 months (like me), now you can be excited about a Cameron film in 2 years.

That's a LOOOOOOOONG post-production period. This thing better look s**t-hot when it hits screens. And Fox is already excited about the Titanic-esque date.
post #41 of 314
12/12/07 at 6:55pm

Re: Avatar (James Cameron)

one more day would be 12 years, right?
post #42 of 314
12/13/07 at 7:29am

Re: Avatar (James Cameron)

Yup, Titanic was December 19th, 1997. I still have the ticket in my wallet (nerd alert!!!).

This is so far away anyway, it's really non-news.
post #43 of 314
12/14/07 at 2:44am

Re: Avatar (James Cameron)

It wouldn't be a James Cameron movie with no delays!
post #44 of 314
12/31/07 at 12:20am

Re: Avatar (James Cameron)

That cast list is kinda strange...
post #45 of 314
12/31/07 at 3:45am

Re: Avatar (James Cameron)

Quote:
Originally Posted by joshEH
Some major new Avatar details straight from James Cameron's mouth, at AICN:
  • Sigourney Weaver has, indeed, been cast in the film, in the role of "Grace" (reportedly one of the inventors/scientists behind the whole "Avatar" project).
Other cast members mentioned by Cameron in the interview:
  • Wes Studi (hell yeah!)
  • Peter Mensah (appearing in 300 as a Persian warrior)
  • C.C.H. Pounder
  • Joel David Moore
  • Laz Alonso
Other details:
  • Cameron has just (as of this past week) completed three days of live-action filming in Hawaii, in Kauai's tropical rainforests. Sam Worthington, Lola Herrera, and Sigourney Weaver were reportedly onhand for the shoot.
  • He's returning to California, where he plans to commence a filming stage called "Pre-Capture," where he'll mainly be shooting with Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana. The reason is that their characters will be fully entered into the CG system. This way, with the realtime rendering, he can actually compose and find his shots -- and then work with the actors to get the performances he wants within those shots.
  • Cameron refers to this method as being much more "director-centric" (as opposed to Zemeckis's method of capturing the actors' raw performances, then trying to find shooting angles around them).
  • He'll be deciding upon a cinematographer "very soon," and the DP will be brought in on for the live-action elements of this film -- and will be consulted for the CG-DP "aesthetic," but likely will not be involved throughout that process.
  • Jim said that each person was "perfectly cast for the part they're playing." He said there was more casting to be done, but that a great deal of it had fallen into place.
So...there it is, and there's much, much more on the film (and Cameron's feelings on other projects gestating in Hollywood) in the interview than what I mentioned above. Dunno who he used as DP for the Hawaii shoot, but probably someone on the CGI-side of things.

Still hoping for an announcement on the (heavily-rumored) Michael Biehn casting fairly soonish. Paxton would be hella cool, too, while he's at it.

Interesting that since shooting began back in April, we have not heard that much except delays. Now that's a surprise
post #46 of 314
1/3/08 at 11:07am

Re: Avatar (James Cameron)

Sweet, only 2 years away! Time to start a Countdown website

I'm looking forward to this one... 10+ years since Cameron's last theatrical release is way too long, but I guess since he's found something that really excites him, it will hopefully be worth the wait.

I hope he doesn't sacrifice a good 2-D presentation just so he can get some good 3D effects though. While I haven't seen 3-D presentations of any of the recent big theatrical releases (Beowulf), I still think the idea is kind of gimmicky, though hopefully I'll be proven wrong by 2009. I doubt a lot of theaters even 2 years from now will be 3D capable.

For the home release, I don't think we'll have to worry about the current HD format war... by then it will either be over, or the players will be cheap enough that most people should be able to afford both, or there will actually be a GOOD combo player out.

From a couple of above posts, I gather that the HD formats are capable of 3D releases like we see in the theater?
post #47 of 314
1/3/08 at 1:14pm

Re: Avatar (James Cameron)

What is the theater 3-D format? Is it differential color or differential polarization? If the latter, I'd bet that only a small fraction of home display hardware could reproduce it.
post #48 of 314
1/4/08 at 9:55am

Re: Avatar (James Cameron)

polarization
post #49 of 314
3/4/08 at 10:00am

Re: Avatar (James Cameron)

MarketSaw - 3D Movies and Technology: James Cameron Interviewed in HDVideoPro Magazine: Scanned Pages !

A Glimpse of Avatar by JC

“I can’t think of a better movie for 3-D - action, creatures, big aerial battles and more. It’s going to rock the house. It’s another world - a world of great beauty and savagery, a mystical place where humans, with their greed and technology, confront a virgin world of great danger and wonder. When the humans try to take what’s not theirs, as they have done since the dawn of time whenever they inhabit a new land, the land fights back. And the fight is on; the scale is off the chain. And that’s all I am saying.”

Amazing....can't wait...
post #50 of 314
4/3/08 at 1:54pm

Re: Avatar (James Cameron)

MarketSaw - 3D Movies and Technology: Na'vi Alien Language Incorporated In "Avatar" Music Soundtrack

Quote:
Another breaking story from your source for all things Avatar!

One of my better known sources (to me anyway!) just tipped me on what is happening with the soundtrack for the movie - read on intrepid James Cameron fans!

We have known for some time now that James Horner has been attached to "Avatar" to deliver the soundtrack for the epic 3D sci-fi.

But what we didn't know was that they have been at it for some time now - since July of last year! The task at hand has been to create music for the alien race that resides on the planet Pandora called the Na'vi. The Na'vi have their own language and yes, it has been created just for this movie. In fact, James Horner has been hard at work meshing in this newly developed language into his soundtrack for the movie! The singers must get the pronunciations just right.

Horner has been working with at least 5 singers to accomplish this feat for the movie sequences and it seems that they have been very successful - most of that integration has been completed. The singers have been awe of Horner in how much of a visionary he is and how productive he can be in completing an obviously challenging task.

Music is such a key component to James Cameron's films. Think Titanic. I may get some comments to the contrary, but I really think that Celine Dion's mega-watt performance of "My Heart Will Go On" is one of the best, if not THE best song ever attached to a movie. Honestly, I can't imagine what that alien language is going to sound like but I can say without a doubt, that the music, language and the integration into the movie is going to be out of this world. And I don't mean that as a pun!
post #51 of 314
4/3/08 at 2:25pm

Re: Avatar (James Cameron)

cool some more news re Avatar is always good
post #52 of 314
4/11/08 at 1:34pm

Re: Avatar (James Cameron)

More technical info from Big Jim, most of it on the stereoscopic process. Not much on Avatar itself, but as the film will be the clarion call for the technology (or maybe the death knell, but somehow I doubt that), I'll share the link.

Variety: Jim on 3-D and a whole lot more

I can't speak to his technical accuracy, but I'll assume he knows what he is talking about. He always seems to.
post #53 of 314
6/4/08 at 7:59am

Re: Avatar (James Cameron)

Can someone please summarize this? I checked around and didn't find anything about what the movie is about. Also, if it's an entire CG film (yuck), why do they have live shooting in Hawaii?
post #54 of 314
6/4/08 at 9:04am

Re: Avatar (James Cameron)

1) It's not an entirely CG film. Not at all. But there will be a huge amount of CGI, in the environments and characters.

2) The very first post has a link to a summary of the story, though I am sure it's grown or changed since then.
post #55 of 314
6/4/08 at 10:41am

Re: Avatar (James Cameron)

"follows a paraplegic war veteran from Earth who is brought to another planet inhabited by a humanoid race at odds with Earth's citizens"

I read that, but was hoping there might be something more to it that has people so excited . That's all i saw in the first post with the link.
post #56 of 314
6/4/08 at 11:57am

Re: Avatar (James Cameron)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve_Tk
"follows a paraplegic war veteran from Earth who is brought to another planet inhabited by a humanoid race at odds with Earth's citizens"

I read that, but was hoping there might be something more to it that has people so excited . That's all i saw in the first post with the link.

It's a film by James Cameron...that's more than enough to get me interested in the project.
post #57 of 314
8/7/08 at 1:00am

Re: Avatar (James Cameron)

17 months

James Cameron's 'Avatar' creating tech buzz
post #58 of 314
8/7/08 at 2:26am

Re: Avatar (James Cameron)

this caught my attention from the article

Quote:
On 3-D, both Cameron and Pace are looking ahead.

"The real question is 'where does all this go?" Cameron said. "Are we looking at a situation maybe 10-15 years out where most laptops are sold with 3-D stereoscopic screens, most montors are stereo compatible, most DVD players can run stereo content? ... I can see this becoming much more pervasive that we are thinking now."

He and Pace believe content is the key.

Pace addressed one last--and not often addressed--aspect of 3-D: The archival value.

"I think back of our shots at Titanic (lensed for "Ghosts of the Abyss"). Those have incredible, future proof, archival value," Pace said. "When we look at (3-D) display devices in the home (which are already becoming available)--a lot of filmmakers and studios need to be making 3-D right now.

Those production commitments are often based on the here and now, instead of thinking about how much value there is to this 3-D product in the future.

Why not master in 3-D now if there is only an incremental expense?

Why not think about that now?"


post #59 of 314
8/7/08 at 5:45am

Re: Avatar (James Cameron)

Reading that article is fairly astounding. It's been a pretty amazing decade with regards to technical innovations, but this seems to push pretty far ahead. From most directors, I'd attribute about 50-75% of the comments as hype and/or conjecture. But not Cameron. He's delivered a defining experience and pushed the envelope almost every time at bat. While I am interested in the technical boundaries this film will push (and I'll go wherever I have to in order to see this film the weay the director intends), I am more interested in seeing Cameron behind the camera again, making a narrative film.

He's a rare combination of technical prowess and "finger on the pulse of the audience". Besides, he'll move the bar again, and that's great news for everybody.
post #60 of 314
8/7/08 at 7:01am

Re: Avatar (James Cameron)

I think it's even more interesting when you think of Christopher Nolan, a director whose film has reached certain technical highs in its own right. He is completely against 3-D.
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