Spike Jonze and Lance Bangs directed portrait of author of "Where the Wild Things Are"
Jim Cameron: 'Avatar' Will Change Moviegoing
“3D is not like sound, but color. Color films were tentpole experiences, and then supplanted black and white.”
Keywords
Slideshow
It’s perhaps the most anticipated head-to-head competition in Oscar history.
Kathryn Bigelow’s low-budget indie war film, “The Hurt Locker,” and James Cameron’s 3D mega-blockbuster “Avatar,” both nominated for nine Oscars Tuesday, are going directly against one another for Director and Best Picture, among other categories.
Oh, and of course, Bigelow and Cameron used to be married.
Which film is going to win the big Best Picture prize on March 7?
TheWrap breaks down the competition.
Director James Cameron urged Hollywood on Saturday to embrace 3-D technology, and to work together to make it the central focus of theatrical filmed entertainment.
“3D is not like sound, but color,” he said. “Color films were tentpole experiences and then supplanted black and white.”
Cameron spoke in one of three opening sessions at the first annual Produced By conference, which is hosted by the Producers Guild of America on the lot of Sony Pictures Entertainment.
Cameron, a longtime advocate for 3D, said that the future of the industry may depend on the success of the technology. And while Cameron said that he could not know where 3D was headed, he predicted that it had the potential to change the entertainment industry.
The format could become the norm in making films and may be important in doing so, he said, because it offers viewers an experience they cannot get at home.
“If you can bring showmanship back into the theaters, we can truly bring viewers something they can’t get at home,” he said.
Over the past few years, companies have released more 3D movies, the majority of which have been of the Pixar variety in computer graphic form, which Cameron called the obvious choice.
But now the industry needs to share what it knows about the technology. “In the first few years everyone can share what we know, and then we can get cutthroat,” he said.
Cameron used his much-anticipated 3D blockbuster, ‘Avatar,’ as an example of how persistence and experimentation can pay off.
He first wrote the script 14 years ago and hoped to be able to present it in a 3D format. Digital Domain, a visual effects and animation company he worked with on the 1994 release True Lies, told him it was impossible.
Cameron never gave up on 3D, believing that one day the exhibition and distribution parts of the industry would be ready to handle 3D content. By 2000 he had begun development on a camera built especially for 3D, which he has spent the last decade working with.
Cameron explained in detail how he learned to work with the camera and figure out how to best use it for all aspects of a movie, whether it be an action sequence or an over-the-shoulder shot.
He credits this constant experimentation with his mastery of the technology and urged everyone to test it out. Rather than being afraid of looking stupid by not getting it right, producers and photographers must accept the learning curve and just try it.
Years after being rebuffed on Avatar, Cameron had another conversation with his friend Stan Winston, co-founder of Digital Domain. This time, as he and Winston discussed what kind of movie Cameron could make in 3D, Winston told him to make it his best movie, his ‘Star Wars.’
Now that exhibitors are able to show 3D content, Cameron said the possibilities are limitless for movies, television shows, sporting events or even education.
He offered the example of teaching fourth graders math with 3D, making the numbers easier to remember.
Comments
Brian Says
It use to be the wide screen that attracted people to the movies but now televisions are wide screen the industry needs to look for something else that will attract people to the movies and it seems they have found it with 3D movies. With today's technology 3D has improved making the experience of a 3D movie more enjoyable. Going by the huge number of people wanting to see Avatar in 3D it looks like this technology is a success.
Shea Duke Says
No, a person with one eye cannot see 3d movies. My sister only has one eye, and it took us a while to figure out that she couln't see the "magicEYE" pictures because of this reason as well. She was a little bummed, but she got over it. I was excited when I heard about the shutter glasses, but then Chris said it works by showing the left eye image on screen and blanking the right, and vise versa...so that wouln't work either, since she has no left eye.
Jim Says
Can a person with only one eye watch these movies? (not a joke)
jim Says
Just saw Avatar, awestruck still, thank you Mr. Cameron.
George Says
I just saw Avatar and I was very impressed... but not by the 3D! Sure the high resolution of the 3D is great, but most people are missing the point that the real revolution of this movie was the motion capture technology... even on their facial expressions. This made the CG actors more believable and let the actors provide more than just a voice...
Common Sense Says
Cameron = Loser. 3D blows. It's come and gone a half dozen times. Newfangled "stereoscopic" is the same as old-fashioned "stereoscopic." Cameron lacks a fundamental "adult gene" that permits him to appreciate that it's basically about storytelling, not the "visceral experience." He fears being boring more than anything else. Ironically, he more he talks about 3D, the more of a bore he becomes.
chris Says
3D using shutter glasses will not give you headache and will not be flickering if its used at a high refresh rate. anaglyph uses the cross eyed method which is what makes you sick. People need to understand the 3d method thats being touted is not red blue glasses. Its shutterglasses or polorised. Shutterglasses method only requires one projector/screen. It works by showing the left eye image on screen and blanking the right, then showing the right eye image then blanking the left. Its abit like polorises at imax but instead of projecting 2 images on screen and glasses filtering the right and left images. Shutter uses 1 projector and the glasses do the work of showing each eye it's own perspective as the left and right eye images alternate extremely fast on screen aswell.
basically old anaglyph gave us 3d by making us go crosseyed which gives you a splitting headache. Shutter glasses and polorises don't as each eye sees there own left/right perspective.
Oliver Says
Cameron is a very clever guy, so I don't understand why it is so hard for him to get why people in general prefer not to use 3D-glasses if they can avoid it.