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Author Topic: Avatar-what's the fuss?
Sally Ann Burgess
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 120
From: Queenstown, New Zealand
Registered: Apr 2008


 - posted 12-09-2008 01:40 AM      Profile for Sally Ann Burgess   Email Sally Ann Burgess   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Can someone explain to me exactly what this film will have that hasn't been done before? All I know is that James Cameron has invented some sort of new camera, that it will be released in IMAX 3D, but also in 2D. I've heard that this will be THE film to watch out for in 2009, but apart from being excited that another Cameron movie is coming, what else can I expect? Sorry if this is in the wrong forum, it was either here or STV.

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Jack Theakston
Master Film Handler

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From: New York, USA
Registered: Sep 2007


 - posted 12-09-2008 02:57 AM      Profile for Jack Theakston   Email Jack Theakston   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
NOTHING is new about it. Everything for this film is hype, and if it's anything like Cameron's other 3-D films, it's just as poorly shot.

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Steve Guttag
We forgot the crackers Gromit!!!

Posts: 12814
From: Annapolis, MD
Registered: Dec 1999


 - posted 12-09-2008 06:41 AM      Profile for Steve Guttag   Email Steve Guttag   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Not entirely true. Technically, what Cameron is doing is using a camera system that has the lens spacing quite close to eye spacing (Definitely closer than other 3D attempts).

One issue with stereophotography is getting the lenses at the proper spacing to properly replicate human eye spacing. The physical apsects of the lens and imaging aperture (film or digital) makes that very difficult. As such, all previous 3D photography started with the images spaced further than natural. While you can shift the images to bring the spacing back to normal, your perspective will also shift (you rob Peter to pay Paul).

If I'm not mistaken, Avatar is to be shot all 4K digital.

Steve

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
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 - posted 12-09-2008 08:42 AM      Profile for Mark Gulbrandsen   Email Mark Gulbrandsen   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
quote: Steve Guttag
Technically, what Cameron is doing is using a camera system that has the lens spacing quite close to eye spacing (Definitely closer than other 3D attempts).

Actually it goes way beyond that... it mimicks the interocular spacing automatically depending on the distance and lens focus. It also utilizes the latest Sony 4K cameras.

Mark

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

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From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99


 - posted 12-09-2008 09:56 AM      Profile for Mike Blakesley   Author's Homepage   Email Mike Blakesley   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I guess I'm hoping Avatar will be a big deal, but I'm sure it'll be like every other movie following a big blockbuster. Every writer will either say it's great, or it's not nearly as good as "Titanic." Then when it grosses "only" $250 million, they'll say it was a bomb.

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Chris Slycord
Film God

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From: 퍼항시, 경상푹도, South Korea
Registered: Mar 2007


 - posted 12-09-2008 10:28 AM      Profile for Chris Slycord   Email Chris Slycord   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
James Cameron says he can't live up to 'Avatar' hype

quote:
The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES -- Canadian director James Cameron says his upcoming big-budget 3-D movie "Avatar" couldn't possibly live up to the hype on the Internet ahead of its release late next year.

The Internet has been buzzing about the sci-fi thriller shot with motion-capture technology and the 3-D camera system he helped develop with partner Vince Pace.

There are even movie trailers made by fans that apparently have nothing to do with the movie.

"Whatever they think it's going to be, it's probably not," Cameron said on the sidelines of a conference on 3-D entertainment in Los Angeles.

The US$200 million movie is in production ahead of its planned Dec. 18, 2009 release and Cameron does not yet have a trailer prepared.

"We are making the movie in blocks. You can't cut a great trailer right now because so much of the movie would be unrepresented," he said.

When asked about high expectations, the Canadian-born director of all-time U.S. box office record holder "Titanic" said he had stopped trying to meet them.

"I went out and got drunk, contemplated the whole thing and got over it," he said, adding, however, that "Avatar" was "really cool" and "groundbreaking" for its combination of motion capture, computer graphics and live action.

"Sometimes we stop working on it and just stare at it because it's just mesmerizing," he said.

He said he had not met with Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp. executives about the marketing plan, but that the movie studio did not want to put out anything too early. The studio is a unit of News Corp.


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Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
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 - posted 12-09-2008 11:46 AM      Profile for Joe Redifer   Author's Homepage   Email Joe Redifer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I wonder if James Cameron is from Canada. The article wasn't very clear on that fact. It is definitely relevant to the story!

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

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From: Music City
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 - posted 12-09-2008 12:21 PM      Profile for Mark Gulbrandsen   Email Mark Gulbrandsen   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Aeyyyyyy

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

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From: Forsyth, Montana
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 - posted 12-09-2008 03:00 PM      Profile for Mike Blakesley   Author's Homepage   Email Mike Blakesley   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I forgot about this movie being filmed with motion capture technology. That means everyone will be too busy griping about how the characters' eyes look to notice if it's a good movie or not.

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Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: May 99


 - posted 12-09-2008 06:59 PM      Profile for Joe Redifer   Author's Homepage   Email Joe Redifer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
But it also has real peeps in it as well. So the audience will only be distracted by the unnatural creepiness half of the time.

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Geoff Jones
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 579
From: Broomfield, CO, USA
Registered: Feb 2006


 - posted 12-09-2008 07:11 PM      Profile for Geoff Jones   Author's Homepage   Email Geoff Jones   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I'm guardedly optimistic. The guy has a pretty decent track record.

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Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: May 99


 - posted 12-09-2008 07:27 PM      Profile for Joe Redifer   Author's Homepage   Email Joe Redifer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
True, he's never made a movie I didn't like... though I have never seen Piranha 2: The Spawning.

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John Wilson
Film God

Posts: 5438
From: Sydney, Australia.
Registered: Dec 1999


 - posted 12-09-2008 07:46 PM      Profile for John Wilson   Email John Wilson   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Joe, then you're missing out. [Eek!]

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Jack Theakston
Master Film Handler

Posts: 411
From: New York, USA
Registered: Sep 2007


 - posted 12-09-2008 11:34 PM      Profile for Jack Theakston   Email Jack Theakston   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
quote: Steve Guttag
Not entirely true. Technically, what Cameron is doing is using a camera system that has the lens spacing quite close to eye spacing (Definitely closer than other 3D attempts).
Steve, you're buying the hype. It just ain't so. The average distance between a person's eye is about 65mm (2.6 in). MGM's rig as early as 1941 shot with an interocular of 2.6", and most of the '50s rigs could shoot that and at a shorter interocular, too.

And using the same interocular for every shot is not always right for a shot, nor is it interesting. Wider angle shots require a wider interocular obviously. When Cameron's film comes out, I will go into it with an open mind, but don't think I'm not criticizing his cockiness with these statements that are inherently false.

So that leaves you with the hype that AVATAR is being shot 4k... whoop-dee-doo. Most single-projector RealD projectors in the country today don't even project the L/R images at HD specs, so what will it matter?

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Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: May 99


 - posted 12-09-2008 11:43 PM      Profile for Joe Redifer   Author's Homepage   Email Joe Redifer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
What is the movie even about? From the name I must assume it is about an internet forum.

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