3D Movie Avatar Opens December 18, 2009
Fox Makes James Cameron's Film Top Fall Project
Aug 12, 2009
Recent footage of the new much-anticipated 3D film was shown as a preview in select places. More previews of 15 minutes of footage are to be shown for free at select theaters in August to introduce people to the concept and 3D Effects of this upcoming fall film release.
Avatar-The Storyline
In this futuristic sci-fi movie, Jake Sullly, a partially-paralyzed veteran of the Marines, is sent to a planet called Pandora to be a participant in the Avatar program, which will give him a new and healthy body. The planet is inhabited by a humanoid race, the Na’vi, who have their own language and civilization. Jake (played by Sam Worthington) becomes an avatar, a giant blue-skinned being who is part-human and part-alien.
Because there is no oxygen on Pandora, the military of Earth has been breeding these half-human, half-alien hybrids called avatars to fight the Na’vi and take over their world’s rich resources. As an avatar, Jake uses his consciousness to control his new form and fight battles. Soon, Jake falls in love with one of the Na’vi, and must choose where his loyalties lie in a war which will determine the fate of the entire world.
Avatar--Visual Effects
Avatar was filmed entirely in 3D, using two virtual cameras, which produces an effect that simulates human sight. Those who have seen a brief preview claim Avatar to be a visual success, portraying a primitive world, an environment rich in prehistoric -looking creatures and lush, jungle-like scenery.
The aliens are reported to be the best ever created with CGI technology. Their hair and skin seem real, and their facial expressions more natural than previous attempts to master this new and growing technology. They also seem more fleshed out and less ghost-like than earlier computer-generated images--a step forward with this technique.
Fox Sets High Hopes on James Cameron’s Avatar
Fox has made Avatar its top fall project. James Cameron, director of the smash hit Titanic, which hailed 1.8 billion at the box office, has an estimated budget between 230 and 300 million for the production of Avatar. It has been a long wait. The idea for Avatar has been in the works since the 1990s and has been 4 years in the making. Much of the delay was because technology was not quite advanced enough to create the effect the director wanted. Cameron at first planned to work on a similar film, Battle Angel, but chose Avatar because he felt he could do more with the special effects.
Fox is taking a huge risk on Avatar because usually such high budgets are not risked on a story that does not already have a strong, established fan base, such as Batman. Free screenings have been planned to familiarize people with the storyline and to display the advanced technology, since ads and trailers cannot do justice to the 3D effects. Fox is hoping the expensive advertising will pay off in the long run. It is hoped that this film’s use of 3D effect will make it as spectacular and impressive for moviegoers as Star Wars was for a previous generation..
Perhaps this is just the beginning. Cameron plans to remakeTitanic in 3D next, and other classics may follow.
Click here to read about: Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland
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