Share

James Cameron's battle for Avatar investment

Los Angeles - James Cameron had to film 40 seconds of Avatar to convince a studio to invest in it.

The director's 3D movie adventure pushed the boundaries of filmmaking and set a new precedent for how realistic movies could be - as well as setting a box office record by grossing $2.8 billion - but Cameron found it wasn't easy to get the funding to make it.

He told France's TF1 TV channel, "It's always difficult to convince any Hollywood studio to make a technically-challenging film."

"We convinced them by filming 40 seconds of what the film was going to look like. As soon as they saw the 3D test, they understood what we wanted to do."

"I think Avatar represented the latest thing in terms of new images. In this case, the classic story which cinemagoers can identify with works a bit like a gateway into the visual universe Avatar offers."

Avatar
(Photo: 20th Century Fox Film Corporation)

Although his movie opened the floodgates to a new era in cinema, Cameron doesn't think the basic structure behind all good movies will ever change.

"Technology will definitely evolve, the context will change, but it won't ever change the fact that to make a good movie, you have to have a good story and interesting characters. That's why people still want to leave their houses and sit in a darkened room with others to experience it. I don't think it'll ever stop."

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE