Talk:Avatar (2009 film)

Studio Shills making edits

It's getting REALLY annoying that Shills keep popping in here and removing the "Trailer" section, merely because it contained a few links to the negative reception that the Trailer received. If the Trailer isn't "relative" to this topic, then what the hell is? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.169.189.92 (talk) 18:22, 22 August 2009 (UTC)

The amount of unsourced hype on this page is outrageous. 24.20.202.157 (talk) 17:47, 25 October 2009 (UTC)

Citations

• Jerry Beck (2006-11-12). "Weta evolves into global giant". Variety. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
• Sharon Waxman (2007-01-08). "'Titanic' Director Joins Fox on $200 Million Film". New York Times. Retrieved 2007-01-10. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
• Andrew Gumbel (2007-01-11). "Lights, cameras, blockbuster: The return of James Cameron". The Independent. Retrieved 2007-01-11. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

—Erik (talk • contrib) - 13:02, 11 January 2007 (UTC)

New Stuff

This page didn't have much information and it was very outdated and scrambled, so I re-did the whole page and added the new information about production, cast, release dates, etc. I'll be coming here and updating it whenever new things come out to keep it up to date.Johnpedia 01:54, 9 January 2007 (UTC)

don't know how to add source but i got it from comingsoon.net —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Johnpedia (talk • contribs) 04:04, January 9, 2007 (UTC)

I don't know what you mean by this page not having enough information. The film hasn't begun production, so of course there isn't much information besides production history. There was a press release recently, which Wiki-newbie has incorporated into the article without needing to change up the sections like you did. However, I think since that visual effects will be a prominent part of the film, there should be a breakout section below Production that can detail Cameron's plans, what with the FUSION camera system and all. Please review WP:CITE to learn how to cite information that you may add later. —Erik (talk • contrib) - 20:10, 9 January 2007 (UTC)

Virtual photography and live action?

The New York Times says, "The live-action shoot with actors will begin in April," but CNN says, "The writer/director will start virtual photography on the sci-fi epic in April, followed by live-action work in August, ahead of a summer 2009 release." I'm confused as to which is which, as there are multiple citations that seem to say slightly different things. Anyone able to clear this up? —Erik (talk • contrib) - 09:15, 13 January 2007 (UTC)

The film is 60% CG, so I think the digital shoot starts in April, and then the live-action in August. Keep an eye out. Wiki-newbie 10:54, 13 January 2007 (UTC)

I think I'm going to re-read all the citations again and try tounderstand it, not just add information. It can't be that complicated. —Erik (talk • contrib) - 16:31, 13 January 2007 (UTC)

Shooting begins in April and finishes in November. Every frame of film with have large amount of visual effects. April to August will be for more CG heavy elements, creatures like the Banshee that have to be partly character animated and will take a long time. More actor based live action will then happen between August and November. But this still involves a high level of perfromance capture and will still feature CG heavey elements. Only about 10% of the movie is set on earth so most of the film will be set on Pandora with the humans in their CG Avatars. The 60 - 40% ratio just means some will be 100% computer animated and some will be be CGI built around live actors. 4 months of shooting has already taken place. And according to The Hollywood Reporter, 10 minutes of film have already been shot. Release is planned for Memorial Day 2009. But it is a Cameron movie so expect delays. Uthell

cast

Sigourney Weaver, i got my info here, http://www.aintitcool.com/node/31276 Johnpedia 10:27, 18 January 2007 (UTC)

Sounds authentic if she was on a TV show and mentioned that, but is there a citation from an actual news source instead of a report from someone with a pseudonym? —Erik (talk • contrib) - 15:51, 18 January 2007 (UTC)

Fan site link

Im new to the Wiki wolrd and am trying to post a link to a very good and useful Avatar fan site. The link was removed after i posted it and I was told to discuss it first. www.planetpandora.com is the site and i feel Wiki readers could benefit from having it listed here. Uthell

Reviewing the site, the forum has only one topic. It seems like self-promotion to me per WP:SPAM. —Erik (talk • contrib) - 12:46, 19 January 2007 (UTC)

Citation for use

• Sara Vilkomerson (2007-04-09). "Sigourney In 3-D". The New York Observer. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

Interview with the actress. —Erik (talk • contrib • review) - 11:38, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

Filming's begun? OK, I think it'll be good to add once the main actors have their say. Alientraveller 11:47, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

• "Pounder Talks Avatar". IGN. 2007-04-30. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

Identification of CCH Pounder's role. —Erik (talk • contrib • review) - 04:28, 1 May 2007 (UTC)

• Ubisoft Lands James Cameron's Avatar —Erik (talk • contrib) - 19:31, 24 July 2007 (UTC)

• $200m Avatar starts filming in Wellington —Erik (talk • contrib) - 00:58, 18 October 2007 (UTC)

• James Cameron update on Avatar — Steve ^{T • C} 20:48, 20 February 2008 (UTC)

• David S. Cohen (2008-04-10). "James Cameron supercharges 3D". Variety. Retrieved 2008-04-11. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help) – "Avatar' helmer reveals the art & science of stereo." General points about 3D filmmaking, but some Avatar goodies. Steve ^{T • C} 09:54, 11 April 2008 (UTC)

Where is the info?

I added the following information;

"Avatar will also introduce Cameron's latest and so far most important innovation in digital filmmaking; a revolutionary real time virtual camera system, developed by Cameron and his crew of computer experts. This allows the director to observe the actors' real time performances as virtual characters interacting with the digital world. Cameron explains; "It’s like a big, powerful game engine. If I want to fly through space, or change my perspective, I can. I can turn the whole scene into a living miniature and go through it on a 50 to 1 scale. It’s pretty exciting."

And:

"In Januar 2007, some new info was released; "A paralyzed former marine 150 years in the future, who undergoes an experiment to exist as an avatar, another version of himself." As an alien, he is no longer paralyzed, but 10 feet tall and blue."

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/09/movies/09came.html?ex=1325998800&en=a04547b0447818e8&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

But some guy who calls himself Erik keeps insisting that this info is "redundant". Meaning that it should already be available somehwere in the article. So how about quoting it? 193.217.193.159 00:26, 22 August 2007 (UTC)

"In September, Cameron was announced to use his own Reality Camera System to film in 3-D. The system would use two high-definition cameras in a single camera body to create depth perception.[27] In December 2006, Cameron explained that the delay in producing the film since the 1990s had been to wait until the technology necessary to create his project was advanced enough. The director planned to create photo-realistic computer-generated characters by using motion capture animation technology, on which he had been doing work for the past 14 months."

"In the same month, Fox announced that the studio's Avatar would be filmed in 3D. Cameron described the film as a hybrid with a full live-action shoot in combination with computer-generated characters and live environments. 'Ideally at the end of the of day the audience has no idea which they’re looking at,' Cameron said. The director indicated that he had already worked four months on nonprincipal scenes for the film... The live action is shot with the proprietary Fusion digital 3-D camera system developed by Cameron and Vince Pace. According to Cameron, the film will be composed of 60% computer-generated elements and 40% live action, as well as traditional miniatures."

"Sam Worthington as Jake Sully, "a paralyzed former marine who undergoes an experiment to exist as an avatar, another version of himself... an alien – 10 feet tall and blue."[7] Sully is able to be part of the alien world in his avatar, a genetically engineered biological body that can be remotely operated by a human consciousness.[8]"

—Erik (talk • contrib) - 00:31, 22 August 2007 (UTC)

Yeah, I found the part about the genetically engineered marine by reading the cast list, the only part that I hadn't read since I already knew who was being involved. But I don't see where they mentions the real time camera system. There is a reference to a 3D and a Reality Camera System, but it doesn't say anything if this is the same. And if it is the same, it doesn't say anything about what's so new and special about it. We all know performance capture will be used, and since it is will be 3D, it is obvious that it will contain depth perception. And we all know it will fuse live action and CGI, but the real innovation here is the possibility to directly observe the actors' real time performances as virtual characters interacting with the digital world, instead of adding the virtual environments after the performance has been captured, which has been the standard procedure in the industry so far. Cameron is doing it the other way around, he has first created the virtual world which he then inhabits it with the virtual characters, all in real time. From what I can see, there is no info about this in the article. 193.217.192.154 09:28, 22 August 2007 (UTC)

Hmm... maybe you could work a portion of the previous paragraph into the existing information about the camera system? You could follow the existing talk about the camera system with how it will work for Cameron. —Erik (talk • contrib) - 15:18, 22 August 2007 (UTC)

Name Change

I'd like to suggest that this article be renamed to 'Avatar (2009 film)' as there is now a page for another film named Avatar. See Avatar (2004 film). Morgan Leigh | Talk 12:48, 25 February 2008 (UTC)

Seems uncontroversial, should that film's notability, and thus suitability for Wikipedia inclusion, be confirmed. Can you provide any independent coverage of it beyond its imdb listing? Steve ^{T • C} 13:59, 25 February 2008 (UTC)

Unexplained.

If this movie is already more or less complete, isn't it a major risk to push back release some 1 to 1,5 years for various minor technical reasons? I mean nobody can be sure it won't hit bittorrent tomorrow just becase some employee opposes the delay. Bootleg copies are not required to be perfect quality by the audience, so half-finished material would still share very good. 82.131.210.162 (talk) 17:00, 30 April 2008 (UTC)

Its not finished, the script is, but the actual film isn't finished, its only now filming as the CGI techniques are finally here to produce was Cameron envisioned. AllyndNoir (talk) 10:31, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

August 2008

• James Cameron's 'Avatar' creating tech buzz —Erik (talk • contrib) - 01:54, 7 August 2008 (UTC)

Original Story?

Is Avatar an original story or is it based on another work? Livingston 10:23, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

It does seem very similar to Fallen Dragon by Peter F. Hamilton. Haven't seen any mention of that as an inspiration ... but it's hard to ignore. Kmmontandon (talk) 21:01, 21 August 2009 (UTC)

It also has many similarities with Strugatsky brothers' works, especially Disquiet (which actually features planet Pandora that is very similar to the film's one).

It also seems to have a character called Nava in it.

I am sure that the plot is very similar to another I read about in the last few months, but I cannot remember what it was, or who wrote it. This is doing my head in, as I am sure that it is derived from it. Jason404 (talk) 06:35, 14 October 2009 (UTC)

There is a short story featuring similar exploring method. "Call me Joe". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Call_me_Joe —Preceding unsigned comment added by 85.166.124.54 (talk) 03:35, 15 October 2009 (UTC)

Avatar: The Last Air Bender

So I don't understand from this article - are these two projects somehow related? If 1994 Cameron started Avatar and the cartoon series Airbender has only been around for a couple years and creators are different people, and yet the Airbender is mentionned here...? What's the deal? --KpoT 04:51, 22 August 2009 (UTC) —Preceding unsigned comment added by Mizanthrop (talk • contribs)

Where is the last airbender mentioned? 86.165.156.193 (talk) 10:23, 22 August 2009 (UTC)

I just corrected the disambig link. --uKER (talk) 12:04, 22 August 2009 (UTC)

See talk page on the Avatar disambig page. No one seems to want to put the Last Airbender film on their page however, it would seem that the big elephant in the room is the fact that there is confusion between the two for the common, non movie/ anime person. Oldag07 (talk) 15:07, 22 August 2009 (UTC)

Inaccurate Statement

"The film is Lightstorm Entertainment's latest project, and James Cameron's first film in 12 years, having last directed Titanic in 1997." This section should be changed/removed. James Cameron has clearly been working on films over the last 12 years. This should be clarified or deleted. - Littlecommander (talk) 18:37, 27 August 2009 (UTC)

How about first feature film in the last 12 years? --Glaeronius (talk) 16:06, 3 October 2009 (UTC)