Much has, of course, been made about the groundbreaking technology James Cameron used to shoot the film’s breathtaking underwater sequences. And the filmmaker himself claimed during an interview with GQ that he and his team had to develop all manner of new technologies and techniques to bring the underwater world of “Avatar” sequel to life on screen.
Innovation aside, Cameron remains adamant that technology itself is only part of the equation in making a successful film. “Now does that [tech] make a better movie from an audience perspective? Absolutely not,” Cameron said in an interview for the film’s production notes (PDF via The Walt Disney Studios). He acknowledged his first order of business on any film is to ensure the tech is used in service of a good story because that’s what audiences really care about. “The broader audience only cares about a story, the characters, and how the film makes them feel,” Cameron added. “I keep that in mind first and foremost every single day.”
Much of the tech the “Avatar” team developed for “The Way of Water” is so advanced, Cameron noted, it’ll allow him to forge ahead on the franchise’s future sequels without delay. “I don’t feel there’s anything that I need to say cinematically that I will not say across these four films,” he said. And it should be fascinating to see how he utilizes such tech as the wild world of Pandora continues to expand.
