3D Technology

The 3D technology was one of the main production methods used to appeal to the audience.



Fusion 3D Technology

James Cameron co-developed The Fusion Camera System with Vince Pace in order to shoot in stereoscopic 3D

"It essentially recognises a focal length and adjusts the controls of the system provide a starting point. I believe it will allow the cinematographer to focus on creative decisions rather than the technical. It will also help minimise the number of bad 3D shots" - Vince Pace

Audience Appeal

• "Without those polarised goggles Avatar [would be] just another cornball sci-fi fantasty about alien monsters on a faraway planet" Xan Brooks (The Guardian)
• Increases the atmosphere and therefore helps to suspend the audience's disbelief
• It gives the Hollywood high budget films an attraction amateur/low budget films don't have
• Creates increased interest - the factor this film has that others don't

Audience Response

Facebook

• 570581 fans (03/01/10)
• Response from the official Avatar comments exceeds 7000 comments, raising huge viral hype before, during and after release

Rotten Tomatoes

London Premiere Audience

"First audiences rave about Cameron's 3D epic Avatar - By Mairi Mackay CNN

London, England

As the credits rolled following the 3D epic's world premiere in London on Thursday, it looked like the "Titanic" director's decade long gamble had paid off.

There were whoops and cheers as portions of the audience gave Cameron and cast members a standing ovation."

• "It was an absolute marvel and I am left in awe after seeing it," audience member James Howard, 23, said of the magical jungle that lights up with phosphorescence at night.
• "The Na'vi female character had a really expressive face. She was really beautiful and that's why I think it worked." Kent Renwick, 39
• Others commended the advanced 3D: Lucy Biswicke. 34. said she had no feelings of motion sickness from wearing the specs. "It's all about the quality of the 3D for me. I'd never seen a 3D film before and this is amazing."

Film Critics' Reviews

Chris Hewitt (Empire)


"It’s been twelve years since Titanic, but the King of the World has returned with a flawed but fantastic tour de force that, taken on its merits as a film, especially in two dimensions, warrants four stars. However, if you can wrap a pair of 3D glasses round your peepers, this becomes a transcendent, full-on five-star experience that's the closest we'll ever come to setting foot on a strange new world. Just don’t leave it so long next time, eh, Jim?"

Jonathan Romney (The Independent)


"His long-awaited Avatar is digital epic as attrition – you can't escape being overwhelmed by it, but it doesn't leave you much thinking space. I saw the film in 3D on a relatively small screen rather than in the colossal Imax format in which it's also being released. See it on that scale, and no doubt you'll feel totally engulfed by the experience, but even in a Soho Square basement, Avatar was immersive enough for me."

Mark Kermode (5Live)


Andrew Pulver (The Guardian)


"James Cameron just got slack. The Titanic director's monstrously-hyped creation does look fantastic but, in trying to cover all the bases with militarist sci-fi, vacuous eco-waffle and an intra-species love story, it's too baggy"

Poster Analysis

The posters were marketing designed to widen the audience being targeted

Posters shown on:

• Bus stops
• Tube stations
• Billboards
• Buses
• Cinema foyers

Poster 1 (Most recent)

Denotation:

• Dark, low key lighting
• Strong blue colourscheme, broken by green eye
• CU of right half of a young male, grisly skin with intense determined look
• CU of left half of Na'vi male, smooth, sleek skin, bright green eye and determined expression
• VLS of Na'vi female, crouched down, tribal clothing
• Blue glowing text, 2/3 down the poster
• Left-hand side background is Pandora jungle scene
• Right-hand side background is equivalent jungle as on left but burnt and smouldering

Connotation:

• Lighting gives mysterious, sombre feel and allows other features to be accentuated (e.g. the title and the eye)
• Blue colours brand the film and the green eye draws attention to the fantastical nature
• CU allows the expression to give maximum intensity. The grisly skin and determined expression work together to show the masculinity and action/warfare aspect to the character and film
• Smooth skin represents the peaceful purity of the Na'vi. Showing the Na'vi character creates awareness of the fantasy/sci-fi genre
• Showing the split between Na'vi/human juxtaposes the two races, enhancing their similarities and differences
• Crouching shows the fighting side to her character, and the VLS keeps the focus on him
• Title is brighter so it stands out and the style is mystical but the metallic edge maintains its strength
• Background sets the scene as an isolated jungle, showing the action adventure genre as this is a key signifier
• The burnt forest foreshadows the narrative of the film, and the conflict between the human and Na'vi races
• The poster gives more information about the film's characters, setting and narrative

Poster 2 (Teaser)

Denotation:

• White text ("from the director of Titanic") at top of poster
• Blue glowing text at bottom of poster
• BCU of half of female Na'vi, seductive, powerful expression
• 1/3 way down green eye with thick, long black eyelashes and a slightly drooped eyelid
• Black background, with the image blending in through low-key lighting

Connotation:

• Poster sells off director James Cameron's past successes, creating hype about the film
• Title is brighter so it stands out and the style is mystical but the metallic edge maintains its strength
• Woman is presented as powerful, following Cameron's trend of strong female characters, appealing to female audience. However her seductive look appeals to male audiences
• The features all work together to create an intense but still feminine expression
• The black background prevents giving too much information away in these early stages of marketing
• The low-key lighting creates enigma within the poster

Poster 3 (Initial design for original summer release)

Changes made from this original design:

• Bigger focus on the sci-fi over fantasy with the universe background and the "believe it, or not"
• James Cameron's role as director is more prominent
• The font and style of the title is more metallic, cold and sci-fi
• The blue colourscheme has not yet been established

Avatar Facts and Stats

About the Film:

• Genre - Epic fantasy/action adventure/sci-fi
• Plot - A paraplegic marine dispatched to the moon Pandora on a unique mission becomes torn between following his orders and protecting the world he feels is his home.
• Characters - Jake Sully (human, disabled, ex-marine) and Neytiri (Na'vi, daughter of tribe leaders)
• Cast - Sam Worthington (Jake Sully), Zoe Saldana (Neytiri), Sigourney Weaver (Dr Grace Augustine), Stephen Lang (Colonel Miles Quaritch)
• Running Time - 162 mins
• Certificate - 12A
• Style - 3D, CGI, Hollywood

About the Institutions:

• Production - 20th Century Fox
• Distribution - 20th Century Fox
• Director - James Cameron
• Producer - Jon Landau
• Budget - $230M (estimated)
• Marketing Budget - $150M (estimated)
• Marketing Techniques - Above the line, mainstream
• Release Dates - London Premiere 10/12/09, U.K. release 17/12/09

About the Audience:

• Core - Masculine, technology conscious, families
• Secondary - Film fans, 3D appeal

About the Response:

• Ratings - Empire 5 stars, The Independant 4 stars, Youtube response 4.5 stars
• U.K Opening Weekend - £8.5M
• U.K Latest Gross - (25/12/09) £18.4M
• Worldwide Latest Gross - $405M
• U.K. Ranks - 1st weekend 1st (503 sites), 2nd weekend 2nd (485 sites)

• Audience Response - In Empire pre-release poll huge support from marketing is revealed

At the Cinema

Audience Sample of our Avatar Screening:
(Cineworld in Enfield, Wednesday @ 11:30)

Key Points:

• Majority male
• People present in family groups or couples
• No elderly
• No groups of teenagers

Adverts Before Film:

• Alcohol x7
• Phone x3 (including Avatar sponsor LG)
• PS3 x3 (action/warfare games)
• Car x2
• Sky/Virgin
• Batteries
• The Economist
• Boots
• Coke Zero (Avatar sponsor)
• Cadburys (3D advert)

Key Points:

• Majority masculine focused (e.g. car, coke zero, warfare games)
• Technology (e.g. batteries, PS3, phones) fitting with modern audience (no elderly)
• Alcohol adverts shows the film's older audience (more male adults than children)
• Avatar sponsors (Coke and LG)

Trailers Before Film:

• Glee (E4 musical drama, female teenage audience)
• Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief (Fox distributed, similar fantasy/action genre, teenage audience)
• Wolfman (Universal distributed, similar fantasy thriller genre)
• Toy Story 2 3D (3D rennovation appeals to film fans, younger children/family audience)