Case Study:Avatar

This unit should be approached through contemporary examples in the form of case studies.

Pre-Production

The technologies that have been introduced in recent years at the level of production

Written and directed by James Cameron

• The Terminator (1984)• Aliens (1986)

• Terminator 2 (1991)• True Lies (1994)

• Titanic (1997) - $2.16 billion

1994 - Cameron came up with the idea for Avatar – ‘taken

inspiration from every science fiction book I have ever read’

August 1996 – planned to commence filming - $100 million and 6 computer

generated actors.

Cameron decided that the technology was not adequate enough to bring his vision to fruition – began to develop

technology himself

2005 – 20th Century Fox gave Cameron $100 million to help

him develop technology

2006 – worked on a culture and language for Nav’i – linguist Dr

Frommer, botanist Prof Holt

Designers, illustrators, artists, sculptors – Weta Digital –

separate designers for Nav’i people and the environment

Developed his own Reality Camera System to film in 3D –

2 hi-def cameras in a single camera body to create depth

perception

Late 2006 - 20th Century Fox lost confidence in the project –

Walt Disney Studios - co-production with Ingenious

Media and Lightstorm Entertainment

Production

The technologies that have been introduced in recent years at the level of production.

2007 – Filming began in LA and New Zealand – 60% computer

generated, 40% live action sequence

Actors trained in activities specific to their character

(horseback riding, archery, combat) and learnt Nav’i

Motion capture animation - actors filmed – eyes, facial

expressions, etc, transferred to digital counterparts -

Spielberg ‘digital make-up’

Sam Worthington

Zoe Saldana

Sigourney Weaver

Stephen Lang

Michelle Rodriguez

Giovanni Ribisi

Post - Production

Marketing

The issues raised in the targeting of national and local audiences by international or global institutions.The importance of cross media convergence and synergy in marketing.

August 14th 2009 – exclusive photo

October 23rd – new trailer (210sec)

August 21st – trailer released (210sec)August 23rd / 24th – press conference

November 1st – 3.5 min trailer – Dallas Cowboys game – largest live film trailer viewing in history

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1_JBMrrYw8

Coca – Cola – worldwide promotion – ‘AVTR.com’

McDonalds – ‘Avatarize Yourself’

Bones – Fox Network – characters seen waiting for release of AvatarInterview on Fox programme ‘Adult Swim’

Ubisoft Montreal – ‘James Cameron’s Avatar: The Game’

France – Avatar stamps

Mattel Toys – Avatar Action FiguresMcDonalds Happy Meal toys

DistributionBy 20th Century Fox – UK, US,

Aus

The issues raised by media ownership in contemporary media practice.

Exhibition

The issues raised in the targeting of national and local audiences by international or global institutions.

Premiered in London – December 10th 2009

Released worldwide December 16th

Official budget - $237 million14000+ screens

$77,025,481 – first weekend$2,782,275,172 – total

worldwidehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=km2UpEcSUGY

Critical responses

The ways in which candidates’ own experiences of media consumption illustrate wider patterns and trends of audience behaviour.

Commercial success – highest grossing film of all time

April 22nd 2010 DVD release - 19.7 million DVD and Blu-ray discs sold in first 3 weeks of

releaseNovember 16th 2010 - re-

release with extended featuresOctober 2012 – release of 3D

DVD

Won 3 Academy Awards – Best Animation, Best

Cinematography, Best Special Effects

Won 2 Golden Globe Awards – Best Motion Picture (Drama),

Best DirectorWon BAFTA – Production Design and Visual Effects

Other filmmakers – Spielberg ‘the most evocative and

amazing sci-fi movie since Star Wars’

Positive critical reviews in newspapers

Investment in sequels – Avatar Trilogy

‘flat dialogue’ ‘obvious characterisation’ ‘3D

spectacle, 1D storyline’ ‘impossible to watch without being whacked over the head by the director’s ideological

hammer’

Derivative ideas– ‘Dances With Wolves’, ‘Call Me Joe’,

‘Pocahontas’

Analogies to wars in Iraq, Vietnam, War on Terror – criticising government?

Criticised by pro-Native American groups

Your case study should contain information about:Pre-production and production of the film (including which film

company/companies it was produced by, which actors star in it, how much it cost to make, etc)

Distribution of the filmExhibition of the film (including how many screens exhibited the film, box

office takings, etc)What the film is actually about, genre, how successful do you think it was

outside of its box office takings, why 

You should include the information about your case study on your blog but also be prepared to present ideas about your film to the class.

 You can choose from any of the following films:

 Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

Rise of the Planet of the ApesX Men: First Class

BridesmaidsPrometheus

Avengers AssembleTransformers: Dark of The Moon