Cameron Fires Back at Avatar 3D Critics with Box Office Numbers
The legendary filmmaker doesn't hold back when defending his controversial technical choices, pointing to massive profits and explaining the science behind his visual approach.
When it comes to defending his filmmaking decisions, James Cameron doesn't mince words. The director recently hit back at those who've criticized his use of 3D technology and elevated frame rates in the Avatar franchise, and his response was characteristically blunt.
"I think $2.3 billion says you might be wrong on that," Cameron stated during a recent conversation with Discussing Film. "Well, that's the argument from authority. But the argument from artistic is: I happen to like it, and it's my movie."
The Technical Side of High Frame Rate Filming
The bulk of Avatar: The Way of Water, along with the upcoming Fire and Ash installment, was captured at 48 frames per second – exactly twice the standard cinema rate of 24 fps. This technique creates an unusually fluid visual experience that some viewers find jarring.
"I like what it does to smooth out the 3D experience," Cameron explained, diving into the technical reasoning behind his choice.
The Science Behind 3D Viewing
Cameron's explanation gets into the neurological aspects of how humans process three-dimensional imagery. "If you want to get technical on this, we have a lot of different neurons that do a lot of different things, but we have dedicated neurons for parallax. So when people say they get eye strain watching 3D, it's not eye strain. It's brain strain, because we integrate into a stereoscopic perception of the world in our visual cortex."
The filmmaker continued with his scientific breakdown: "Those parallax-sensitive neurons can't fire if the vertical edges of things are jumping. The brain can't process that. So if we're having a stroboscopic effect that's degrading the 3D experience, then we'll use high frame rate. It interpolates to a level that we actually can process 3D and then that brain strain goes away."
What's Next for Pandora
Avatar: Fire and Ash will transport audiences back to Pandora one year following The Way of Water's conclusion. Jake, played by Sam Worthington, and Neytiri, portrayed by Zoe Saldaña, continue living among the Metkayina people while mourning their lost son Neteyam. However, they'll soon confront a fresh danger: the Mangkwan, a hostile Na'vi tribe that has formed an alliance with Jake's longtime adversary Quaritch, brought to life by Stephen Lang. The film hits theaters December 19.