James Cameron Fires Back at Avatar 3D and HFR Critics
James Cameron stands by his creative decisions in the Avatar series, addressing the debate around 3D visuals and high frame rates, and sharing why he believes these choices enhance the audience’s experience.
James Cameron isn’t shy about defending his approach to filmmaking, especially when it comes to the much-talked-about 3D visuals and high frame rate used in the Avatar franchise. When asked about the backlash these techniques have received, Cameron didn’t mince words.
“I think $2.3 billion says you might be wrong on that,”
he quipped in a recent chat 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.”
Technical Choices and Artistic Intent
Most of Avatar: The Way of Water and its upcoming sequel, Fire and Ash, were shot at 48 frames per second—double the standard 24. This results in a noticeably smoother look on screen, something Cameron is quite fond of.
“I like what it does to smooth out the 3D experience,”
he explained. He went on to break down the science behind it, noting that our brains have specific neurons for processing parallax, which is crucial for depth perception in 3D.
According to Cameron, complaints about discomfort while watching 3D films are often misattributed.
“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.”
High Frame Rate: A Solution, Not a Gimmick
Cameron reckons that the high frame rate is more than just a flashy trick.
“Those parallax-sensitive neurons can’t fire if the vertical edges of things are jumping,”
he said.
“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.”
For Cameron, it’s all about making the experience more comfortable and immersive for punters in the cinema. He’s not just chasing technical novelty—he’s aiming for a smoother, more natural viewing experience that doesn’t leave viewers feeling crook after a session.
Pandora’s Next Chapter
The next instalment, Avatar: Fire and Ash, picks up a year after the events of The Way of Water. Jake and Neytiri, still with the Metkayina clan and mourning their son Neteyam, are thrown into fresh strife when a new Na’vi tribe, the Mangkwan, teams up with their old foe Quaritch. The much-anticipated film is set to hit Aussie cinemas on 19 December, promising more of Cameron’s signature visual spectacle and technical wizardry.