Avatar

Genre: Science Fiction. 

Studio: Unknown. 
Production Company: Lightstorm Entertainment. 

Project Phase: Dead? We don't think so. 

Who's In It: Unknown. 
Who's Making It: James Cameron (Creator, Developer). 

Premise: Humanity designated the world 'Alpha Centauri B-4', but for
those who've traversed the gulf between neighboring suns and arrived on
its alien soil, they know it as 'Pandora'. A world filled with an incredible
diversity of beautiful and deadly ammonia-breathing lifeforms...and a
world that harbors a treasure almost beyond price. But just as the
original Pandora's Box wrought devastation on those who would use it
for their own gain, so too this world may destroy not just the Pandorans
home, but ours as well. 

Release Date: Unknown. 

Comments: Cameron would have been pushing the envelope of
filmmaking and computer technology if this idea got off the ground. It if
goes through, this will be truly be the first production that utilizes
seamless integration of virtual worlds and actors interacting with the 'real'
ones.

Just as a side-note, the term 'avatar' is now being used as a description
of a virtual person who exists only on the computer. The word was
coined up by novelist Neal Stephenson in his novel Snow Crash (which,
incidentally, has been optioned for a movie.) 

Rumors: Unknown. 

Scoop Feedback:

August 8, 1996... Digital Domain, the special effects house in which
Cameron is a partner with, is currently staffing up for the huge effort. The
production is expected to start next summer following the completion of
the $100 million Titanic. [Scoop forwarded by 'shape'; originally
appeared in the Hollywood Reporter.]

August 8, 1996... We're told that Cameron is presently writing the idea
out (as well as directing Titanic..and writing the novelization?!?) Story
details are, of course, top secret. [Scoop info provided anonymously
and by Christian; some information appeared on the Digital
Domain homepage.]

October 6, 1996... An observation has been made about the usage of
the word 'avatar', and its new usage as a term for digitally-created
'citizens'. We hope this clears up some of the confusion about the word's
origin and how Neal Stephenson's usage of it has been embraced into
the computer lexicon:

Salim Ali points out that 'avatar' means 'a reincarnated form of a supreme
being' and is/has-been part of the Hindu lexicon for ages. Neal
Stephenson used the term to describe digital programs that manifest
themselves as human-like forms (a similar example is made of the
present-day computer term 'daemon', which are sub-routines that can
handle some tasks today. In Snow Crash, Stephenson has them
materializing to users in the virtual world as literal demons.) While
Stephenson didn't come up with the word avatar, the term is now being
used to describe photo-realistic human images.

Salim also adds that, according to Hindu Mythology, Lord Vishnu has
had 9 'avatars' and the tenth avatar is expected some time in the future.
[Scoop info sent in by Salim Ali.]

December 17, 1996... An anonymous letter writer tells us that the buzz
is hot at Digital Domain about what this project may be shaping into. The
scooper adds, " They think they're going to turn the world on its
ear.". [Scoop handed in anonymously.]

February 25, 1997... An anonymous scooper tells us that
pre-production work on Avatar has begun. Test footage of a
completely-realized CGI figure was created; a photo-realistic human
stood up from a chair, did a summersault and then walked around the
digital room. "It was amazing," reports the individual. "This film is
going to be huge. I couldn't tell the difference between the CGI and
a real live human being. Scary in a way. Of course these human
take five days to render." [Scoop provided anonymously.]

June 17, 1997... A couple of inside people confirm the worst: Avatar
has been shelved. Offically, it's been written off because Cameron has
lost interest in the project, as well as test FX sequences that weren't
coming along quickly enough.

Unofficially, we've heard other gossip that's supposedly contributed to
the director canning the project. Rumors persist that there's been bad
blood between Cameron and Digital Domain (even though he co-owns
it.) We've been told that Cameron's public complains about DD being
tardy delivering Titanic FX sequences have been leading to strained
relations. some "For a brief time recently, there was noise about DD
having to file Chapter 11. Thankfully, that doesn't look like it will
be a problem, but the relationship with Cameron needs to improve,
or it may be redefined in a way that is going to make DD very,
VERY unhappy," one of our sources said.

Another individual said "Cameron reported a budget to the studio
suits that made the budget for Waterworld look like Plan 9 From
Outer Space."

"...Cameron has become incredibly anal in his attention to detail,"
another source wrote. "He no longer seems to have any conception of
time or budgetary constraints. He's willing to tinker and edit and
reshoot and drag things out for months, claiming that absolutely
*everything* points to his 'artistic credibility,' and that even the
slightest goof, oversight, or inaccuracy will end his career." The
source also mentioned that the concept for the Avatar project changed
with Cameron once DD completed its initial test footage and found that it
couldn't deliver flawless CGI human characters on screen.

Word is that Cameron will announce his intention on delivering a
Terminator 3 to Fox after his stint on Titanic is complete, as a means
of appeasing the studio's $200+ million investment with his latest film. In
our opinion, it's too bad such a monumental and groundbreaking project
has fallen. [Scoops sent in by 'Pavlov', 'draven', and anonymous
individuals.]

July 27, 1997... An anonymous email informs us that Avatar is
"Definately still on. Don't worry." [Scoop submitted anonymously.]

November 4, 1997... This sighting happened just recently: "I live two
blocks from Digital Domain in Venice, CA. I eat lunch down the
street with effects artists almost everyday. A couple of weeks ago,
they started wearing hats and t-shirts with an Avatar logo and title
treatment. Hardly the sort of thing one would do for a 'dead'
project." [Submitted anonymously.]

Was the project dead, stalled or merely in suspended animation? Or
maybe the project has the potential to be so revolutionary in its concept
we just wanted to let Jim have some more time to launch his Titanic.
Maybe some nice DigDom/Lightstorm people will let us know what the
status of the project is right now post-Titanic. Some of us would really
love to see what Alpha Centauri's neighborhood looks like.

November 6, 1997... The Tuesday November 4th Entertainment
Tonight had a brief clip covering Titanic launch in Japan. How this may
relate to Avatar: during the dying seconds of the coverage, ET
mentioned that since now James Cameron has shot on location at the
bottom of the ocean, his next stage may be on-board a space shuttle to
lens in outer space. That's a fairly exceptional item to drop on us since
key scenes of Avatar take place in space. But what about the bill for
renting a shuttle? Wouldn't that inflate the budget of the film so
he'd...waitasecond. Nevermind. [Thanks to these E.T. viewers: Joe
Hanna and anonymously.]

Entertainment Weekly also mentions the possibility that Avatar could
be next on the director's plate. [Thank these readers: 'trumanwins',
'cpa', 'aparulek', 'platon', and anonymously.]

Finally, another scooper confirms that there are Avatar t-shirts kicking
around Southern California. While munching at Universal's Hard Rock
Cafe a few weeks ago the scooper's eye caught the sight of a Asian man
walking wearing a black Avatar shirt walking down the street. On the
front was the word 'AVATAR' in a dark green and below it were the
words l'JAMES CAMERON DIGITAL DOMAIN STAN WINSTON
STUDIOS'. There was also a slogan the scooper spotted on the back of
the tee, something along the lines 'It Can Happen' or words to that effect.
Damn! We want one! [Rendered by the 'Editor'.]

November 22, 1997... We've been told that the recent spotting of
'Avatar' t-shirts is nothing to get exicted about; according to our
scoopers, they were handed out at the '96 SIGGRAPH conference in
bucketloads as part of a recruiting drive. "Sometimes, a cigar is just a
cigar," commented one of our scoopers. [Thanks to 'Stinkfoot',
'Mace', 'jymbob' and anonymous.]

If that's the case, we're dissapointed. Is the project shelved, just for the
time being? In limbo? Awaiting Cameron's final verdict as to what his
next film will be?? According to this scooper, Cameron just told
reporters in New York City last week at a Paramount press junket for
Titanic that his next project would be Avatar. Let's hope it's true.
[Reported by 'Weez']

December 2, 1997... In a recent CBS financial news report on the state
of things in the effects industry (it's bad news all around: Warner Bros.
shuts down its in-house FX plant, layoffs at Digital Domain), they had
some shots inside Digital Domain. The head of the crew stated that the
layoffs were not "strictly speaking, a financial consideration; we just
outgrew ourselves." However, our scooper 'The Gline' also got a good
look at an Avatar shirt on one fellow -- and the cubicle he was in was
littered with a great many sculptures and designs of what he presumed
were the exotic, methane breathing Pandorans from said project. "I
asked friends who had seen a number of other SF movies if any of
those figures rang any bells and they vehemently shook their heads.
Looks like Avatar is slowly proceeding, although more or less in an
'under wraps' phase." It very well may be Cameron is trying his very
best to keep the lid on the project. [Mailed to us by 'The Gline'.]

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