No AI here — Avatar 3 highlights human-crafted VFX
Avatar 3: Fire and Ash will reportedly contain an anti-AI disclaimer to make it clear that the special effects were created by humans.
The first trailer for the highly anticipated sequel has been released, and people are understandably blown away by the special effects, Supercar Blondie writes.
Avatar 3’s effects done without AI
Fire & Ash is expected to pick up where the last movie left off, and it doesn't disappoint visually. Pandora looks as enchanting — and dangerous — as ever. One thing is certain, though: this entire world is the work of a talented special effects team, not AI.
"I don’t believe (AI is — ed.) ever going to have something that’s going to move an audience. You have to be human to write that. I don’t know anyone that’s even thinking about having AI write a screenplay," James Cameron said CTV News in 2023.
However, it would be a mistake to say he’s anti-AI altogether — Cameron actually has quite nuanced views on the subject. He emphasized that using AI wasn’t "about laying off half the staff at the effects company".
"That’s about doubling their speed to completion on a given shot, so your cadence is faster and your throughput cycle is faster, and artists get to move on and do other cool things and then other cool things, right?" he said.
How James Cameron and his team created Pandora
Wētā FX is the New Zealand special effects team that’s working on the Avatar sequels. Since the second movie only had two shots with no VFX, we can expect something similar in the third film. Several technological improvements occurred between the first and second movies.
Lightweight HD head cameras were used to record the actors’ facial performances. This enabled actors such as Sam Worthington and Sigourney Weaver to fully embody their blue-skinned characters.
Additionally, there were two digital puppets in the second film, as opposed to just one. One was an accurate copy of the real-life actor, whilst the other was of the actor’s character. This allowed the special effects team to make the character’s movements match the actor’s as closely as possible.
The second movie had a lot of underwater scenes, which were challenging for the motion capture system.
"That moving mirror reflects all the dots and markers, and it creates a bunch of false markers. It’s a little bit like a fighter plane dumping a bunch of chaff to confuse the radar system of a missile," Cameron told Collider.
Avatar: Fire & Ash is also set to feature underwater scenes, though other details about the film have been kept under wraps.
Read more:
Avatar: Fire & Ash trailer drops — epic action teased
James Cameron reveals Avatar animation plans