James Cameron’s Lightstorm Entertainment
will use Sony’s new VENICE motion picture camera system for principal
photography on the upcoming “Avatar” SEQUELS.
The first “Avatar” movie, released in
2009 and also shot on Sony professional cameras, shattered box office records with
its compelling story, immersive 3D and stunning visuals. These newest entries
in the franchise will up the visual ante significantly with enhanced special
effects, more elaborate production requirements and challenging live action sequences.
According to Lightstorm, the Sony VENICE camera
system was the right choice to continue the Avatar storyline and give audiences
an entirely new experience.
“The
VENICE camera delivers the most astonishing image I’ve ever seen,” said
Director James Cameron, “The blacks are rich, deep and velvety, the highlights
and source lights are amazingly bright. For the first time, we truly appreciate
what the term High Dynamic Range means.”
While principal
photography on the “Avatar” SEQUELS using VENICE is expected to begin first
quarter of 2019, performance capture is underway now. The process is supported by a variety of
additional Sony imaging technologies including multiple Alpha mirrorless interchangeable
lens cameras, PXW-Z450 and PXW-320 camcorders and the compact RX0 camera. The production is also using Sony’s F55 and
Alpha cameras to record behind-the-scenes footage and stills.
“I’ve enjoyed shooting with
Sony CineAlta cameras for 19 years, but I’m really looking forward to shooting
Avatar 2 and 3 with the new VENICE camera,” Cameron added.
Sony worked closely with
Lightstorm to customize VENICE for its specific needs, with regular meetings
taking place between James Cameron, his production teams and Sony’s engineering
group.
“Our goal in this ongoing co-development
collaboration is to enable Lightstorm to execute their vision and deliver their
unique approach to storytelling,” said Neal Manowitz, Vice President of Digital
Imaging at Sony Electronics. “For
Avatar, VENICE will be put to use in very demanding environments. The camera’s Full Frame sensor gives
them complete flexibility and freedom to choose aspect ratios, various bokeh
and lenses that match their shooting requirements.”
The Sony-Lightstorm collaboration began
in 1999, resulting in the development of a unique extension system allowing the
camera body to detach from the actual image sensor block. A similar approach has been adopted for VENICE,
with each sensor and camera body connected by a cable at distances of up to 20
feet with no degradation in image quality. For the upcoming “Avatar” SEQUELS,
multiple VENICE cameras will be paired in various 3D stereoscopic rigs. Using
the new Sony cabling system, the only part of the VENICE carried on the rig
will be the image sensor optical blocks, significantly reducing on-board camera
weight to about three pounds per sensor block. By lowering the weight and
improving ergonomics, Cameron and the Lightstorm team will have the ability to shoot
with greater flexibility and freedom.
“This new extension
system is a perfect example of listening to our customers, gathering strong and
consistent feedback, and then building that input into our product
development,” added Peter Crithary, marketing manager, motion picture cameras, at
Sony. “The ‘Avatar’ SEQUELS will be among the first feature films to use the
new VENICE Extension, but it also has tremendous potential for wider use with
handheld Steadicams, drones and gimbals, and remote mounting in confined
places.”
For more
information on the Sony VENICE camera system, visit
sony.com/VENICE.
