How Did They Make The Avatar Characters Look So Real?

[Sadao]

How Did They Make The Avatar Characters Look So Real?

By AVATAR on May 02, 2010 9:31 AM 1 Comments
Ever wondered how they made AVATAR3D, or how they made the actors look so real? Learn about the special effects used in the making of AVATARhere, as we cover some of the most significant technologies used to film the unique special effects in AVATAR.
Guest post by Robert Guthrie
As a recent and wildly profitable box office blockbuster, AVATARis mentioned in relation to a great many things, and especially when it comes to special effects. Computer-generated imagery (CGI) master James Cameron made sure that his long-awaited movie had nothing but the most cutting edge special effects and visuals, creating what is widely regarded as an unparalleled masterpiece of technology.
In fact, AVATAR contains so many revolutionary techniques and technologies that it can be hard to keep track of them. We've compiled a short list of some of the amazing technologies that went in to making AVATARthe masterpiece that it is.
Stereoscopic 3D Fusion Camera – While stereoscopy itself is not that new, AVATARdoes employ a new and highly advanced brand of it that bridges the gap between the unimpressive 3D movies of old and the shining technological wonders of today. James Cameron and one of his partners, Vince Pace, fused two cameras together to mimic the vision of the human eyes, allowing them to film the movie in more realistic 3D.

High-Detail Performance Capture - In order to avoid the dreaded 'uncanny valley' effect that so many CGI movies suffer from, James Cameron went above and beyond the call of duty. He attached cameras to actor's faces and forced Weta Digital – the studio in charge of AVATAR's CGI – to spend more than a year refining the effects and tweaking the algorithms that mimicked facial movements so that when the animated Na’vi appeared on screen, they would appear realistic.

Unique Camera Technology – In order to properly film AVATARas it was meant to be shown, Cameron introduced a number of new and exciting techniques. A special viewpiece for the fusion camera was used to film the live sequences; this allowed Cameron to see the film in 3D as he was directing it. For the motion capture sequences, there was a so-called “swing camera” that would project a low-res image of Pandora onto the stage as the actors performed.

Prosthetics – While the cutting-edge technologies used to film the world of Pandora and integrate the actors into it are fascinating, the less flashy types of movie magic cannot be overlooked. From Na'vi ears and noses to Jake Sully's (Sam Worthington) very convincing atrophied legs, the makeup and costume masters of AVATARadded essential touches to an already fantastic movie.

These listed techniques are of course just a small part of the amazing technology that went into making AVATAR. They make up a good representation of some of the most interesting and amazing leaps forward in CGI and 3D technology.
What effects did you find most exciting in AVATAR?

[aoitennyo]

In regards to the Na'vi, I thought the lighting on their skin, the texture of their skin, their skin when wet, and little imperfections like Jake's avatar's crooked teeth was amazing. To be honest I did have a hard time with the eyes though, they weren't entirely convincing to me.

[Miami Surfer]

I found the overall look amazing. The scenes with the motion capture Na'vi and the human "sky people" together appeared seamless. Also, the visuals matched the story itself without having the overpoweringness. James Cameron has always been ahead of the technology curve when it comes to this.

_MS

[aoitennyo]

I also look forward to when they're able to make clothes and accessories look like they're actually touching the body of the wearer. Another good thing I noticed was that at certain points Jake's avatar's (well, Tom's avatar's) hands look absolutely real, it's amazing.

[Holea]

In regards to the Na'vi, I thought the lighting on their skin, the texture of their skin, their skin when wet, and little imperfections like Jake's avatar's crooked teeth was amazing. To be honest I did have a hard time with the eyes though, they weren't entirely convincing to me.

The underwater scene was the worst and least realistic looking scene when he had leaped into the river by the waterfall. I think is humorus that so much effort, work, technology and modern (human) movie innovations it took to make AVATAR. You know, the fantasy movie about a Utopia planet and race that so many have "fallen in love with", etc and so forth. A creation of human imagination and talent..

But brother don't try to inject the FAINTEST hint of reality into the movie or you'll get jumped by the voracious Avatar Defender Packs. LOL