enced by what he had
actually seen at the bottom of the ocean while working on Titanic. Pandora, the
jungle world in Avatar, has a dreamy quality, especially at night time. The
incredibly images allow audiences to suspend their disbelief of a world very
different from our own, and are immersed in the film’s story world.
Carter creates work that intends to make the viewer almost
believe they are in the world. He has said that he strives to make sets or
looks that draw the viewer into the film and the film world, and that if
someone is questioning how they have made something or how a certain effect has
been achieved then he hasn’t done his job. His work on Avatar is certainly an
example of this, with the sets drawing people into the world and working in
sync with the script, the actors, sound, cinematography and other departments
to create an environment that feels real although it is so different from the
one we know.
The 3D technology and image quality bring out the incredible
sets, along with the visual effects that bring the characters to life. Cameron’s
initial script included examples of the environment he saw, giving Carter and
his team images of purple moss reacting to pressure, rings of green light and an
overall dreamlike quality and beauty that served as a starting point. No matter
what environment the design team created, they created smaller and bigger
details to give the spaces a feel of being grounded in reality. The
dramatically different sets and locations make this film feel grounded while
exploring ideas and places distinctly different from each other and our own reality.
This film is certainly one to see for the production design alone.
Georgia x
