The Avatar revolution...

Friday 02 October

James Cameron’s upcoming 3D epic, Avatar, looks set to revolutionise the movie industry as we know it. There’s been an underlying rumble of excitement over the past two years surrounding 3D technology, from compact cameras to 3D televisions. But it’s this Christmas that we get to see some of the most advanced 3D technology used when Avatar hits cinemas.

Okay, you’ll still need to use 3D specs but Avatar’s set to be a completely immersive assault on your senses, unleashing a completely believable 3D experience on the masses. Prior to this the only wayyou could get something like that would be heading to Austria for a quick blast of virtual reality. What Avatar promises is that sort of experience from your local IMAX.

So what makes the way Avatar’s been filmed so successful? Well, Cameron has a a purpose-built performance-capture stage (called The Volume), which is what makes all the 3D visuals a reality. It’s essentially motion capture using technology light years away from when it was first introduced. Ceiling sensors are everywhere with the intention of picking up the slightest movements of actors and then transferring it to a digital counterpart – an Avatar – wich can be viewed on a screen outside the room.

Cameron’s dubbed this process E-motion capture and its goal is to make digital acting as easy as possible. Want to see how successful the results are? Avatar is set for release on December 18.

In the meantime check out the video above for a look at James Cameron’s Avatar: The Game.