Fans and filmmakers alike simply can’t tell if the shot was created using a real or camera VFX.
In the James Cameron sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water, there is a simple pickup shot of a digital character wrapping a leather strap around a blue arm, much like a bronco rider would in real life. The image is ordinary, but it’s also compelling due to the nature of this film’s production, so much so that it’s got fans and digital artists alike arguing about whether it’s real, CGI, or both. For many, you just can’t tell.
The original Avatar, made in 2009, introduced the Na’vi, a blue-skinned race of extraterrestrial giants who are battling humans for control of their planet, Pandora. Fifteen years later, the sequel shows us what has happened to this tribe. While some fans are saying there’s nothing new about the effects-laden sequel, others are looking at even the most mundane of shots and wondering how they were really done.
Author: James DeRuvo
This article comes from No Film School and can be read on the original site.
