Academy Award–winning director James Cameron, in his masterclass teaches us the nuances of filmmaking - from lighting to characterisation, a must-read for every aspiring filmmaker.

1. JAMES CAMERON
TEACHES FILMMAKING
_
PURPOSE STUDIOS

2. 2
JAMES CAMERON
M E E T Y O U R I N S T R U C T O R
H e d o e s n o t j u s t m a k e s u c c e s s f u l m o v i e s – h e m a k e s h i s t o r i c , i c o n i c , r e c o r d - s h a t t e r i n g m o v i e s . H i s
a r e t h e m o v i e s t h a t c o s t m o r e m o n e y t h a n a n y m o v i e s e v e r m a d e . H i s a r e t h e m o v i e s w h o s e d i a l o g u e
h a s b e c o m e i n t e r w o v e n i n t o t h e v e r y f a b r i c o f o u r p o p u l a r c u l t u r e ( ‘ H a s t a l a v i s t a , b a b y ! ’ ; ‘ I w i l l n e v e r
l e t g o , J a c k ! ’ ) . H i s a r e t h e m o v i e s t h a t , t h r o u g h t e c h n o l o g i c a l i n n o v a t i o n s s p e a r h e a d e d b y J a m e s
h i m s e l f , h a v e m a n a g e d t o t r a n s f o r m c i n e m a a g a i n a n d a g a i n .
V I S O N S A R Y
B O X O F F I C E
R I S K TA K E R
2 1 O S C A R S
E X P L O R E R
P I O N E E R

3. Meet Your Instructor: James Cameron
Chapter 1 : 0 second to 1:59 min

4. 4
FIRST MOVIE EXPERIENCE - 3RD GRADE
M Y S T E R I O U S I S L A N D

5. 5
F i r s t t i m e m a d e t h e c o n n e c t i o n t h a t m o v i e i s a p i e c e o f a r t & c a n b e a e x p e r i e n c e .

6. 6
One of the things I learned is that you never
learn everything. And it’s constant process of
learning.
J a m e s C a m e r o n
“

7. 7
ONE WISH
L E A D E R S H I P I S N O T D I C TATO R S H I P. I T I S C O L L A B O R AT I O N

8. 8
Pursuing and Developing the Idea
C A H P T E R 2
W h e n i s t h e I d e a w o r t h p u r s u i n g ?
A n s w e r i s S u b j e c t i v e .
Idea that don’t
go away
1
Zero Cost Subscription
2
Your own Way
3
Know the Rules ,
and Break them
4
Authenticity
5
Express Thematically
6

9. Toying With the Audience: Building and
Releasing Tension
C H A P T E R 3
H O N U R Y O U R
R E L AT I O N S H I P
W I T H A U D I E N C E
B U I L D A N D
P R O L O N G
T E N S I O N
B U I L D I N G
T E N S I O N
A C R O S S A
E N T I R E F I L M

10. HONUR THE
RELATIONSHIP WITH
AUDIENCE
Encourage them to pay attention for the
ahaa moment
R E WA R D F O R PAY I N G
AT T E N T I O N
I want to put something here. You’re going
to think about it, and then it is going to be
satisfying here.
P L A N T S O M E T H I N G &
PAY I T O F F
You can’t change the outcome in real time but
you’re playing out the possibilities
F I L M S A R E I N T E R A C T I V E
S O C I A L C O N T R A C T / D A N C E
I am not going to do something that is very
obvious you can figure it out exactly but I also
don’t want to something that is intentionally
obscure.
Chapter 3 | 1.45 min to 5.45 min

11. 11
Rules for how to Build & Prolong
Tension
A u d i e n c e s h o u l d b e l i e v e t h a t s o m e t h i n g b a d i s g o i n g t o h a p p e n t o y o u r c h a r a c t e r s o o n &
t h e n y o u p r o l o n g i t .
Yo u h a v e t o g i v e t h e m t h e s t a t e o f t e n s i o n . S u s p e n d t h a t s t a t e , d o n ’ t s n a t c h i t . . l e t t h e m
e x p e r i e n c e t h a t f e e l i n g b y p r o l o n g i n g i t .
You have to be invested
in the outcome
1
You have to care about
the character
2
You have to be brought in
subjectively enough
into the moment that you are
moving the world ,
journey with the character.
Time is a important factor
3
Audience have the outside information
that the character
is going into increasing jeopardy.
Can be done by cross cutting
4

12. 12
BUILDING TENSION ACROSS
THE FILM
Chapter 3 : 9:01 min to 11:30 min

13. 13
THE TERMINATOR Club Scene
Breakdown: Chapter 4

14. 14
G e t t h e m o s t b a n g
o u t f o r y o u r B u c k
C h e a p t i m e
R e a l L o c a t i o n v s S e t
S e l e c t a C r e w w h o m o v e f a s t
N o S t a r - P u s h e s y o u t o
i m p r o v e y o u r c r a f t
The Art of Low budget Filmmaking
I s t h e A r t o f b e i n g t h o r o u g h l y p r e p a r e d & m a x i m i s i n g w h a t y o u h a v e .
M a k e a f i l m t h a t n o b o d y c a n s e e o r f e e l t h e c o m p r o m i s e y o u h a v e m a d e .
F i n d a w a y t o s e r v e t h e s t o r y & d o w i t h s t y l e .
B u i l d A r o u n d Yo u r
S t r e n g t h s
Wr i t e f o r B u d g e t
K n o w t h e L i m i t a t i o n
Te r m i n a t o r - n o r m a l l o c a t i o n
P i c k b a t t l e s - V F X
L e v e r a g e S k i l l s y o u a l r e a d y
h a v e
U s e E v e r y Tr i c k &
I n v e n t N e w o n e
Ta l k t o D P
B l a d e R u n n e r & M a d M a x
N a t u r e o f l i g h t i n g
R e h e a r s e , l e v e r a g e C h e a p t i m e
M a d e a s t e a d y c a m
P l a n A , B & C ( c a n ’ t g o b a c k )

15. 15
117 Setups in a Day
on a Low Budget
Chapter 7 : 9:41 min to 11:41 min

16. 16
Terminator - Eye Repair Scene
Chapter 8 : 8:45 min to 13 min

17. 17
B a t t l e f o r f e w M e m o r a b l e
S e t P i e c e s
F i g u r e o u t i n & o u t
K i n d o f f i l m w i t h i n a f i l m
P u r p o s e o f S e t p i e c e
I w a n t t o S e e i t - Av a t a r f l y i n g
s c e n e d i s c u s s i o n
FROM SKETCH TO SPECTACLE
G e n e r a l l y S p e a k i n g a l o t o f v i s u a l e f f e c t s c a n w o r k a g a i n s t y o u .
- I t c a n b e N u m b i n g
- Yo u c a n d e b a s e t h e v a l u e o f e f f e c t b y h a v i n g t o o m a n y o f t h e m .
- B l o w y o u r B u d g e t
P r e v i s u a l i s e / S t o r y b o a r d t o Tr i g g e r
I m p o r t a n t q u e s t i o n s
H o w m u c h d e t a i l s d o w e n e e d ?
H o w a r e w e m o v i n g t h e c a m e r a ?
c a m e r a R i g ?
W h a t k i n d o f l i g h t i n g ?
W h a t l e n s e s /
C R E A T I N G S E T P E I C E S

18. 18
The key to visual effect, I believe the one
great fundamental is to observe reality
carefully.
J a m e s C a m e r o n
“

19. Learn How to see
through an Artist’s Eye
Vermeer Example : Chapter 9 :9:32 min -
14:30
S T U D Y L I G H T
S t u d y A r t / P h o t o g r a p h y
P o w e r o f O b s e r v a t i o n
B u i l d Yo u r E f f e c t k n o w l e d g e
Start drawing - Think Composition
People, light, real life.
It is not about the tool
Create a Ecosystem
Network like minded people

20. 20
Creating on Budget
A u d i e n c e s h o u l d b e l i e v e t h a t s o m e t h i n g b a d i s g o i n g t o h a p p e n t o y o u r c h a r a c t e r s o o n &
t h e n y o u p r o l o n g i t .
Yo u h a v e t o g i v e t h e m t h e s t a t e o f t e n s i o n . S u s p e n d t h a t s t a t e , d o n ’ t s n a t c h i t . . l e t t h e m
e x p e r i e n c e t h a t f e e l i n g b y p r o l o n g i n g i t .
You have to be invested
in the outcome
1
You have to care about
the character
2
You have to be brought in
subjectively enough
into the moment that you are
moving the world ,
journey with the character.
Time is a important factor
3
Audience have the outside information
that the character
is going into increasing jeopardy.
Can be done by cross cutting
4

21. I t i s a b s o l u t e l y c r i t i c a l i n a n y f i l m t h a t y o u h a v e h a v e c h a r a c t e r
t h a t y o u a r e w i l l i n g t o g o o n j o u r n e y w i t h .
• S c r e e n p l a y - F i r s t D r a f t
• D i r e c t o r - i m a g i n a t i o n
• A c t o r s F i l l s i n t h e f i n a l &
m o s t i m p o r t a n t p i e c e
H o w d o t h e y l o o k , s p e a k t a l k ?
C R A F T A C O M P E L L I N G
S K E T C H
AV E R A G E P E R S O N
E N O R M O U S P R O B L E M
Crafting and Introducing Compelling Characters
Crafting and Introducing
Compelling Characters
• A u d i e n c e b u y s i n t h e n a r r a t i v e t h r o u g h t h e
C h a r a c t e r s
• K e y i s h o w y o u i n t r o d u c e t h e c h a r a c t e r
W h e r e a r e i n t h e l i f e ? W h a t i s t h e i r p r o b l e m
• D e f i n e t h e p r o b l e m e a r l y o n i n a n i n t e r e s t i n g
w a y s o t h e a u d i e n c e c a n e m p a t h i s e . C r e a t e
e m p a t h y f o r c h a r a c t e r
• Te r m i n a t o r E x a m p l e - S a r a h - Wa i t r e s s

22. I N T R O D U C E Y O U R
C H A R A C T E R W I T H A
C R E AT I V E S Y N E C D O C H E
B U I L D T O WA R D S T H E M O M E N T
Y O U R C H A R A C T E R C O L L I D E
R E S E A R C H F O R
H I S T O R I C A L C H A R A C T E R
• C r e a t i v e S y n e c d o c h e
Ta k i n g a p e r s o n & r e d u c i n g i t
t o a s i n g l e o b j e c t o r p r i n c i p l e .
E g - S u i t - C o r p o r a t e
Av a t a r C o l o n e l - M i l i t a r y G u y
• Te r m i n a t o r - H o w t h r e e m a i n
c h a r a c t e r C o l l i d e
• D o n ’ t f o r c e c o n f l i c t
• G o d e e p - r e s e a r c h a b o u t
c h a r a c t e r.
• W h o , w h a t & h o w, w h e n

23. H E L P A C T O R S I N F L U E N C E
T H E C H A R A C T E R
• A c t o r s c o m e t o l i f e i n m i n d & t h e n w h e n y o u c a s t
• K e y i s t o g e t a c t o r t o a s a f e p l a c e w h e r e t h e y c a n
e x p l o r e & f e e l e m p o w e r e d t o g o a s f a r a s t h e y f e e l
l i k e g o i n g .
• S a c r e d p a r t o f j o b i s t o g e t a c t o r s a c h i e v e t h e i r
b e s t w o r k
• Yo u g e t i d e a w h e n y o u r e h e a r s e . Ti t a n i c R e h e a r s a l
E x a m p l e .
Chapter 11 : 17:48 min

24. TITANIC Rose Introduction Breakdown
Chapter 12
“ T h e A u d i e n c e e n t e r s t h e f i l m t h r o u g h e y e s &
h e a r t i f t h e c h a r a c t e r. ”

25. 25
DEVELOPING DREAD THROUGH
ADVERSARIES
I r e a l l y d o n ’ t l o v e t h e t e r m “ v i l l a i n ” B e c a u s e p e o p l e e v e r t h i n k t h e y a r e v i l l a i n , e v e n
p e o p l e w h o a r e d o i n g h o r r i f i c t h i n g s . T h e y h a v e t h e i r o w n r a t i o n a l e .
Develop a Rationale
for your Adversaries
1
You have to care about
the character
2
You have to be brought in
subjectively enough
into the moment that you are
moving the world ,
journey with the character.
Time is a important factor
3
Audience have the outside information
that the character
is going into increasing jeopardy.
Can be done by cross cutting
4

26. 26
• N e e d t o h a v e r a t i o n a l e
• N a t u r a l s v s H u m a n A d v e r s a r i e s
• H u m a n A d v e r s a r i e s a r e m o r e
c o m p l e x
• We n e e d t o i n v e s t i n a d v e r s a r i e s s o
w e c a n b u y i n t h e s t o r y.
• N e e d t o w o r t h y, p o w e r f u l & u n i q u e
• M o r e y o u t r y t o m a k e t h e a d v e r s a r i e s
m o r e s c a r y y o u f a i l , m a k e i t r e a l
DEVELOPING DREAD THROUGH
ADVERSARIES
I r e a l l y d o n ’ t l o v e t h e t e r m “ v i l l a i n ” B e c a u s e p e o p l e n e v e r t h i n k t h e y a r e v i l l a i n , e v e n
p e o p l e w h o a r e d o i n g h o r r i f i c t h i n g s . T h e y h a v e t h e i r o w n r a t i o n a l e .
Develop a Rationale
for your Adversaries
Worthy, Powerful &
Unique Adversaries
Put your audience in
subjective
reality of Adversaries
W h a t i s g o i n g o n i n
t h e i r m i n d

27. 27
• L o t o f r e s e a r c h &
e x p e r i m e n t a t i o n
• S t u d i e s C l o s e u p s
( C h a p t e r 1 4 - 2 : 2 0 m i n )
• F a c e - I m a g e B a s e d f a c i a l
p e r f o r m a n c e c a p t u r e
• B o d y - M o t i o n C a p t u r e
• R e a l t i m e P r e v i e w
• L e a p o f F a i t h - Te s t s h o t
• a f t e r 2 y e a r s
Observe, Observe, Observe Developing the Technology
Capturing Actor’s
Performance
I f t h e A c t o r d i d t h e p e r f o r m a n c e
a n d i t i s c a p t u r e d , i t ’s g o i n g t o
b e i n t h e c h a r a c t e r
Avatar Creating Technology
C o m p u t e r i s n o t c r e a t i n g a n y t h i n g , c o m p u t e r i s d o i n g n u m b e r c r u n c h i n g t o
g e n e r a t e a n i m a g e .
C h a r a c t e r i s b e i n g c r e a t e d b y A c t o r s . I t i s p e r f o r m a n c e c a p t u r e n o t a n i m a t i o n .
• ( C h a p t e r 1 4 - 1 0 : 1 8 - 11 : 2 0 m i n )

28. Making Your Way and Leading With
Passion
20%
10%
5%
Importance of Curiosity
“ T h e C r e a t i v i t y L a w o f
T h e r m o d y n a m i c s ”
Te c h n o l o g i c a l a n d
H u m a n i s t i c D u a l i s m
S p e a k t h e L a n g u a g e
o f V F X
15%
F o r t u n e F a v o r s t h e
P r e p a r e d M i n d
20%
10%
5%
L e a d w i t h H u m a n i t y
L e a d w i t h I n s p i r a t i o n
C o m p r o m i s e t o B r i n g
i t I n t o F o c u s
15%
P r e p a r e , B e i n t h e m o m e n t
a n d S e e t h e M a g i c
Know both the world
Need to know basics of VFX
Planning is key
Real time decision making
People need to be respected
Share the Joy of creation
Keep your heart in the game, have fun
See the magic & seize the moment
Last chapter. 9:01 min

29. JAMES CAMERON
THANK YOU
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