'Avatar' director adds another dimension in China
Source: Agencies |
August 9, 2012, Thursday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
OSCAR-WINNING director James Cameron said yesterday that he will open a joint venture in China to provide 3D filming technology, the latest move by Hollywood to secure a foothold in the country's booming movie industry.
CPG China Division, the new arm of Cameron Pace Group, will offer Chinese film makers 3D camera technology but will not be involved immediately in producing films, Cameron said in Beijing.
"We're not going to tell Chinese film makers how to make movies. We are going to help them make a transition to 3D production technology as cost effectively as possible, and in a way that doesn't inhibit creativity," he said.
Cameron's 2009 blockbuster "Avatar" was a breakthrough for 3D movies and set a US$2.8 billion box office global earnings record.
Cameron said the deal was "huge," though he would not give details on the amount of the investment or the venture's equity split with two state-owned entities - film distributor Tianjin North Film Group and Tianjin Hi-tech Holding Group.
"This is a huge investment for us, as much in sweat equity ... as it is financially," he said, noting that initial projects to "build muscle" will focus on 3D films highlighting Chinese cities.
The Cameron Pace Group, formed 12 years ago with camera guru Vince Pace, earned US$58 million last year renting its 3D cameras to crews producing films, concert videos and sports broadcasts.
A die-hard proponent of expanding 3D viewership, Cameron said the ambitions of the Chinese partners, as well as Chinese state television eager to try out live 3D broadcast technology, exceeded even his own.
"We think we're on the verge of a kind of media revolution. And we certainly have the enabling technology, we have the methodology, we've honed our skills," he said.
The director's move follows a string of other high-profile Hollywood announcements in China.
The next "Iron Man" film will be co-produced in China.
"Shrek" and "Kung Fu Panda" creator DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc will open a 20 billion yuan (US$3.14 billion) culture and entertainment complex in Shanghai with Chinese partners.
And US film producers were excited about a February deal that paved the way for the import of 14 premium format films, such as IMAX or 3D.
CPG China Division will rely heavily on cutting edge cameras, but the director downplayed copycat concerns.
"That's certainly a danger. We are going to look very carefully at how we protect our core technology. But frankly ... it is changing so rapidly that you can clone what we are putting in the field now, but we'll be coming out with something new in 18 months, anyway," Cameron said.
CPG China Division, the new arm of Cameron Pace Group, will offer Chinese film makers 3D camera technology but will not be involved immediately in producing films, Cameron said in Beijing.
"We're not going to tell Chinese film makers how to make movies. We are going to help them make a transition to 3D production technology as cost effectively as possible, and in a way that doesn't inhibit creativity," he said.
Cameron's 2009 blockbuster "Avatar" was a breakthrough for 3D movies and set a US$2.8 billion box office global earnings record.
Cameron said the deal was "huge," though he would not give details on the amount of the investment or the venture's equity split with two state-owned entities - film distributor Tianjin North Film Group and Tianjin Hi-tech Holding Group.
"This is a huge investment for us, as much in sweat equity ... as it is financially," he said, noting that initial projects to "build muscle" will focus on 3D films highlighting Chinese cities.
The Cameron Pace Group, formed 12 years ago with camera guru Vince Pace, earned US$58 million last year renting its 3D cameras to crews producing films, concert videos and sports broadcasts.
A die-hard proponent of expanding 3D viewership, Cameron said the ambitions of the Chinese partners, as well as Chinese state television eager to try out live 3D broadcast technology, exceeded even his own.
"We think we're on the verge of a kind of media revolution. And we certainly have the enabling technology, we have the methodology, we've honed our skills," he said.
The director's move follows a string of other high-profile Hollywood announcements in China.
The next "Iron Man" film will be co-produced in China.
"Shrek" and "Kung Fu Panda" creator DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc will open a 20 billion yuan (US$3.14 billion) culture and entertainment complex in Shanghai with Chinese partners.
And US film producers were excited about a February deal that paved the way for the import of 14 premium format films, such as IMAX or 3D.
CPG China Division will rely heavily on cutting edge cameras, but the director downplayed copycat concerns.
"That's certainly a danger. We are going to look very carefully at how we protect our core technology. But frankly ... it is changing so rapidly that you can clone what we are putting in the field now, but we'll be coming out with something new in 18 months, anyway," Cameron said.
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