Avatar: The Way Of Water's Jungle Scenes Were A Challenge For The Film's VFX Team [Exclusive]
James Cameron is a filmmaker who is constantly pushing the boundaries of special effects for the best visual experience possible. A project like "Avatar," which takes place on an alien planet, could have only come to life through innovation, and it was a massive success. With "The Way of Water," Cameron finally gets to show off the spectacular underwater world of Pandora, having utilized groundbreaking technology that was able to motion capture performances while actors were doused in the drink. It makes you feel as if you're swimming alongside a Tulkun space whale yourself.
Exploring what lies beneath the waters felt like the next logical step, as the first film only provided a glimpse into the reaches of this planet. "Avatar" took place in the jungles with the Omaticaya Na'vi, whereas "The Way of Water" largely takes place in the water with the Metkayina. But before the Sully family adjust to a new way of life, we get to see them interact with the alluring greenery they call home.
Wētā VFX Supervisors Joe Letteri and Richie Baneham, both of whom won an Academy Award for their work on the first film, returned to immerse audiences in the world of Pandora once more. With that, however, came some challenges, notably with making the jungles feel fresh again. During an interview with /Film's Bill Bria, Baneham talked about how important it is to make this place feel new, yet familiar. "Echoing the first movie is a healthy and hardy way to bring your audience back in," says Baneham.
A reminder of what came before
The advancement of tools at Wētā FX's disposal presented them with the opportunity to make the forests look more realistic, but Leterri saw going down this route as a detriment to bringing Pandora to life (via /Film):
"We had to actually figure out how to recapture that feeling that we had of being in the Pandoran jungle, but pushing these new tools into that, because the first ones were designed to give us exactly that. So it was kind of interesting. We spent a lot more time on that jungle than I thought we were going to, because of trying to capture the feel. That was more important than being a hundred percent realistic."
In the first "Avatar," we become introduced to the jungles through Jake's eyes. It's stunning to look at, but it truly comes to life when Neytiri treats it with respect. Everything from the trees to the Viperwolfs emits this bioluminescent glow that demonstrates the interconnectivity of nature. Part of the reason why Pandora's jungles are so dazzling to look at is that it takes on the form of our healthiest ecosystems, while still looking like an imaginative environment from another world.
Although "The Way of Water" assimilates us into a whole new environmental beauty, the jungles look just as beautiful as they did before. Letteri and Baneham had the right idea in making it feel more mystical than pragmatic.
"Avatar: The Way of Water" is now playing in theaters nationwide.