The Directorial Intentions of James Cameron

an independent study by: angela frugone

Continuing my independent study, I decided to break down the essential elements of blockbuster hits by exploring the directorial implications of James Cameron. James Cameron was a revolutionary in the advancement of cinematic technology. Born and raised in Canada, Cameron immediately found an interest in machinery and art; transcending into his adult years. James Cameron is known for his science fiction stylistic films and in my research I hope to identify what makes James Cameron stand out as a distinguished filmmaker. Through cinematography, recurring motifs, color grading and technology, I can better understand the directorial implications of Mr. James Francis Cameron.

To begin, my objective was to watch two movies of Cameron’s filmography; Avatar (2009) and Titanic (1997), and find parallels within them to distinguish qualities inherent in his work. An identifying feature that makes Cameron singular in his craft is his use of technology. “Pace and director James Cameron co-developed a 3D camera system (based on Sony cameras) that was used to shoot “Avatar,” with similar rigs being deployed at Augusta.” As one can see James Cameron had a very influential impact in the advancements and the progression of digital storytelling. But my intentions are to figure out what else makes Cameron notable in his craft.

To start, something very distinguishable with James Cameron is his fastidious nature in color grading and the importance of the cinematic color palette in relation to its impact on the plot. In the 1997 movie, Titanic, Cameron payed close attention the primary colors of red and blue. We see the color red in myriad of ways through Rose’s hair, inside of the ship, and the tapestry in Rose’s room. We see the color blue in the surrounding water of the ship, when Jack dies and when the Ice Berg is about to hit. Based on these examples, one may extrapolate that when the color tones of the scene are warmer with red hues, something positive will happen or is happening. On the contrary, when there is a blue undertone to the frame, that could be indicative of something negative happening. Additionally, in the 2009 movie, Avatar, color is very pertinent to the overall motif of the film. Avatar has a very big theme of being free and being stuck, literally and figuratively. This theme is highlighted through the juxtaposition of saturation of color. In the beginning there is a darker hue of colors and the colors almost seem they’ve been stripped of their original vibrance, looking bleak. As the protagonist arrives to Pandora we get a pan of a army tank struck by arrows of the indigenous people. The arrows on the wheel of the big army tank were neon and vibrant; and this is where we get that first juxtaposition of color. When the protagonist explores the world of Pandora there is a lot of eccentric and neon colors present. There is a darker hue to the background of the scene however there is a lot more prominent colors and lighting. This can be demonstrated in the following screencap:

Continuing on, another important aspect of Cameron’s work was his ability to weave his cinematography into the overall message of the play. The cinematography was able to relay subtle messages to the audience. In the Titanic, shot dynamics were used in showing the differentiation of class between Jack and Rose. When there were shots of Jack, he was shown in a high shot- as if the audience were looking down upon him. However when Rose was captured, she was shot on a low angle, portraying that she is in the higher class. This demonstrates the inherent difference between the two characters. Cameron also likes to pay special attention to facial features as a key component to the narrative he is trying to portray. These closeups were superficially extraneous when i was researching, but after looking deeper they proved very important. In the Titanic, Cameron probably utilized close up of the face the most.

Here we see Jack looking up to Rose. Not only does this show the class difference between these two characters but it also just points the focal point on Jack and his feelings towards the situation. We also see facial features being emblematic to the situations the character is faced with through the eyes of the captain. Through these screencaps we not only see facial expression, but it’s important to note the colors of each scene as aforementioned. Jack and Rose are together in a happy setting, so there is a warmer hue to the frame. On the other hand, when the captain sets eyes on the ice berg, there is a cooler tone to the film denoting that something negative is currently occurring.

Furthermore, another big aspect of James Cameron’s films is his motif of mobility. In Avatar, we get a literal and figurative sense of mobility through the protagonist. The protagonist is unable to walk when he is in his human form, however when his soul shifts to the avatar body, he has full range of motion. In the Titanic, there’s a lack of mobility within social and economic classes. There’s also a theme of wanting to fly. There’s an iconic scene in the Titanic where Jack and Rose are standing with each other at the front of the ship and while they are together, Rose remarks that she feels like she is flying. Rose feels stuck in her family and when she is with Jack she feels freedom. The protagonist in the Avatar literally flies on top of his creature over the waterfall when he is in Pandora. All in all, we see a theme of flying and being stuck which is really important to note.

After analyzing the Cameron style of storytelling, there are certain things that I can pick out to become a better filmmaker and incorporate into my “Cameron” short film. I need to explore the theme of mobility. I must make a large emphasis on the contrast of color and how that affects the story in addition to using cinematography as a key component to the delivery of the narrative. I also know I should put a large emphasis on the emotions of the human face to display raw emotion. With this basis of criteria within his work, it’ll help me make a short film utilizing his techniques.