Projects: Avatar

James Cameron’s Avatar promises to be the benchmark project in motion capture for years to come. In it, audiences are transported to the planet Pandora, inhabited by 9 foot blue aliens (Na’vi) so lifelike, critics rave:

“This is motion capture brought to a new high, where every detail of the actors' performances gets preserved in the final CG character as they appear on the screen.” – Hollywood Reporter 

“…this is truly next-level stuff, which doesn't smother [lead actors] Worthington and Saldana under a pile of pixels, but rather teases out and enhances the emotion in their excellent performances… [The Na’vi] seem alive and extremely expressive...” – Empire

“Then there's the appearance of the indigenous Na'vi clan… once they’re introduced in the context of the picture, these blue-skinned, yellow-eyed creatures quickly become captivating, even sexy, with their rangy height, slim and elongated bodies and skimpy wardrobe, and the grace and dexterity with which they move.” – Variety 

Giant Studios is proud to have been part of the team that made this groundbreaking cinematic experience possible. Collaborating with Lightstorm Entertainment and Fox Studios from 2005 to 2009 (in production and post), our performance capture technology played a huge role in bringing the Na’vi to life.

Gallery

Project Videos

To learn about what Giant Studios did on Avatar, check out the links below:

See our performance capture system at work on set (starting at 3:30) 

Listen to James Cameron explain the process (and how he incorporated Giant Studios already existing technology into his vision) 

Watch Avatar trailers and TV spots