阅读詹姆斯·卡梅隆 James Cameron在小说之家的作品!!! | |||
詹姆斯·卡梅隆的作品《阿凡達》堪稱世界電影之最，全球票房達到26億美金，目前是全世界票房收入最高、也是歷史之上最成功的電影之一。
詹姆斯·卡梅隆 - 職業生涯
詹姆斯·卡梅隆生於加拿大的安大略省的一個名為Kapuskasing的地方。他父親Phillip是一位電子工程師，母親Shirley Cameron則是一位藝學家全家家庭家乡。全家於1971年移居到美國加利福尼亞州的南部城市貝瑞阿。他曾在加州州立大學學習物理學，不過他對電影工作感興趣。他首先以編劇開始他的職業生涯，來又轉電影的藝導演以及特效處理工作（例如在電影《世紀爭霸戰》 以及《逃離紐約》中）。在1981年開始他的導演生涯之前，他還擔任過電影Roger Corman的片。
卡梅隆電影的突破開始於他的特效小組，該特效小組的工作開始於《終結者》（該片的特效雖然在今天看來有些過時，但是在當時算是非常先進）。而來他導演的《終結者2：審判日》更是大量使用電腦特技，該片最終獲得奧斯卡的最佳視覺效果、最佳混音、最佳化妝和最佳音效剪輯四項大奬。卡梅隆在1997年導演的電影《泰坦尼號》同樣大圍地使用電腦特技，也獲得奧斯卡最佳視覺效果奬。泰坦尼號成為當時投資最為昂貴、票房收入最高也是投資回報最為厚的電影。在這部平奧斯卡奬記錄的電影所獲得的十一項大奬中，有三項是屬於卡梅隆的，分是最佳導演、最佳片以及最佳剪輯。
他一共結過五次婚，他的前妻包括凱瑟琳·畢格羅（1989-91）、琳達·漢密爾頓（Linda Hamilton，1997-99）等人。現任妻子為茜·愛米斯（Suzy Amis），他們於2000年6月結婚。
詹姆斯·卡梅隆 - 星路程
詹姆斯·卡梅隆
少年時的詹姆斯·卡梅隆就具有非凡的工程才能和組織能力，他曾經帶領小伴們製造過一個足以在地面上留下彈坑的拋石機，以及用一個自的潛水艇把一隻老鼠送到尼亞加拉河底。在藝方面，他曾和母親學習過多年的繪畫，且曾在家乡舉辦過畫展，且很小就開始寫科幻小說，他12歲時所寫的一部科幻小說被看作是他的科幻影片《深淵》故事的原型。
14歲的時候，他看到大師斯坦利·庫千克克勤克儉的《2001太空漫遊》。當時卡梅隆被驚呆，在電影院連續看10遍之多，從此在他心靈中萌節制制度作電影的願望。他開始用父親的8毫米攝影機拍攝一些簡陋的影片。
中學畢業以，詹姆斯·卡梅隆被一所大學的物理錄取，他很快就對大學的課程感到失望，跑出校園闖蕩社會。他過機械修理工，給別人開過大卡車。
1977年，詹姆斯·卡梅隆看到喬治·盧卡斯的經典科幻影片《星球大戰》 ，他激動地意識到這就是他想要創造的東西。這使得詹姆斯·卡梅隆確立自己的人生方向開始為此忙碌起來，從未接受過專業訓練的他開始到處尋找機會成為電影人，熟悉從鏡頭到攝影機導軌的各種電影作器材，甚至和朋友定人生第一個拍攝計，想要利用手頭的設備和自的模型作一部10分的科幻影片！
詹姆斯·卡梅隆是幸運的，他的才華很快就得到好萊塢片人羅傑·卡曼的賞識，從羅傑·卡曼那他得到人生第一份電影方面的工作——為卡曼工作室1980年的影片《星空大戰》作特技模型，第二年他就升職為這個工作室的另一部影片《恐怖星》的第二小組導演和電影作設計師。詹姆斯·卡梅隆是少有的以特技設計出身的導演之一，在以的電影創作中，詹姆斯·卡梅隆一把特技作放在一個極其重要的位置，而且還經常親自參與設計和實施特技的作。在詹姆斯·卡梅隆的電影，卓越的特技作不但總是創造出令人目瞪口呆、熱血沸騰的視覺效果，而且能夠和情節自然地融為一，絲毫沒有生硬和炫耀的感覺。但這並不是說，特技就是詹姆斯·卡梅隆電影的全部。詹姆斯·卡梅隆不但是個優秀的特技工程人員，更具有一般的工程人員不具備的想象力，以及一些的東西。
1981年，詹姆斯·卡梅隆的第一部導演作品問世。這部名叫《食人魚2：繁殖》的影片完全在意大利拍攝，詹姆斯·卡梅隆和一口意大利語的工作人員相處得並不愉快，而拍攝完畢，片方出於對這個羽翼未的導演的輕視，不讓他參與影片的最終剪輯。25歲的詹姆斯·卡梅隆一氣之下，用一張信用卡撬開工作室的門，自己想方設法學會使用意大利的剪輯機，用幾個星期的時間自己剪輯整部片子。在這個過程中，詹姆斯·卡梅隆下定决心不再為任何人賣命，一定要作自己的電影。
在意大利期間，詹姆斯·卡梅隆備受疾病、饑餓和貧的磨。痛苦的經使他每晚噩夢纏身，一次他做一個非常清晰的噩夢：被一個來自未來的機器殺手追殺。根噩夢的內容，詹姆斯·卡梅隆寫一個浸滿其卓越才華的電影劇本《終結者》 。他把這個劇本以一美元的價格賣給節制制度片人蓋爾·安妮·赫德，條件是讓他以自己的方式導演這部影片。蓋爾答應他的要求。
1984年，詹姆斯·卡梅隆推出他第一部自編自導的影片《終結者》。這部影片的拍攝花650萬美元，卻賺得3600萬美元的國內票房，贏得影迷和評論界的一致好評。 《終結者》的成功使得詹姆斯·卡梅隆獲得電影界的泛關註。
1985年，詹姆斯·卡梅隆和西爾維斯特·史泰竜一起撰寫《第一滴血2》的劇本，這部影片同樣也取得票房上的成功。
1986年，詹姆斯·卡梅隆自編自導的第二部作品《異形2》問世。這部影片是著名導演雷德利·斯科特的科幻經典《異形》的重拍版。詹姆斯·卡梅隆編導的這部影片的續集明智地避免重複原片的風格，而是把人和異形的戰場從單個的太空船搬到一個巨大的太空基地，以一種動作片的風格重新演繹發達生在太空的恐怖故事，整部影片洋溢着一種英雄主義的精神。此片的視覺效果也絶對一流，其美工設計給人一種卡梅隆影片所一貫具有的，純粹的(而非形式主義的)機械審美快感，而其特技作也堪稱達到電腦生成影像參與電影作之前的高峰。《異形》獲得七項奧斯卡提名，其中包括西格妮·韋弗的最佳女主角提名，結果獲得最佳音響剪輯和最佳視覺效果奬。
詹姆斯·卡梅隆
1989年，詹姆斯·卡梅隆自編自導的第三部重量級作品《深淵》問世。這部科幻影片和卡梅隆的其它同類作品有些不同，雖然其中穿插很多驚險的打和關於海底神秘生物的描述，但它重點還是用一種比較慢的節奏，在一個科幻的背景下講述一個關於夫妻感情的故事。很多觀衆認為這部影片的節奏過慢，使人昏昏欲睡，這使得這部影片的票房不如卡梅隆的其它影片賣座。但也有很多影迷被片中人物的感情所打動。在撰寫《深淵》的劇本時，卡麥隆正在經和第二任妻子——電影作人蓋爾·安妮·赫德的感情危機，自然地把自己的經帶入創作之中，把男女主人公的感情糾葛寫得感人至深。
1991年，被影迷們盼望已久的《終結者2》終於浮出水，這部影片震驚影，且賺得2億美元的國內票房，獲得四項奧斯卡奬(最佳視覺效果、最佳音響、最佳化妝和最佳音效剪輯)。《終結者2》宣告一個時代的來臨，人們終於相信，電影特技現已經無所不能，唯一的約是人們的想象力。在每個單個的場中，詹姆斯·卡梅隆也揮卓越的導演和剪輯才能，在場調度、蒙太奇的使用和時間的控等方面達到完美的境界。
在《終結者2》之，詹姆斯·卡梅隆於1993年成立自己的特技作公司“數字領域”，和盧卡斯的“工業光魔”分庭抗禮。1994年由“數字領域”作特技的第一部影片《真實的謊言》出爐。這部影片試圖把間諜驚險片和喜劇情節有機地結起來，成功地掘出動作明星施瓦辛格的幽默潛力，但它給人留下最深印象的還是結尾那一架“海鷂”式垂直起落戰機。它在海天一色的背景下射“小牛”導彈打中跨海大橋的場既壯觀華美，又具有軍事演習一樣的真實感；而來的機翼上的搏殺又呈現出繁和誇張的卡通風格。作為導演，詹姆斯·卡梅隆能夠選中這獨特的武器扮演片中“重要角色”，且把它的魅力揮到極緻，又一次證明他對機器美的特殊愛好和感悟力。另一方面，和多數影片把特工人員描繪成冷酷無情的殺人機器相反，《真實的謊言》把他們描繪成傳統意義上的“好人”，再一次現卡梅隆特有的樂觀主義精神。
1997年，詹姆斯·卡梅隆拍攝著名的《泰坦尼號》。一心追求自己心目中完美目標的精神的他，在《泰坦尼號》中得到最高的現，詹姆斯·卡梅隆親自操辦茶几乎每一件事，從給特技人員畫受力分析圖講解大船沉沒的原理，到為片中的傑提筆畫素描。在拍攝過程中，詹姆斯·卡梅隆對演員和職員也非常的嚴格。投資方的冷言冷語、手下的怨聲載道、酷寒的海水，再加上拍攝過程中遇到的難以想象的難，這一切使卡梅隆幾乎到崩潰的邊緣，但他仍然堅持着，且喊出近乎悲壯的豪言壯語：“‘泰坦尼號’可沉，《泰坦尼號》不可沉！”
這一切的努力終究沒有白費。在《泰坦尼號》推出3個月，全美票房收入高達4億7萬美元，而國際票房更是超過18億，使這部影片成為最賣座的影片之一。這部影片更是獲得14個奧斯卡奬的提名捕獲獲得得其中的11個，平《賓虛》的紀錄。詹姆斯·卡梅隆也因此獲得第70屆奧斯卡最佳導演奬。在頒奬晚會上，卡梅隆近乎瘋狂地舉起奧斯卡奬，大聲說出片中的著名詞：“我是世界之王！”
輝煌之，詹姆斯·卡梅隆卻出人意料地選擇“消失”，《泰坦尼號》之他一直沒有推出大的銀幕作品，直到2009年，他正式宣佈開拍他的新片——— 《阿凡達》 ，這是一部真人演結電腦CG動畫的科幻大片，全球影迷引頸以待，對卡梅隆的最新大作寄予厚望。
詹姆斯·卡梅隆 - 婚姻生活
第一任妻子
卡梅隆和吉爾·安妮·赫德手捧《異形》海報
1978～1984——莎朗·威廉斯(Sharon Williams)
高中畢業，卡梅隆對科學很感興趣，於是去加州州立大學富勒頓學院念書。但很快，這個年輕人便輟學去找份工作。就在這一時期，他跟做服務生的莎朗·威廉斯結婚。此時卡梅隆仍然對是否跨入電影行業猶豫不决。又過茶几年，他下决心去好萊塢闖蕩。一個偶然的機會，卡梅隆跟一群朋友一起作，炮受不了一部10分長的科幻短片——《世代交替》(Xenogenesis)，這讓卡梅隆的一隻腳趾跨入電影行業。
1980年，卡梅隆進入羅傑·考曼公司為小成本影片作模型。不久，他便得到挂名執導《食人魚2》的機會。這段時期，卡梅隆非常不爽。一來他是片場雜役，二來自己雄心勃勃執導的片子被改得面目全非。失意的卡梅隆在意大利拍片期間做一個被未來殺手來把自己殺死的夢。卡梅隆來把這個夢寫成劇本，取名《終結者》 。
在羅傑·考曼公司工作時，卡梅隆結識吉爾·安妮·赫德。來赫德成立節制制度片公司，答應由卡梅隆親自執導《終結者》。1984年，《終結者》大賣，但此時卡梅隆的心已經不在妻子莎朗身上。卡梅隆在事業起步時跟同甘共苦的妻離婚。
此時的卡梅隆雖然前途無量，但仍是個窮光蛋。他為這次離婚妻子支付1,200美元。
第二任妻子
1985～1989——吉爾·安妮·赫德(Gale Anne Hurd)
寫就《終結者》的劇本，卡梅隆開始尋找片公司兜售劇本。就現實而言，卡梅隆太過異想天開。根本不會有人啓用一個初哥去執導這樣一部科幻片。可上帝就是喜歡開玩笑，一叫海姆蒂爾(Hemdale Pictures)的片公司願意讓卡梅隆親自執導這部電影。更加不可思議的是，卡梅隆的老相識，美豔的吉爾·安妮·赫德剛剛成立自己的西太平洋作公司(Pacific Western Productions)，允諾以一美元的價格購買卡梅隆的《終結者》劇本，同時給予卡梅隆導演權。
《終結者》拍片期間，片人吉爾給這個大齡新手極大的信任與關懷。《終結者》大成功，全球票房高達7,800萬美元。這部作成本650萬美元，連音軌都是可憐的單聲道的小成本科幻片締造又一個影史奇跡。
片人吉爾為卡梅隆的才華傾倒，立即投入他的懷抱。《終結者》，吉爾與卡梅隆又作《異形2》和《深淵》兩部電影。
身為片人，吉爾要時刻考慮預算。但很多時候片人跟導演是對立的。這工作上的作關係影響吉爾跟卡梅隆的感情。《深淵》上映前，兩人離婚。
儘管離婚，吉爾仍然是個頭腦清醒的職業電影人。兩年，她又邀請卡梅隆再度出山，拍攝《終結者2》，給予卡梅隆最大的預算支持。
第三任妻子
卡梅隆攜妻子西-埃米斯亮相倫敦
1989～1991——凱瑟琳·畢格羅(Kathryn Bigelow)
凱瑟琳·畢格羅是個樣貌迷人且才華出衆的電影人，對黑暗驚悚題材影片很感興趣。跟卡梅隆交往不久，兩人便結婚。
1991年，凱瑟琳執導由卡梅隆片的《驚爆點》。影片十分成功，但兩人的感情卻因作期間産生的摩擦出現裂痕。這段婚姻僅僅維持兩年便草草收場。
同吉爾一樣，凱瑟琳跟卡梅隆分手仍然樂意跟他作。1995年，凱瑟琳執導根卡梅倫原創故事—— 《末世紀暴潮》改編的科幻片。這部電影有着《銀翼殺手》的味道。凱瑟琳·畢格羅《拆彈部隊》如今卡梅隆在金球奬和奧斯卡上的最強對手之一。
第四任妻子
1997～1999——琳達·漢密爾頓(Linda Hamilton)
琳達跟卡梅隆的作始於1984年。卡梅隆憑《終結者》一片捧紅這個藉藉無名的女演員。跟卡梅隆作時，她已經跟男演員魯斯·艾伯特結婚。1989年，琳達生下兒子。一年以，她便為出演《終結者2》瘋狂鍛煉身體。影片中沒人看得出她是個剛過哺乳期不久的母親，她全身有着棱角分明的肌肉。
琳達生下兒子不久便跟丈夫離婚。對卡梅隆的崇拜讓她跟這位導演走得很近。可此時卡梅隆已經對婚姻感到疲憊。
1993年2月，琳達為卡梅隆生下女兒約瑟芬。1997年7月，經過漫長的婚姻長跑，兩人終於結婚。可不幸的是，琳達現卡梅隆是個魔鬼，儘管才華橫溢。
這段婚姻僅僅維持18個月，於1999年結束。根婚前協議，琳達卡梅隆支付5,000萬美元。這次離婚被譽為史上最離婚的婚姻之一。
第五任妻子
2000至今——西·埃米斯(Suzy Amis)
1997年，卡梅隆的《泰坦尼號》讓全世界為之傾倒。在片中飾演羅絲孫女的西以一種溫婉的形象在片中出現，令人印象深刻。2000年時，剛剛走出上段婚姻的卡梅隆决心迎娶這個溫順的女人做他太太。
跟卡梅隆的位前妻相比，西十分溫順低調，兩人也很少生摩擦。婚江蘇紫蘇蘇维埃西徹底退出影，為卡梅隆生下千克克勤克儉萊爾、奎恩和伊麗莎白。卡梅隆族自此人丁興旺。
詹姆斯·卡梅隆 - 導演作品
科幻巨片《阿凡達》
導演的電影作品
《銃夢》Battle angle-----(2011)
《阿凡達》Avatar ------- (2009)
《深海異形》 Aliens of the Deep ------- (2005)
《深淵幽靈》 Ghosts of the Abyss ------- (2003)
《重返俾斯麥戰艦》 Expedition: Bismarck ------- (2002)
《末世黑天使》 "Dark Angel" Pilot: Part 1 ------- (2000)
《泰坦尼號》 Titanic ------- (1997)
《真實的謊言》True Lies ------- (1994)
《終結者2：審判日》Terminator 2: Judgment Day ------- (1991)
《深淵》The Abyss ------- (1989)
《異形2》 Aliens ------- (1986)
《終結者》The Terminator ------- (1984)
《食人魚2：繁殖》 Piranha Part Two: The Spawning ------- (1981)
參演的電影作品
《深海異形》 Aliens of the Deep ------- (2005)
《深淵幽靈》 Ghosts of the Abyss ------- (2003)
《重返俾斯麥戰艦》 Expedition: Bismarck ------- (2002)
《末世黑天使》 "Dark Angel" Pilot: Part 1 ------- (2000)
《繆斯女神》The Muse ------- (1999)
編劇的電影作品
《化身》 Avatar ------- (2009)
《銃夢》 Battle Angel ------- (2011)
《終結者4：救世主》Terminator Salvation ------- (2009)
《終結者外傳》 "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" ------- (2008)
《終結者3：機器的興起》 Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines ------- (2003)
《末世黑天使》"Dark Angel" ------- (2000)
《末世天使1》 "Dark Angel" Pilot: Part 1 ------- (2000)
《泰坦尼號》Titanic ------- (1997)
《末世紀暴潮》 Strange Days ------- (1995)
《真實的謊言》 True Lies ------- (1994)
《終結者2：審判日》Terminator 2: Judgment Day ------- (1991)
《深淵》 The Abyss ------- (1989)
《異形2》 Aliens ------- (1986)
《第一滴血2》 Rambo: First Blood Part II ------- (1985)
《終結者》The Terminator ------- (1984)
參與作的電影作品
《銃夢》 Battle Angel ------- (2011)
《化身》 Avatar ------- (2009)
《深海異形》 Aliens of the Deep ------- (2005)
《深淵幽靈》 Ghosts of the Abyss ------- (2003)
《重返俾斯麥戰艦》 Expedition: Bismarck ------- (2002)
《飛太空2002》Solaris ------- (2002)
《末世黑天使》Dark Angel" ------- (2000)
《末世天使1 》"Dark Angel" Pilot: Part 1 ------- (2000)
《泰坦尼號》Titanic ------- (1997)
《末世紀暴潮》 Strange Days ------- (1995)
《真實的謊言》True Lies ------- (1994)
《終結者2：審判日》Terminator 2: Judgment Day ------- (1991)
《終極豪情》 Point Break ------- (1991)
詹姆斯·卡梅隆 - 所榮譽
1998年第70屆奧斯卡最佳導演奬
1998年第70屆奧斯卡最佳電影剪輯奬
1998年第55屆金球奬 最佳導演奬
1998年堪薩斯城影評人協會最佳導演奬
1998年拉斯維加斯影評人協會最佳導演奬
2010年9月，美國片人工會將授予《阿凡達》導演詹姆斯·卡梅隆終身成就奬，以彰他本人對電影做出的卓越貢獻，這一奬項將於明年1月正式頒。
詹姆斯·卡梅隆 - 人物評價
詹姆斯·卡梅隆
詹姆斯·卡梅隆，美國導演(兼編劇、片)，得花錢，不惜代價追求最極緻的視覺效果，作品富有想像力和震撼力。創造影史票房最高記錄。在每一篇詳描述詹姆斯·卡梅隆生平的文章，幾乎都要不可避免地使用“惡名昭著”這個詞——沒錯，他在拍攝地是個苟求、專橫的“暴君”；在家庭中是個不會貼且見異思遷的丈夫；在好萊塢同行看來，卡梅隆是一個偏執狂和燒錢的機器。然而在很多普通影迷眼，這些指責完全無關緊要，它們不是雞蛋挑骨頭就是出於嫉妒的惡意攻擊，世界上衹有一個詹姆斯·卡梅隆，那就是大英雄詹姆斯·卡梅隆、大天才詹姆斯·卡梅隆、無以倫比，無所不能的大導演詹姆斯·卡梅隆。
無疑，詹姆斯·卡梅隆是二十世界最引人註目的導演之一，他曾經兩度創造電影投資的最高紀錄，拍攝過一部世界上有史以來最賣座的影片，平一部影片獲得奧斯卡奬數目的紀錄，且每一部影片都為以的電影樹立技術的標桿。在說起詹姆斯·卡梅隆的時候，人們不免要提到另一位傑出的商業片導演斯蒂文·斯皮爾伯格，能跟這位二十世紀的電影巨人相提並論，本身就說明卡梅隆在人們心目中的崇高地位。
跟他作過《泰坦尼號》的凱特·溫斯萊特曾坦言，如果沒有一大筆片酬，那麽她將不打算再跟卡梅隆作。她承認卡梅隆是個好人，但脾氣太差。有人甚至描述說，“跟卡梅隆一起工作簡直是場噩夢。”這樣的人際關係讓很多人跟卡梅隆有過短暫作避之不及。但同時，也有許多人為卡梅隆的才華傾倒。一些演職人員跟隨卡梅隆多年，成為卡梅隆的固定作伴。另有一些女人則深深愛上卡梅隆。她們跟卡梅隆的婚姻都算不上長久，她們迷戀他的才華，卻又無法和他相處……
In total, Cameron's directorial efforts have grossed approximately US$2 billion in North America and US$6 billion worldwide. Without adjusting for inflation, Cameron's Titanic and Avatar are the two highest-grossing films of all time at $1.8 billion and $2.7 billion respectively. In terms of worldwide gross, he is the second-highest grossing director of all time, behind Steven Spielberg.
Background
Cameron was born in Kapuskasing, Ontario, Canada, the son of Shirley, an artist and nurse and Phillip Cameron, an electrical engineer. His paternal great-great-great-grandfather emigrated from Balquhidder, Scotland in 1825; thus, he descends from Clan Cameron.
Cameron grew up in Chippawa, Ontario and attended Stamford Collegiate School in Niagara Falls; his family moved to Brea, California in 1971 when he was 17. Cameron enrolled at Fullerton College, a 2-year community college, in 1973 to study Physics. He switched to English, then dropped out before the start of the fall 1974 semester.
After dropping out, he worked several jobs such as truck driving and wrote when he had time. During this period he taught himself about special effects: "I'd go down to the USC library and pull any thesis that graduate students had written about optical printing, or front screen projection, or dye transfers, anything that related to film technology. That way I could sit down and read it, and if they'd let me photocopy it, I would. If not, I'd make notes."
After seeing the original Star Wars film in 1977, Cameron quit his job as a truck driver to enter the film industry. When Cameron read Syd Field's book Screenplay, it occurred to him that integrating science and art was possible, and he wrote a ten minute science fiction script with two friends, entitled Xenogenesis. They raised money and rented camera, lenses, film stocks, and studio, and shot it in 35mm. To understand how to operate the camera, they dismantled it and spent the first half-day of the shoot trying to figure out how to get it running.
[edit]Early career
As Cameron continued educating himself in techniques, he started as a miniature model maker at Roger Corman Studios. Making fast, low-budget productions taught Cameron to work efficiently and effectively. He soon was an art director in the sci-fi movie Battle Beyond the Stars (1980). He did special effects work design and direction on John Carpenter's Escape from New York (1981), acted as production designer on Galaxy of Terror (1981), and consulted on the design of Android (1982) .
Cameron was hired as the special effects director for the sequel of Piranha, entitled Piranha II: The Spawning in 1981. However, the director left the project and Cameron was hired by Italian producer Assonitis to take over, giving him his first directorial job. He worked with producer Roger Corman. The interior scenes were filmed in Rome, Italy while the underwater diving sequences were shot at Grand Cayman Island.
The movie was to be produced in Jamaica, but when Cameron arrived at the studio, he discovered that the project was under-financed and his crew comprised primarily Italians who spoke no English. Under duress, Cameron says, he had a nightmare about an invincible robot hitman sent from the future to kill him, giving him the idea for The Terminator, which would later catapult his filming career.
[edit]Major films
[edit]The Terminator (1984)
Main article: The Terminator
After completing a screenplay for The Terminator, Cameron decided to sell it so that he could direct the movie. However, the production companies he contacted, while expressing interest in the project, were unwilling to let a first-time feature film director make the movie. Finally, Cameron found a company called Hemdale Pictures, which was willing to let him direct. Gale Anne Hurd, who had started her own production company, Pacific Western Productions, had previously worked with Cameron in Roger Corman's company and agreed to buy Cameron's screenplay for one dollar, on the condition that Cameron direct the film. Hurd was signed on as producer, and Cameron finally got his first break as director. Orion Pictures distributed the film.
Cameron in September 1986
Initially, for the role of the Terminator, Cameron wanted someone who wasn't exceptionally muscular, and who could "blend into" a normal crowd. Lance Henriksen, who had starred in Piranha II: The Spawning, was considered for the titular role, but when Arnold Schwarzenegger and Cameron first met over lunch to discuss Schwarzenegger playing the role of Kyle Reese, both came to the conclusion that the cyborg villain would be the more compelling role for the Austrian bodybuilder; Henriksen got the smaller part of LAPD detective Hal Vukovich and the role of Kyle Reese went to Michael Biehn. In addition, Linda Hamilton first appeared in this film in her iconic role of Sarah Connor, and later married Cameron.
The Terminator was a box office hit, breaking expectations by Orion Pictures executives that the film would be regarded as no more than a sci-fi film, and only last a week in theaters. It was a low-budget film which cost $6.5 million to make, cutting expenses in such ways as recording the audio track in mono. However, The Terminator eventually earned over $78 million worldwide.
[edit]Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)
Main article: Rambo: First Blood Part II
During the early 1980s, Cameron wrote three screenplays simultaneously: The Terminator, Aliens, and the first draft of Rambo: First Blood Part II. While Cameron continued with The Terminator and Aliens, Sylvester Stallone eventually took over the script of Rambo: First Blood Part II, creating a final draft which differed radically from Cameron's initial version. Cameron was credited for his screenplay in the film's final credits.
[edit]Aliens (1986)
Main article: Aliens (film)
The producing team behind Aliens, James Cameron and Gale Ann Hurd
Cameron next began the sequel to Alien, the 1979 film by Ridley Scott. Cameron named the sequel Aliens, and again cast Sigourney Weaver in the iconic role of Ellen Ripley. According to Cameron, the crew on Aliens was hostile to him, regarding him as a poor substitute for Ridley Scott. Cameron sought to show them The Terminator but the majority of the crew refused and remained skeptical of his direction throughout production. Despite this and other off-screen problems (such as clashing with an uncooperative camera man and having to replace one of the lead actors - Michael Biehn of Terminator took James Remar's place as Corporal Hicks), Aliens became a box office success, and received Academy Award nominations for Best Actress in a Leading Role for Weaver, Best Art Direction, Best Film Editing, Best Original Score, Best Sound, and won awards for Best Sound Effects Editing and Best Visual Effects. In addition, the film and its lead actress made the cover of TIME magazine as a result of its breakthrough feminist themes about women in combat. Following the phenomenal success of the film, Cameron now had more freedom to make whatever projects he wanted.
[edit]The Abyss (1989)
Main article: The Abyss
Cameron's next project stemmed from an idea that had come up during a high school biology class. The story of oil-rig workers who discover otherworldly underwater creatures became the basis of Cameron's screenplay for The Abyss, which cast Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and Michael Biehn. Initially budgeted at $41 million U.S. (though the production ran considerably over budget), it was considered to be one of the most expensive films of its time, and required cutting-edge effects technology. Because much of the film takes place underwater and the technology wasn't advanced enough to digitally create an underwater environment, Cameron chose to shoot much of the movie "reel-for-real", at depths of up to 40 feet (12 m). For creation of the sets, the containment building of an unfinished nuclear power plant was converted, and two huge tanks were used. The main tank was filled with 7,500,000 US gallons (28,400,000 L) of water, and the second with 2,500,000 US gallons (9,500,000 L). The cast and crew resided there for much of the shooting.
[edit]Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
Main article: Terminator 2: Judgment Day
After the success of The Terminator, there had always been talks about a sequel to continue the story of Sarah Connor and her struggle against machines from the future. Although Cameron had come up with a core idea for the sequel, and Schwarzenegger expressed interest in continuing the story, there were still problems regarding who had the rights to the story, as well as the logistics of the special effects needed to make the sequel. Finally, in late-1980s, Mario Kassar of Carolco Pictures secured the rights to the sequel, allowing Cameron to greenlight production of the film, now called Terminator 2: Judgment Day.
For the film, Linda Hamilton reprised her iconic role of Sarah Connor. In addition, Schwarzenegger also returned in his role as The Terminator, but this time as a protector. Unlike the T-800, who is made of a metal endoskeleton, the new villain of the sequel, called the T-1000, was a more advanced Terminator made of liquid metal, and with polymorphic abilities. The T-1000 would also be much less bulky than the T-800. For the role, Cameron cast Robert Patrick, a sharp contrast to Schwarzenegger. Cameron explained, "I wanted someone who was extremely fast and agile. If the T-800 is a human Panzer tank, then the T-1000 is a Porsche."
Cameron had originally wanted to incorporate this advanced-model Terminator into the first film, but the special effects at the time were not advanced enough. The ground-breaking effects used in The Abyss to digitally depict the water tentacle convinced Cameron that his liquid metal villain was now possible.
TriStar Pictures agreed to distribute the film, but under a locked release date only about one year after the start of shooting. The movie, co-written by Cameron and his longtime friend, William Wisher, Jr., had to go from screenplay to finished film in just that amount of time. Like Cameron's previous film, it was one of the most expensive films of its era, with a budget of about $100 million. The biggest challenge of the movie was the special effects used in creating the T-1000. Nevertheless, the film was finished on time, and released to theaters on July 3, 1991.
Terminator 2, or T2, as it was abbreviated, broke box-office records (including the opening weekend record for an R-rated film), earning over $200 million in the United States and Canada, and over $300 million in other territories, and became the highest-grossing film of that year. It won four Academy Awards: Best Makeup, Best Sound, Best Sound Effects Editing, and Best Visual Effects. It was also nominated for Best Cinematography and Best Film Editing, but lost both Awards to JFK.
James Cameron announced a third Terminator film many times during the 1990s, but without coming out with any finished scripts. Kassar and Vajna purchased the rights to the Terminator franchise from a bankruptcy sale of Carolco's assets. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines was eventually made and released in July 2003 without Cameron's involvement. Jonathan Mostow directed the film and Schwarzenegger returned as the Terminator.
Cameron reunited with the main cast of Terminator 2 to film T2 3-D: Battle Across Time, an attraction at Universal Studios Florida, Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Studios Japan. It was released in 1996 and was a mini-sequel to Terminator 2: Judgment Day. The show is in two parts: a prequel segment in which a spokesperson talks about Cyberdyne, and a main feature, in which the performers interact with a 3-D movie.
[edit]True Lies (1994)
Main article: True Lies
Before the release of T2, Schwarzenegger came to Cameron with the idea of making a remake of the French comedy La Totale! Titled True Lies, with filming beginning after T2's release, the story revolves around a secret-agent spy who leads a double life as a married man, whose wife believes he is a computer salesman. Schwarzenegger was cast as Harry Tasker, a spy charged with stopping a plan by a terrorist to use nuclear weapons against the United States. Jamie Lee Curtis and Eliza Dushku played the character's family, and Tom Arnold the sidekick.
Cameron's Lightstorm Entertainment signed on with Twentieth Century Fox for production of True Lies. Made on a budget of $115 million and released in 1994, the film earned $146 million in North America, and $232 million abroad. The film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Visual Effects.
[edit]Titanic (1997)
Main article: Titanic (1997 film)
Cameron expressed interest in the famous sinking of the ship RMS Titanic. He decided to script and film his next project based on this event. The picture revolved around a fictional romance story between two young lovers from different social classes who meet onboard the ship's maiden voyage. Before production began, he took dives to the bottom of the Atlantic and shot actual footage of the ship underwater, which he inserted into the final film.
For the film Titanic, Cameron cast Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, and Billy Zane. Cameron's budget for the film reached about $200 million, making it the most expensive movie ever made at the time. Before its release, the film was widely ridiculed for its expense and protracted production schedule.
Released to theaters on December 19, 1997, Titanic grossed less in its first weekend ($28.6 million) than in its second, ($35.4 million), an increase of 23.8%. This is unheard of for a widely released film, which is a testament to the movie's appeal. This was especially noteworthy, considering that the film's running time of more than three hours limited the number of showings each theater could schedule. It held the No. 1 spot on the box-office charts for months, eventually grossing a total of over $600 million in the United States and Canada and more than $1.8 billion worldwide. Titanic became the highest-grossing film ever made, until Cameron's 2009 film Avatar. The CG visuals surrounding the sinking and destruction of the ship were considered spectacular. Despite criticism during production of the film, it received a record-tying 14 Oscar nominations (tied with All About Eve) at the 1998 Academy Awards. It won 11 Oscars (also record-tying with Ben-Hur and later The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King), including Best Picture, Editing, Sound, Special Effects, Music and Score, and the Best Director award for Cameron. Upon receiving the award, Cameron exclaimed, "I'm king of the world!", in reference to one of the main characters' lines from the film. In March 2010, Cameron revealed that Titanic will be re-released in 3D in April 2012, in order to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the actual ship.
[edit]Spider-Man and Dark Angel (2000–2002)
Main articles: Spider-Man (film series)#Development and Dark Angel (TV series)
Cameron had initially next planned to do a film of the comic book character Spider-Man, a project developed by Menahem Golan of Cannon Films. Columbia hired David Koepp to adapt Cameron's treatment into a screenplay, and Koepp's first draft is taken often word-for-word from Cameron's story,[citation needed] though later drafts were heavily rewritten by Koepp himself, Scott Rosenberg, Alvin Sargent, and (allegedly)[by whom?] Ivan Raimi, brother of director Sam Raimi. Columbia preferred to credit David Koepp solely, and none of the scripts before or after his were ever examined by the Writers Guild of America, East to determine proper credit attribution.[citation needed] Cameron and other writers objected, but Columbia and the WGA prevailed. In its release in 2002, Spider-Man had its screenplay credited solely to Koepp.
Unable to make Spider-Man, Cameron moved to television and created Dark Angel, a superheroine-centered series influenced by cyberpunk, biopunk, contemporary superhero franchises, and third-wave feminism. Co-produced with Charles H. Eglee, Dark Angel starred Jessica Alba as Max Guevara, a genetically enhanced transgenic super-soldier created by a secretive organization. Cameron's work was said to "bring empowered female warriors back to television screens[...] by mixing the sober feminism of his The Terminator and Aliens characters with the sexed-up Girl Power of a Britney Spears concert." While a success in its first season, low ratings in the second led to its cancellation. Cameron himself directed the series finale, a two-hour episode wrapping up many of the series' loose ends.
[edit]Documentaries (2002–2009)
Cameron's recent projects have included undersea documentaries on the Bismarck (Expedition: Bismarck, 2002) and the Titanic (Ghosts of the Abyss (2003, in IMAX 3D) and Tony Robinson's Titanic Adventure (2005). He was a producer on the 2002 film Solaris, and narrated The Exodus Decoded.
Cameron in September 2007
Cameron is a leading advocate for stereoscopic digital 3-D films. In a 2003 interview about his IMAX 3D documentary Ghosts of the Abyss, he mentioned that he is "going to do everything in 3D now". He has made similar statements in other interviews. Ghosts of the Abyss and Aliens of the Deep (also an IMAX documentary) were both shot in 3-D and released by Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media, and Cameron did the same for his new project, Avatar for 20th Century Fox & Sony Pictures' Columbia Pictures. He intends to use the same technology for The Dive, Sanctum and an adaptation of the manga series Battle Angel Alita.
Cameron was a co-founder and former CEO of Digital Domain, a visual effects production and technology company.
In addition, he plans to create a 3-D project about the first trip to Mars. ("I've been very interested in the Humans to Mars movement—the 'Mars Underground'—and I've done a tremendous amount of personal research for a novel, a miniseries, and a 3-D film.") He is on the science team for the 2011 Mars Science Laboratory.
Cameron announced on February 26, 2007, that he, along with his director, Simcha Jacobovici, have documented the unearthing of the Talpiot Tomb, which is alleged to be the tomb of Jesus. Unearthed in 1980 by Israeli construction workers, the names on the tomb are claimed, by Cameron, to correlate with the names of Jesus and several individuals closely associated with him. Cameron further claims to have DNA tests, archaeological evidence, and Biblical studies to back up his claim. The documentary, named The Lost Tomb of Jesus, was broadcast on the Discovery Channel on March 4, 2007.
[edit]Avatar (2009)
Main article: Avatar (2009 film)
Cameron promoting Avatar during the 2009 San Diego Comic-Con
In June 2005, Cameron was announced to be working on a project tentatively titled "Project 880" (now known to be Avatar) in parallel with another project, Battle Angel. Both movies were to be shot in 3D. By December, Cameron stated that he wanted to film Battle Angel first, followed by Avatar. However in February 2006, he switched goals for the two film projects and decided to film Avatar first. He mentioned that if both films are successful, he would be interested in seeing a trilogy being made for both.
Avatar had an estimated budget of over $300 million and was released on December 18, 2009. This marked his first feature film since 1997's Titanic . It is composed almost entirely of computer-generated animation, using a more advanced version of the "performance capture" technique used by director Robert Zemeckis in The Polar Express. James Cameron wrote an 80 page scriptment for Avatar in 1995 and announced in 1996 that he would make the film after completing Titanic. In December 2006, Cameron explained that the delay in producing the film since the 1990s had been to wait until the technology necessary to create his project was advanced enough. The film was originally scheduled to be released in May 2009 but was pushed back to December 2009 to allow more time for post production on the complex CGI and to give more time for theatres worldwide to install 3D projectors. Cameron originally intended Avatar to be 3D-only. The film went on to break the record for highest-grossing film ever, beating Cameron's previous film Titanic. Avatar also became the first movie to ever earn more than $2 billion worldwide. It was nominated for nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, and won three for Best Cinematography, Best Visual Effects and Best Art Direction. Cameron lost the award for Best Director to his ex-wife, Kathryn Bigelow, who also took Best Picture with her film The Hurt Locker.
[edit]Awards
Cameron receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in December 2009
Cameron received the Bradbury Award from the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America in 1991—but, being primarily thought of as a genre filmmaker, he did not receive any major mainstream filmmaking awards prior to Titanic. With Titanic, Cameron received Academy Awards for Best Film Editing (shared with Conrad Buff and Richard A. Harris), Best Picture (shared with Jon Landau), and Best Director. He also won a Golden Globe Award for best director for the film.
In recognition of "a distinguished career as a Canadian filmmaker", Carleton University, Ottawa, awarded Cameron the honorary degree of Doctor of Fine Arts on June 13, 1998. Cameron accepted the degree in person and gave the Convocation Address.[citation needed]
He also received an honorary doctorate in October, 1998 from Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario, for his accomplishments in the international film industry.
In 1998, Cameron attended convocation to receive an honorary doctorate of Laws from Ryerson University, Toronto. The university awards its highest honor to those who have made extraordinary contributions in Canada, or internationally.
In 1999, Cameron received the honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from California State University, Fullerton, where he had been a student in the 1970s. He received the degree at the university's annual Commencement exercises that year, where he gave the keynote speech.
In recognition of his contributions to underwater filming and remote vehicle technology, the University of Southampton awarded Cameron the honorary degree of Doctor of the University. Cameron received his degree in person at the graduation ceremony in July, 2004.[citation needed]
On June 3, 2008, it was announced that he would be inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame. On December 18, 2009, the same day Avatar was released worldwide, Cameron received the 2,396th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
On February 28, 2010 James Cameron was honored with a Visual Effects Society (VES) Lifetime Achievement Award.
With Avatar, Cameron has been nominated for three Academy Awards for Best Picture (shared with Jon Landau), Best Director and Best Film Editing (shared with John Refoua and Stephen E. Rivkin) and received the Golden Globe for Best Picture and Best Director. Cameron and Avatar lost the Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Picture to Cameron's former wife Kathryn Bigelow for her film, The Hurt Locker.
On September 24, 2010 James Cameron was named Number 1 in The 2010 Guardian Film Power 100 list. In a list compiled by the British magazine New Statesman in September 2010, he was listed 30thin the list of "The World's 50 Most Influential Figures 2010".
[edit]Awards by film
Year Film Role Notes
1981 Piranha II: The Spawning Director Nominated – Fantasporto International Fantasy Film Award Best Film
1984 The Terminator Director, Writer Saturn Award Best Writing
Avoriaz Fantastic Film Festival Grand Prize
Nominated – Saturn Award for Best Direction
1985 Rambo: First Blood Part II Writer Razzie Award for Worst Screenplay
1986 Aliens Director, Writer Saturn Award for Best Direction
Saturn Award Best Writing
Kinema Junpo Awards Best Foreign Language Film
Hugo Award Best Dramatic Presentation
1989 The Abyss Director, Writer Saturn Award for Best Direction
Nominated – Saturn Award Best Writing
Nominated – Hugo Award Best Dramatic Presentation
1991 Terminator 2: Judgment Day Director, Writer and Producer Saturn Award for Best Direction
Saturn Award for Best Science Fiction Film
Mainichi Film Award Best Foreign Language Film
Hugo Award Best Dramatic Presentation
Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Bradbury Award
Nominated – Saturn Award Best Writing
1994 True Lies Director, Writer and Producer Saturn Award for Best Direction
1995 Strange Days Writer and Producer Nominated – Saturn Award Best Writing
1997 Titanic Director/Writer/Producer/Editor Academy Award for Best Director
Academy Award for Best Picture
Academy Award for Best Film Editing
Amanda Award Best Foreign Film
Eddie Award Best Edited Feature Film
Blue Ribbon Award Best Foreign Language Film
Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Director
Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Director
Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures
Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Director
Empire Award for Best Film
Florida Film Critics Circle Award Best Film
Golden Globe Award for Best Director
Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama
Hochi Film Award Best Foreign Language Film
Kansas City Film Critics Circle Award Best Director
Kansas City Film Critics Circle Award Best Film
Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award for Best Director
Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award for Best Picture
Mainichi Film Award Best Foreign Language Film
National Board of Review Award Special Citation For the use of special effects technology
Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Director
Producers Guild of America Motion Picture Producer of the Year Award
Satellite Award for Best Director
Satellite Award for Best Editing
Satellite Award for Best Film – Drama
Nominated – BAFTA Award for Best Direction
Nominated – BAFTA Award for Best Film
Nominated – BAFTA Award for Best Editing
Nominated – Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Film
Nominated – Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Film
Nominated – César Award Best Foreign Language Film
Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay
Nominated – London Film Critics Circle Award for Director of the Year
Nominated – Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Picture
Nominated – Satellite Award for Best Original Screenplay
Nominated – Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay
2003 Ghosts of the Abyss Director/Producer Nominated – Broadcast Film Critics Association Award Best Documentary
2005 Aliens of the Deep Director/Producer/Cinematographer
2009 Avatar Director/Writer/Producer/Editor Golden Globe Award for Best Director
Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama
Empire Award for Best Director
Empire Award for Best Film
Broadcast Film Critics Association Award Best Editing
Broadcast Film Critics Association Award Best Action Movie
Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Editing
Saturn Award for Best Direction
Saturn Award for Best Writing
Nominated – Academy Award for Best Director
Nominated – Academy Award for Best Picture
Nominated – Academy Award for Best Film Editing
Nominated – BAFTA Award for Best Direction
Nominated – BAFTA Award for Best Film
Nominated – BAFTA Award for Best Editing
Nominated – Eddie Award Best Edited Feature Film
Nominated – Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Director
Nominated – César Award Best Foreign Language Film
Nominated – Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Director
Nominated – Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures
Nominated – IOMA Award Best Director
Nominated – IOMA Award Best Film
Nominated – London Film Critics Circle Award for Director of the Year
Nominated – Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Director
Nominated – Producers Guild of America Motion Picture Producer of the Year Award
Nominated – Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay
2014 Avatar 2 Director/Writer/Producer/Editor Being Written
2015 Avatar 3 Director/Writer/Producer/Editor Being Written
[edit]Casting
Cameron often casts certain actors more than once in his films. Cameron has consistently worked with Bill Paxton (who also narrated Ghosts of the Abyss), Michael Biehn, Lance Henriksen (who also narrated Expedition: Bismarck), Jenette Goldstein and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Actor Xenogenesis (1978) Piranha II: The Spawning (1981) The Terminator (1984) Aliens (1986) The Abyss (1989) Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) True Lies (1994) Titanic (1997) Avatar (2009)
Bill Paxton
Michael Biehn 1
Linda Hamilton
Lance Henriksen
William Wisher, Jr.
Jenette Goldstein
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Sigourney Weaver
Earl Boen
1 His reprised role of Reese was cut from the theatrical release, but restored in the DVD's Special Edition Version.
[edit]Recurring themes
Throughout Cameron's career, several of his films have had recurring themes and subtexts. These include: the prospects of nuclear holocaust (the Skynet takeover scenario from both Terminator films), attempts to reconcile humanity with technology (as seen in Aliens and Terminator 2: Judgment Day), humanity repeating the same mistakes, the dangers of corporate greed, strong female characters (Sarah Connor and Ellen Ripley being the most famous), a strong romance subplot, anti-corporation (Aliens, Avatar), anti-military (The Abyss, Avatar), and an undercurrent of feminism. This was also present with Jamie Lee Curtis's character in True Lies and Kate Winslet's role in Titanic, in which she served as the main protagonist and narrator.
While The Abyss dealt with deep sea exploration (shot on a studio set), Cameron himself became an expert in the field of deep sea wreckage exploration exploring the wreckage of Titanic and Bismarck. Cameron will return to this theme with The Dive (see Projects), shooting from a minisub.
So important is technology in Cameron's films that he waited years for the technical tools of the craft to advance sufficiently to realize his vision for Avatar, for which he had special 3-D cameras developed.
[edit]Filmography
Further information: James Cameron filmography
James Cameron is an award-winning Canadian film director, writer, producer and special effects artist. He has contributed to many projects as either the writer, director, producer, or a combination of the three.
Cameron's first film was the 1978 science fiction short film Xenogenesis, which he directed, wrote and produced. Cameron's films have grossed a total of over $7 billion worldwide.
In addition to works of fiction, Cameron has directed and appeared in several documentaries including Ghosts of the Abyss and Aliens of the Deep. He also contributed to a number of television series including Dark Angel and Entourage.
[edit]Personal life
Cameron has been married five times, to Sharon Williams (1978–1984), Gale Anne Hurd (1985–1989), Kathryn Bigelow (1989–1991), Linda Hamilton (1997–1999, one daughter) and Suzy Amis (since 2000, one son, two daughters). Hurd was the producer of Cameron's The Terminator, Aliens, and The Abyss, and the executive producer of Terminator 2: Judgement Day. Amis played the part of Lizzy Calvert, Rose's granddaughter, in Titanic. Hamilton played the role of Sarah Connor in both Terminator films. Both Cameron (Avatar) and Bigelow (The Hurt Locker) were nominated for the Oscar, Golden Globe, and BAFTA Award for Best Director for films released in 2009. Cameron won the Golden Globe, whilst Bigelow won the Oscar and the BAFTA for Best Director, becoming the first woman to win either.
Cameron is a member of the NASA Advisory Council and is working on the project to put cameras on an upcoming manned Mars mission. He is also a member of the Mars Society, a non-profit advocacy organization lobbying for the human colonization of Mars.[citation needed]
In June 2010, Cameron met in Washington with the EPA to discuss possible solutions to the 2010 BP oil spill. Later that week at the All Things Digital Conference, he attracted some notoriety when he stated, "Over the last few weeks I've watched...and [been] thinking, 'Those morons don't know what they're doing'." Reportedly, Cameron had offered BP help to plug the oil well, but they declined. The oil spill was eventually stopped using techniques similar to what Cameron recommended.
Although Cameron has lived his entire adult life in the United States, he remains a Canadian citizen. Cameron applied for American citizenship but withdrew his application after George W. Bush won the presidential election in 2004.
Cameron is atheist, and once as a child he described the Lord's Prayer as being a 'tribal chant'.
Cameron lives in Malibu, California with his wife.
[edit]Perceptions by colleagues
Cameron has been labeled by one collaborator, author Orson Scott Card, as selfish and cruel. When asked about working with Cameron on the novelization of The Abyss, Card said the experience was "hell on wheels. He was very nice to me, because I could afford to walk away. But he made everyone around him miserable, and his unkindness did nothing to improve the film in any way. Nor did it motivate people to work faster or better. And unless he changes his way of working with people, I hope he never directs anything of mine."
After working with Cameron on the set of Titanic, Kate Winslet decided she would not work with Cameron again unless she earned "a lot of money." She admitted Cameron was a nice man, but felt he had too much of a temper. In an editorial, the British newspaper The Independent said that Cameron "is a nightmare to work with. Studios have come to fear his habit of straying way over schedule and over budget. He is notorious on set for his uncompromising and dictatorial manner, as well as his flaming temper.". Her co-star, Leonardo DiCaprio, said "Jim knows exactly what he wants. Needless to say, when somebody felt a different way on the set of Titanic, there was a confrontation, Jim had it out with them right there in front of everybody. He lets you know exactly how he feels. But he's of the lineage of John Ford. He knows what he wants his film to be. I remember sitting in a theater after it was done and being in awe. He got what he wanted."
Sam Worthington, the latest lead actor to work with Cameron, stated on the Jay Leno Show that Cameron had very high expectations from everyone, and would often use a nail gun to nail the film crew's cell phones to a wall above an exit door in retaliation to unwanted ringing during production. During the promotion for Avatar, Cameron stated on Jimmy Kimmel Live! that although he doubts anyone would describe him as a mellow person, he is at least mellower than he was before.
Other actors, such as Bill Paxton and Sigourney Weaver, have praised Cameron's perfectionist work ethic. Weaver said of Cameron: "He really does want us to risk our lives and limbs for the shot, but he doesn't mind risking his own."
[edit]Appearances in media
Entourage – Cameron appeared as himself. In the series' storyline, he is the director of a film based on the superhero Aquaman. Cameron's involvement in the project attracted protagonist Vincent Chase to the title role.
The Muse
Saturday Night Live – In the episode where Sigourney Weaver hosted, Cameron appears as himself in an SNL Digital Short in which he presents Lorne Michaels with an idea for a new film that, much to Michaels' dismay, is a sequel to Laser Cats 4, Laser Cats 5 (starring Weaver), parodying Terminator, Aliens, Titanic, and Avatar. Cameron also appeared as himself when his longtime friend Bill Paxton hosted the show.
Your Studio and You - Cameron appears in the short, gardening the Universal studio landscape.