You Should Skip 'Avatar' Day and Here are Thoughts On Why
This can only work to the film's disadvantage
On Friday, August 21 audiences will have a chance to see 16 minutes of footage from James Cameron's upcoming sci-fi adventure Avatar in one of over 100 IMAX 3-D theaters worldwide. There will be two screenings of the footage (at 6 and 6:30 PM) in what is being dubbed "Avatar Day," which will include an introduction from Cameron and some new footage not shown during July's Comic-Con presentation of 25-minutes of footage, which I previewed and detailed here.
It's an unprecedented event and one I recommend you skip. Why?
Well, in an attempt to kick start what I hope will become almost a daily feature here on RopeoSilicon.com we have a short audio commentary in which I discussed the situation with resident box-office oracle Laremy Legel. Both of us saw the Avatar footage at Comic Con last month and have an opinion on the matter, which will hopefully help you decide whether you should check out this footage or not. As a primer, here is a Twitter quote from Film School Rejects contributor Cole Abaius that really hits the nail on the head:
I really don't care about Avatar Day. I want to see the entire film, not catch a bunch of cool scenes and go home without the full experience.
Take a listen to our thoughts in the audio player directly below. It runs 6:12 minutes and future installments will hopefully never go longer than five minutes.
For those still interested in trying to get seats to the free screening, stand by because starting at noon PST on Monday, August 17 they will be given away on a first-come, first-served basis on the Avatar official website. Will it get clogged up? Will the server sputter and die? Doubtful, but Jeff Wells thinks it may happen in his ten questions and observations about the forthcoming free showing.
As stated in the audio file, the trailer for Avatar will be premiering the same day as the IMAX footage and that is where I think the majority of you should leave it. It's just a suggestion, and is likely to get you more excited for the film rather than seeing out-of-sequence and out-of-context footage prior to the film's December 18 release.
It's just a suggestion, but even Anne Thompson at IndieWire is kicking the tires on Avatar and District 9 comparisons saying earlier today, "Thanks to amazing VFX work, the human-scale aliens [in District 9], executed on the level of Davy Jones in Pirates of the Caribbean, interact seamlessly with humans (far more than in James Cameron's Avatar)." She says this having only seen the footage I have seen. What will the watchful eyes of the online masses come away thinking and how will it affect public perception heading into December?
It is only 16 minutes of footage from a film that is already confirmed to be over two-and-a-half-hours long (and possibly upwards of three), but do you really want to run the risk?
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well , YOU saw it and now i want to see it too!
plus its free …..so yes, i will take my chances and judge with my own eyes, dont try to think for us thank you.
The 16 minute preview is for meant for those already interested in the movie, Cameron essentially said this at Comic Con. How he wanted to bring a comic-con like experience to a broader global audiance. Thats what this is for. You say it won't work because its only going to be seen by those who are already interested, preaching to the choir. But the point it, its appealing to people who have been selling this film without having seen a thing, imagine if they see 16 minutes, they'll be going around telling everyone they know about how awesome it was.
Furthermore, the trailer has been confirmed to be showing up in all theatrical formats, Imax 3D, Imax 2D, Digital 3D, Digital 2D, and 35 MM 2D. Its been confirmed for Inglourious Basterds and Post Grad…as well as 'other late summer and fall releases'
The trailer is getting the exposure it needs, its being put in front of a variety of films that will allow people who aren't interested to see the trailer and get interested. Its also going to debut online. The 16 minute clip is only playing in 3D on one day for a reason, its for fans, those who are already interested, the trailer is meant to hook in everyone, those interested and those not yet interested. 16 minute 3D preview is made for limited audiances, thats why its only getting released in Imax 3D theaters, the trailer is for the world. And I'm excited for District 9, but going from trailers, there is nothing mindblowing about that CGI, one of the close ups looked particularly great, but everywhere else was sort of typical CGI…I've seen leaked images from bootleg footage of Avatar…and the CGI is AT THE VERY LEAST on the same level of the best CGI one can think of, whether it be gollum, king kong, or Davey Jones.
I agree with the post above that the 16 minute footage is really for the fanboys, but it could also be for the general public who become really intrigued by the trailers. They would wan't to see more if they get really excited about it, but I do think the online trailer will sell it more becuase the general public seems likely to check out trailers first.
Exactly, plus its been confirmed to be playing in Imax 3D, the only Imax movie in the market right now is Harry Potter…if people go and see Harry Potter, see the trailer, and find out about the 16 minute preview while they are at the theater, then they can check out the 15 minute preview for free. One Imax theater stated that they had showings scheduled around Harry Potter, one before, and one after…so they might be able to hook anyone who shows up early to go see a movie as well….I mean, 'free one day event, preview for upcoming Avatar' might sound pretty appealing to most passer-bys
"Thanks to amazing VFX work, the human-scale aliens [in District 9], executed on the level of Davy Jones in Pirates of the Caribbean, interact seamlessly with humans (far more than in James Cameron's Avatar)."
It's proclamations like the above that make me want to see the preview even more just to soothe my worries. I mean come on, how can the SFX aliens in a $30 million movie work better than the ones in Avatar, especially after years and years of successfully integrating SFX with real actors and live action.
I couldn't agree more. When this was announced I was thinking, "Why would anyone want to watch an extended trailer, and just have the good parts ruined for you?".
Well obviously going in fresh to a movie with little-to-no frame of reference will increase the cinematic experience.
But also, District 9 is much more a story driven sci-fi movie, like a "Moon" type of movie (which was brilliant). Whereas Avatar is a movie that is more based on the effects itself, as you said, like a Star Wars. James Cameron has basically fucked himself because he has built the movie into less a movie as more of one of those Universal rides, where you're going to be chased by aliens and you're going to feel the shit in front of you and you're going to have all of your senses barraged by the movie, which a theatre going experience, no matter how incredible the IMAX 3-D technology is, it's still just a movie, and you're still sitting in a theatre with a big bag of popcorn with 200 people you don't know.
Therefore, District 9 was never being sold based on the look of the film, it's a very gritty documentary-style, meaning if anything the style of shooting mixed with a more visual driven story would've made the movie worse.
Though all of this doesn't matter, 'cause I'm gonna be out of the country for Avatar day, though I fully intend to watch the trailer.
ACTUALLY, there's a trailer on YouTube, that came out like a year and a half ago, that's not the actual movie, but just a fan made teaser, that I think is BRILLIANT. And that they should actually have tweaked a bit and used (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGs3_1qKl34). Because it keeps the mystery about the movie.
I agree, Brad. I don't care for 16 minutes without the actual movie with it. It's like looking up promos for video games and getting stuck watching in-game action. It's pointless. I'll drool over a well-crafted trailer any day, but I don't want to see any actual clips of the film until I'm in the theater watching the real thing.
Totally cool hearing your voices. I agree with what you're saying. Even a trailer is a double edged sword. But a 16 minute release? Dangerous stuff.
Very profound statement, "The internet breeds hatred." Bad, sad, and true.
Great stuff here, Brad. The podcasts would be a great change of pace from the articles if you continue with them.
I also have a question that I forgot to ask in one of the previous articles:
You said something about how rotten tomatoes views a C+ as a rotten review and that, among other things, is the reason why you don't try and submit to their website. Does that mean you could be a T-meter critic if you wanted to? I applaud your reasons for not submitting, but I'm curious if you think that being a critic on rotten tomatoes could really boost your amount of readers…Not that you really need a boost, I'm just curious.
you should also try to not compare District 9 to Avatar, or @ least not put them in the same box..
I see District 9 like a nice nerdy movie with aall what we like from aliens to robots with a style. But it will just be nice stylized B movie, like Cloverfield if you want some comparisons.
Avatar will be something terribly different. First, people tend to forget how good James Cameron is when it comes to story telling and characters with a soul.
I dont think that a 16 minutes will spoil the thing. and i heard that it will not be only movie shots.. there will be an introduction too, the kind of montage he made when first presenting the Abyss i guess?
Translation: Skip Avatar Day so you can get more hits on ropeofsilicone.com.
Pretty transparent, guys.
Meh, I'd rather just see the trailer on that day and wait until I see the entire movie in December.
@Kevin Klaw: I think Brad is primarily concerned about the mystique that'll be gleaned off the original movie by spoiling it in this way. I mean, this movie has been anticipated for so long, why spoil your wait by watching a distorted part of the movie which may or may not have to do with the entire plot.
This marketing scheme worked so well with Dark Knight because they only showed the beginning bank heist which ran for just 6 mins and didn't spoil anything; I think the 16 mins would not work so well.
@Kevin Klaw: Maw-haw-ha-ha-ha, you've exposed their evil plot.
Oh come on.
I'd just like an official trailer to be released. After all the film is due to be released in less than 6 months time, so surely even a teaser trailer should have been made by now.
I am not saying District 9 does anything better than Avatar. I am saying there's more digital alien/live action human interaction in District 9 (in a live action environment) than there is in Avatar, which is mostly split between live action and all-digital environments. There is certainly interaction between the digital avatars and humans, as we saw in Comic-Con. But as I understand it, there's less time spent on live action humans interacting with digital aliens than in District 9.