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JAMES CAMERON: AUTEUR THEORY JAMES CAMERON: AUTEUR THEORY Ashawnta Choice Ashford University ENG 225: Introduction to Film Professor Stephen Jones June 7, 2021

JAMES CAMERON: AUTEUR THEORY 1 Introduction. When it comes to making a film, many know that it is not an easy task. Many vital elements play significant roles in making it a successful film as well. An element that plays a significant role in making a film is the director, bringing the film to life. A concept we use to look into ways a director can bring his or her film to life is auteur theory. Introduced first by French critic Truffaut, auteur means “author,” thus implying the director as the author of the film, imprinting his or her vision (Gooddykoontz, B., Jacobs, C.P., Meetze, J., & Pritts, N., 2019). Although the auteur theory was not universally accepted, the concept allows us to look deeper into the film. Director James Cameron’s films like Avatar (2009) and Titanic (1997) prove that he meets the criteria of auteur theory: through his use of sound effects to incite emotions, beautiful imagery, dramatic colors such as deep blue hues, strong female characters, and a perfectionist directing style. Technical Competency. Though the meaning of technical competence may seem obvious, it can be boiled down to was the film well made. This is shown in the cinematography of the film or the director's artfulness. Writing and directing his films, James Cameron can be said to have a perfectionist directing style. Though many can see this as a negative trait, it gives him full opportunity to ad his vision and style to bring the film to life. “Cameron’s last two films — Titanic and Avatar — pushed the limits of technology and married them with epic storytelling” (Miyamoto, 2021). In his film, Avatar Cameron took his love for science and brought it to life. Set on a futuristic moon called Pandora, this film tells the story of humans invading a new environment for its precious material. It is shot from the view of the main character, Jake Sully, who links his

JAMES CAMERON: AUTEUR THEORY 2 consciousness to the genetically modified humanoid or Avatar. What makes the film unique is that he uses long shots to give the audience a full view of the scenic atmosphere. During many scenes of the planet Pandora, you can see Cameron’s use of bright colors used for the nature of the planet. Cameron also created an illuminated universe that highlighted the energetic connection between the Na’vi natives and their goddess Eywa. The visual breakthroughs in Titanic indicate Cameron's treatment of the RMS Titanic's sinking as emblematic of his admiration for moviemaking equipment as well as futuristic technology (Piccirillo, 2010). The film was telling the fictional love story of Jack and Rose's main characters and the dramatic ending of their love story with the ship's sinking. Not only did Cameron use actual footage from the boarding and docking of the RMS Titanic, but he even went as far as to use footage of the wreckage to show what the Titanic looked like during the time afloat. Using advanced technology, he used the footage to replicate a grand version of the ship using three-point lighting. During the sinking of the ship scene, you can see the dramatic use of dark hues of blue to add to the intensity and low lighting. Distinguished Personality. Cameron's unique personality is evident in many of his films. "The director's personality can be seen in all his or her works, over the contributions of others involved in making the film" (Gooddykoontz, B., Jacobs, C.P., Meetze, J., & Pritts, N., 2019). His works typically fall under the epic, drama, and romance genres. Using his love for science and the depths of the ocean, Cameron takes this and brings his visions to life. As said before, James Cameron would write and direct his films, giving him a full advantage of ensuring his films fit into in own style. This is shown through his use of strong female characters, sound effects to incite emotions, and perfectionist directing style.

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JAMES CAMERON: AUTEUR THEORY 3 In the film Titanic , one of the main characters, Rose, is said to be a strong female character. However, she is viewed as one of the upper-class passengers and is expected to act, so she continuously defies this. Cameron uses this character to show the strength and drive of women, to which many of his audience can view him as a feminist. Throughout the film, a well- known song, "The Heart Will Go On," is heard playing in many scenes. The song's tune stays the same, but the style of how it is played varies based on the scene. It is sung emotionally by Opera singers then played sadly on the violin to be played intensely by dramatic instruments. This is done to invoke certain emotions from the audience through the film. Using sound effects to personify the tree in Avatar, Cameron cuts out all sound as it is being destroyed. As the tree is falling, all that is heard is the crackling, breaking, and groaning, which can be viewed as crying out in pain. On the verge of falling, the silence surrounding the atmosphere builds the suspense and draws the audience's attention in more. Also, in this film, we see his use of strong female characters. Neytiri is seen as a strong warrior who saves her village and people from the destruction of the human intruders. Interior Meaning. “The third of Sarris’s perquisites for an auteur: that his or her body of work contains a possibly indefinable but consistent attitude and vision of the world, recognizable through the film's content and style" (Gooddykoontz, B., Jacobs, C.P., Meetze, J., & Pritts, N., 2019). Though the two films discussed can fall under the dramatic romance or epic drama, Cameron's overall storyline in both tells a message. Through his films, he sends the message of his mistrust in big business and his view on technology vs. nature. The RMS Titanic, designed by Thomas Andrews but built by Harland and Wolff, was said to be an unsinkable ship. It was supposed to be one of the three most extensive, safest, and most luxurious ships ever built. It is said that

JAMES CAMERON: AUTEUR THEORY 4 Andrews said to a friend that the RMS Titanic was as nearly perfect as humans' brains can make it. This is proved to be wrong when the ship hits an iceberg causing it to sink. Cameron uses this storyline to show that technology vs. nature is not perfect and that in the end, nature always wins. In the Avatar , we see humans using technology to destroy the environment or energy of the Na’vi tree of life. Upon finding out the humans' true intentions, Jake, decides to help the natives fight off and protect their home and resources. In the end, we see the natives winning and sending the humans back to their planet. Conclusion. As we know, making a film involves many elements, and the making of a successful film involves many more. Auteur theory gives full credit to the director of a successful film and points out the requisitions that make a director an auteur. With his use of beautiful imagery, sound effects to incite emotions, and strong female characters James Cameron is undoubtedly an auteur. He continuously creates breathtaking films, with Titanic and Avatar being the two out of five films to earn over $2 billion at the box office while his films continue to gross more than that ("James Cameron's ten highest-grossing films (according to box office mojo)," 2019).

JAMES CAMERON: AUTEUR THEORY 5 References. Goodykoontz, B., Jacobs, C. P., Meetze, J., & Pritts, N. (2019). Film: From watching to seeing (3rd ed.). https://content.ashford.edu/ Grant, B. K. (2012). Film genre reader IV. http://ebookcentral.proquest.com James Cameron's 10 highest-grossing films (according to box office mojo). (2019). ScreenRant. https://screenrant.com/james-cameron-highest-grossing-films-box-office-mojo/ . Miyamoto, K. (2021). Screenwriting wisdom from auteur James Cameron - screencraft. ScreenCraft. https://screencraft.org/2020/01/08/screenwriting-wisdom-from-auteur- james-cameron/ Piccirillo, R. A. (2010). "Raising Titanic: The World of Communication & the Creation of One of the World's Most Succesful Films." Inquiries Journal/Student Pulse, 2(03). Retrieved from http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/a?id=200

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