1) How was the film produced to appeal to the audience

Production

Fox was mainly responsible for funding the production costs. However, as Avatar was such a big budget film (and consequently a high risk investment) investor groups Dune Capital Management and Ingenious Film Partners helped Fox hedge the risk. (It is estimated that Avatar cost between $200 million and $500 to produce and market.)
James Cameron, writer and director of the film was keen to invest in new technologies (3D) and also invested his money into the production of this film. He saw the
Fox is bearing the cost of the marketing budget, which is estimated to be about $150 million. however, this big budget on marketing is essential to bring in the audiences needed to generate a return on the film.

New Technologies

Continuing to develop new technology as he went along, Cameron also devised a 'virtual camera', a hand-held monitor that allowed him to move through a 3D terrain.
This, Cameron said, allowed him to create 'the ultimate immersive media', which he anticipates will exceed any and all expectation.
In essence, this allowed Cameron to direct the film as if it was computer game. If he wanted to change the viewpoint, he could click a few buttons on a mouse and a computer would redraw the virtual world from the new perspective.
Of course, the film is making a buzz because of this technology, but Cameron is keen to stress that film, as ever, is about story, and the aim is not to bamboozle and distract viewers with special effects.Read more:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1208038/Avatar-How-James-Camerons-3D-film-change-face-cinema-forever.html#ixzz0bBdUNjQ7

Fox invested in new technologies. The film was filmed with special 3D cameras, which have have been licensed for use in other films, including 2008’s Journey to the Centre of the Earth 3D and The Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour. 3D is not new in the cinema world.


There are numerous IMax cinemas across the UK (including the ones in London Waterloo which holds almost 500 people). however, Avatar appealed to a much larger audience because it allowed 3D cinema to be experienced in cinemas across the UK (not just specialised 3D cinemas).

3D technology is not a new concept in the world of film. However Avatar offered the audience something different. 3D in cinema is now becoming much more widespread and more readily available. In this way Avatar has kept up with changing consumer demands and provided them with something new and exciting. Over recent years audiences have become much more demanding because of the increasingly large choice. Avatar is set aside from other movies because it offers something different.

Avatar is also a taste of what is to come in the world of movies. ‘A 3D event movie built on pioneering technology that would revolutionise the cinema experience’. (empire magazine article).

Moreover, Avatar is ..’an attempt to turn the gimmicky technology into big business’ (review, Sci-Fi website). James Cameron said that The Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour ridiculed the world of 3D movies. He hoped to demonstrate how well a film could be executed in 3D.

'One of the biggest concerns with 3D in this day and age is that filmmakers will lose their original storytelling aptitude when they're shooting for 3D because they then focus entirely on that aspect. With Cameron, he made sure to consider the overall impact of 3D before moving forward in production.'

2D
The film was produced in 3D and its main intention was to viewed in 3D. However, the film also has showings in 2D across the country. This gives people the option and therefore has a wider reach.

Target audience, and secondary audience
The films target audience was Sci-Fi enthusiasts, the big budget film (around $280 million) aimed to attract this audience.

However because of the way the film was produced it attracted a huge secondary audience including

• people interested in technology, who want to experience movies in 3D and become part of the new era of 3D films
  



• families - the film was cleverly constructed to be appeal to a families (these are the main audiences for films in general). As the film is a 12A families have been able to enjoy the movie. This brought in increased revenue which was essential
  



• teenage boys, men - interest in action movies (this film also fits under the action genre).

This wider reach was essential in enabling the film to profit. Huge numbers of people would need to view the film for the film makers to gain a return because it had such a big budget.

The importance of the Director in Production
The film was written and directed by James Cameron, a world renowned director. He was responsible for the film Titanic (which had the biggest budget ever at the time of release). Titanic was such a huge success. This boosted his career. Film enthusiasts will want to view the film because it was produced by such a well known and well admired director.

Posted: India