Name: Before Avatar ... a curious boy
Uploaded: 2010-03-04T09:10:00Z
Duration: 16 min 51 s
Description: James Cameron's big-budget (and even bigger-grossing) films create unreal worlds all their own. In this personal talk, he reveals his childhood fascination with the fantastic -- from reading science fiction to deep-sea diving -- and how it ultimately drove the success of his blockbuster hits "Aliens," "The Terminator," "Titanic" and "Avatar."

James Cameron: Before Avatar ... a curious boy

Before Avatar ... a curious boy

James Cameron's big-budget (and even bigger-grossing) films create unreal worlds all their own. In this personal talk, he reveals his childhood fascination with the fantastic -- from reading science fiction to deep-sea diving -- and how it ultimately drove the success of his blockbuster hits "Aliens," "The Terminator," "Titanic" and "Avatar."

Curiosity and imagination fueled a journey from reading science fiction on long bus rides to spending 3,000 hours exploring the ocean’s depths. The same drive for discovery powered breakthroughs in filmmaking technology and inspired real-life expeditions to shipwrecks like the Titanic. Respect for small, tight-knit teams and a willingness to take risks shaped every adventure, on screen and off. Nature’s creativity, revealed in deep ocean vents and alien-like creatures, constantly outpaces what can be dreamed up in film.