Cinematography

On the Avatar sequel, many of those challenges arose from the need to shoot so much of the film in
water — in 3D, no less, often at 48 frames per second, while capturing performances for Weta Digital
to transform into the nine-foot-tall Na’vi denizens of alien world Pandora. This was primarily
achieved between November 2017 and November 2018 at Manhattan Beach, California, where
Cameron constructed gigantic purpose-built tanks, “with a moving floor and an incredible 1,000-
horsepower pump”, says Los Angeles-born Carpenter.

To some degree, the cinematographer was prepared by his previous experience with Cameron. “It
was like Titanic, where anything you do in water takes a long time,” he says. However, there was a
significant difference. “We were shooting underwater in 3D, so all of a sudden your camera is in this
gigantic monster of a big blue box. Once you get it in moving water, it has a mind of its own and takes
you wherever it wants to go, rather than the other way around. So we had to devise ways to shelter
the camera operator from being in the same flow of water as the actors.”

Another challenge of shooting underwater was solved before Carpenter was hired, during an
extensive period of R&D. In order for Weta Digital to be able to process the subaquatic footage, it
needed to be clear of the ripple effects caused by light fracturing as it hits the surface.

“It looks lovely, but it’s too much for the people who are trying to capture this,” says Carpenter. The
solution was to apply a four-to-six-inch layer of ping-pong balls on the water’s surface. “It’s this huge,
soft diffusion that our light has to go through, which makes the ripple effects go away. And if
somebody has to get to the surface, there’s nothing blocking them.”

Scenery

https://fictionhorizon.com/avatar-the-way-of-water-filming-locations/

Soundtrack

The soundtrack includes 22 tracks, featuring music by Grammy Award-winning composer Simon
Franglen, as well as an exclusive original song titled Nothing Is Lost (You Give Me Strength) by The
Weeknd.