In the past month I can’t count how many times the following exchange took place: “Have you seen Avatar?”, “No, I haven’t seen it yet” I would reply. After a while, I felt as if I was living under a rock. Last night I decided to crawl out from under my “no, I haven’t seen Avatar” rock.
I was told I had to see it in 3D on an IMAX screen. Popcorn in hand, I found myself in my IMAX seat, smack in the center, eagerly anticipating the Avatar phenomenon to begin. And what a phenomenon it is!
This is not an attempt to write a movie review for Avatar. I can only say that I enjoyed the movie immensely; I found it to be visually amazing.
What I want to share with you is an observation. In my opinion, the creators of Avatar have set a new standard for how we can expect movies of this genre to be made. Be it because of technology, creativity, inspiration or whatever other reason or combination of reasons, every so often, every industry experiences benchmark breakthroughs. The key is to recognize the need for improvement in whatever we do and to identify and put into use ways to achieve those improvements, constantly raising the bar and setting ourselves apart.
If anything, Avatar has inspired me to strive to be better at what I do, personally and professionally.
Grace Ormonde
PS. These photographs are from a wedding I featured in the 2000 issue of Grace Ormonde Wedding Style. (Yes, I have been doing this magazine that long- in fact, even longer and it feels like I only started yesterday.)
The bride and groom were Rhode Island School of Design graduates and the wedding took place at the New York Botanical Gardens. Their invitations included a request for guests to celebrate nature by coming to the wedding dressed as bug, bird or gnu.
Bridesmaids were dressed as butterflies, groomsmen as lizards, the minister as a cardinal of the church. The bride’s dress was transformed into pea hen wear while the groom wore a cloak covered in peacock feathers. The bride’s stepfather walked her down the aisle dressed in formal skunk attire.
This wedding was so much fun and the only one of its kind ever submitted. It was shot by Jasper-Sky Photographers.
Tags: Avatar, IMAX 3D, New York Botanical Gardens, Paul Sky, Stephanie Jasper
Yes Grace,
Not only did the movie Avatar raise the bar for you and movies in Hollywood, but it is changing the future of wedding films too!
As a wedding filmographer (my new word for what we do now), I am so excited about the possibilities in the very near future. Can you imagine a wedding filmed in 3D? Well at first thought it may not seem worth it or necessary, but I want you to imagine watching a wedding film where the bride and groom release doves at their ceremony in 3D. Now the doves are flying toward you through your flat screen TV. Try imagining the best man playfully tossing the rings toward the camera lens and now directly into your living room through your television set or flower petals raining down in 3D. Cool right?
The wheels are already in motion for this to happen! The first 3D camcorders have hit the market, as well as 3D television sets and 3D Blu-ray players are coming too. We can expect Hollywood to begin releasing 3D movies on Blu-ray discs this year. Unfortunately new technology is always costly. The 3D camcorder is currently priced at $21,000 and that expensive price tag prevents most wedding studios from owning one or more. I can’t wait to buy one!
I predict that 3D special effects in wedding films will be the future rage yet the entire wedding will not be filmed in 3D, only elements that lend themselves well to the imagery.
I’m so excited about what I do and the possibilities of the future weddings on film! BTW – I loved Avatar!
Janice Celeste
CELESTE STUDIOS FILM & VIDEO PRODUCTIONS
http://www.CelesteStudios.com
Grace Ormonde Platinum List member
Interesting outfits!
Avatar is a amazing movie experience. Note: I said experience, not movie. The plot was a bit thin and rehashed, but the actual 3d feel and beauty of the world definately makes up for it. Can’t wait to see what James Cameron will come up with next!
Avatar may be the best movie ever! I have seen it Three times already. Twice in the theaters and one time online simply because I enjoyed it so much. The movie is really deep.