Meet our speakers, who are active leaders in the T.I.M.E. (Technology, Information, Media, Entertainment) areas.
James Cameron
Director, Avatar / Chairman & CEO, Lightstorm Entertainment
Born in Kapuskasing, Ontario, Canada, James Cameron grew up in the historic village of Chippawa, near Niagara Falls. In 1971, he moved to Brea, California where he studied physics at Fullerton Junior College while working as a machinist and, later, a truck driver. Cameron quit his trucking job in 1978 and raised money from local dentists to produce a 35mm short film.
In 1983 Cameron wrote three scripts: Rambo: First Blood Part 2, Aliens, and The Terminator.He directed The Terminator, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, in 1984. It became an unexpected box office hit and made the Time magazine ten best of the year list. Cameron subsequently directed Aliens (1986), then wrote and directed The Abyss (1989). Following that he wrote, produced and directed Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), True Lies (1994), Titanic (1997), and Avatar (2009).
His films have blazed new trails in visual effects and set numerous performance records both domestically and abroad. Avatar currently holds both the domestic and worldwide box office records having grossed over $2.5 billion at the global box office, beating the previous record holder, Titanic, which held that record for 12 years. Cameron's films have also earned numerous nominations and awards from a variety of organizations, including Titanic's 14 Academy Award nominations (a record) and 11 Oscars (the most any movie has received), including Cameron's 3 Oscars for Best Picture, Best Direction and Best Editing.
Avatar, a 3D science fiction epic set in the virgin ecosystem of a distant planet, required over two years of development of new production technology, including image-based facial performance capture, a real-time virtual camera for CG production, and the SIMULCAM system, for real-time tracking and compositing of CG characters into live-action scenes. These techniques are combined with stereoscopic photography to create a hybrid CG/live action film. Avatar won the Golden Globes for best director and best picture. It was nominated for 9 Academy Awards and won 3.
In 1983 Cameron wrote three scripts: Rambo: First Blood Part 2, Aliens, and The Terminator.He directed The Terminator, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, in 1984. It became an unexpected box office hit and made the Time magazine ten best of the year list. Cameron subsequently directed Aliens (1986), then wrote and directed The Abyss (1989). Following that he wrote, produced and directed Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), True Lies (1994), Titanic (1997), and Avatar (2009).
His films have blazed new trails in visual effects and set numerous performance records both domestically and abroad. Avatar currently holds both the domestic and worldwide box office records having grossed over $2.5 billion at the global box office, beating the previous record holder, Titanic, which held that record for 12 years. Cameron's films have also earned numerous nominations and awards from a variety of organizations, including Titanic's 14 Academy Award nominations (a record) and 11 Oscars (the most any movie has received), including Cameron's 3 Oscars for Best Picture, Best Direction and Best Editing.
Avatar, a 3D science fiction epic set in the virgin ecosystem of a distant planet, required over two years of development of new production technology, including image-based facial performance capture, a real-time virtual camera for CG production, and the SIMULCAM system, for real-time tracking and compositing of CG characters into live-action scenes. These techniques are combined with stereoscopic photography to create a hybrid CG/live action film. Avatar won the Golden Globes for best director and best picture. It was nominated for 9 Academy Awards and won 3.
