One of the best things about BAFTA Guru is that they really dig into filmmakers' artistic intent and the reasons why they create film and television. This week, they tackled James Cameron. (Not literally.)
Cameron is one of my favorite filmmakers and one of the best all-time entertainers.
His films are always thought-provoking and have a high degree of effort and preparation behind them.
Today I want to go over some of the answers Cameron gave to BAFTA Guru in their interview and talk about the meaning behind his most popular work.
Let's dig in.
What's the True Meaning Behind The Terminator and Aliens?
What an excellent video!
The legend of James Cameron is almost as unbelievable as his films. He was a guy who got an opportunity on Piranha 2, had the film snatched away from him, and wound up relying on his storytelling skills to get back in the good graces of Hollywood.
That, and being the smartest guy in the room when it came to special effects and computers.
Those skills got Terminator off the ground, started his blockbuster reputation, and led to his direction of Aliens based off his own script as well.
Still, Cameron always relied on his heart and soul to make sure his stories connected with wide audiences, as well as the people hiring him.
To do that, he couched each of his early successes within theme, aka the deeper "what's it all about" when it comes to stories.
The Terminator
The Terminator franchise is about our relationship with technology and the human potential for dehumanization. We shouldn't trust the fabric of reality because the world is fragile and can change in an instant.
Cameron goes on to say that the original movie was inspired by the Cuban missile crisis and the futility of fallout shelters when it comes to nuclear bombs.
Wow, bleak.
But I think it's a true sign of the times that Cameron was communicating these morals to people in the 1980s who were experiencing a technological boom and unsure how to feel about it.
What are you a product of?
What can you do to connect with your audience?
And what does that have to say about you?
Aliens
Cameron started writing Aliens while on set for Terminator. He knew it was an insane job, I mean, following up Ridley Scott's masterpiece was a lose-lose scenario. But only if you tried to imitate Ridley.
Cameron's ace up his sleeve was knowing he wasn't even going to try to do that.
He had cemented himself as an action guy. So he decided to make and action movie focused on Ripley suffering from PTSD. It was different enough to avoid comparison to Ridley but close enough to feel like a true sequel.
Cameron knew this was a great opportunity, even if the cards were stacked against him...just like they were stacked against Ripley and her team.
Plus, he saw another way to establish himself as the kinetic action guy while showing people what he had to say. Plus, the movie needed someone who knew tech and special effects, so it was his time to shine.
What are the things about you that make you unique as a filmmaker?
What's your brand?
What can you do better?
Lean into those things and make your projects personal.
What's next? The Ultimate James Cameron Movie Rankings!
Who knows when we'll see the next Avatar movies, and after that, you have to wonder when we'll get another James Cameron original movie. So, if you need your fix of spectacle, humor, and heart, you have to sift back through the Cameron catalog to see what he has to offer.
Click to read!
