"Avatar" (2009), directed by James Cameron, revolutionized the film industry with its groundbreaking use of 3D technology and motion capture effects. The production process was a lengthy and intensely detailed operation. Here are the major stages: 1. **Pre-production**: During this stage, Cameron wrote the 114-page scriptment (a detailed script-outline) for "Avatar". The story, inspired by an array of science fiction books, focused on environmental and sociopolitical themes. Concept artists and designers started to visualize the world of Pandora and its resident creatures based on Cameron's descriptions and sketches. 2. **Development**: Cameron founded a company called Lightstorm Entertainment, in cooperation with 20th Century Fox, to develop the technology needed for filming. This process took several years. Alongside this, WETA Digital from New Zealand was responsible for creating CG (computer-generated) elements. The 3D Fusion Camera System was developed by Cameron and Vince Pace. This included a stereoscopic 3D camera rig to capture live action in 3D and the virtual camera system, which enabled real-time visualization of the CG elements in a scene. 3. **Motion Capture and Principal Filming**: Cameron filmed live-action in both New Zealand and Los Angeles using the newly developed camera technology. For the motion capture scenes, the actors wore custom-made skull caps fitted with a tiny camera positioned in front of their faces; the purpose of this was to capture their facial expressions and transfer them to the digital characters. 4. **Post-production**: This phase took a substantial amount of time due to the voluminous CGI work. WETA digital, in partnership with various other VFX companies, rendered the Pandora world in photorealistic quality. James Horner was responsible for the musical score, creating an otherworldly soundtrack to match the visuals. 5. **Marketing and Release**: The film was heavily marketed before its release through trailers, press conferences, and promotional events. It premiered in London in Dec 2009 and won several awards including 3 Oscars for its ground-breaking technology and visual effects. The creation of "Avatar" was a cinematic milestone that set new standards for filmmaking technology. Not only it took years of research and development, but also an immense commitment from the cast and crew, to bring Cameron's vision to reality.