The Sound of Avatar: The Way of Water

James Cameron returns with the sequel to one of his biggest cinematic hits. Avatar boasts the highest-grossing film in the history of cinema (nearly three billion dollars). Now, 13 years after his memorable success, Avatar: The Way of the Water seeks to equal, if not surpass, the first part.

It is worth remembering that, for most critics (82% on Rotten Tomatoes), the 2009 film was not entirely enthusiastic about its narrative (in terms of script, the story lacks depth and complexity, it is true). However, the real beauty behind this project lies in the revolutionary special effects that turned it into a truly immersive experience; and that fusion between photographic and synthesized images marked the historical path through which the world surrounding Avatar goes along.

Now, as the title points out, this film shows the expansion of the limits of Pandora - more precisely, its seas and oceans. The time it took director James Cameron and his team to make the film has been worth it, as they present us with a revolutionary new way of filming underwater with its digital effects, and this includes what matters to us here: sound.

The filming presented an interesting challenge for sound mixer Julian Howarth, as he had to create a live design for the actors during the Mo-Cap shoot. Rather than simply recording sound on set, Howarth and James Cameron sought to help the actors feel more immersed in their roles by using speakers to create an audio environment on set. It was the result of different choices. Howarth developed a system where he would surround the set with loudspeakers to start designing on location, so that when the actors arrived on set, they were already immersed in an audio environment that gave them the feeling of being in another world, in Pandora. This helped create the right conditions for the actors to embody their characters and let the magic flow. A clever move, indeed.

In fact, one of the great challenges of fantasy or science fiction as genres is that, although the stories take place in environments alien to our reality (distant in time, when it comes to science fiction), such stories seek to be metaphors for our own. For that reason, they must be understandable to us, and relatable. We must be able to identify with them, because, after all, such stories seek to help us read our world and ourselves as human beings (that’s what stories are for, right?).

Interestingly, James Cameron has chosen water as an important factor in the story (or, rather, one of its protagonists), considering that it is perhaps the element that has contributed most to our human existence. Water, a particularly mysterious substance, has deep symbolism in our history and culture, and it is a scenery (and object) that encompasses an infinite palette of creative possibilities when we talk about filmmaking (not only visual possibilities but also sound, of course). Precisely because of the ironic fact of having taken more steps on the lunar surface than on the ocean floor, we are not as familiar with the soundscape of water as we might be with, say, a whale or a sea turtle.

That was one of the starting points for this mixing and production work. Even though both Howarth and Cameron are experts, such a work posed several challenges. In addition to creating a sound that complemented such a powerful imaging system, they had to build an immersive atmosphere, capable of transporting viewers to a magical world they already knew, and expected. In addition, the technical problems involved in recording underwater and conveying all that this element symbolizes meant a lot of hours of work.

To achieve the immersive sound in Avatar: The Way of Water, extensive keyboard equipment was deployed to play samples and sound effects through speakers around the stage. An underwater microphone system was also installed to capture the aquatic sounds of movement and sound wave propagation in the underwater environment. What was innovative about the sound in this production was that real, directional sound effects were used in such a difficult environment. To facilitate communication between the director and the actors while filming underwater scenes, a series of submerged audio speakers were also placed in different positions under the surface. In addition, to avoid interruptions during the shooting of scenes, the director used a floating wireless speaker that allowed him to give instructions to the actors in private while they were in the water tank.

This will undoubtedly be something to talk about at this year's Oscars. In the history of cinema, no one has ever done anything like this.

If you dream of a sound design masterpiece for your audiovisual production, you'll need experts to take you on that journey. Don't hesitate to contact Enhanced Media Sound Studio.

*The images used on this post are taken from Pexels.com