Avatar, the Na'vis and their beautiful moon Pandora dreamed by James Cameron

In 1977, a 22-year-old truck driver named James Cameron went to see Star Wars and walked out of the theater knowing that it was the film he should have made. He was a college dropout that in his free time would write science fiction and stories of galaxies far away, like the one on Lucas' film...  

Cameron worked his way up to become a visual effects specialists. After several struggles and inspired in a dream he envisioned a robot clawing its way toward a cowering woman... in 1984, Terminator established Arnold Schwarzenegger as a huge star, and James Cameron, onetime truck driver, suddenly became a top-tier director. Over the next 10 years he would release Aliens, The Abyss, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, True Lies and Titanic, of course. This last one became the highest-grossing movie of all time and won 11 Oscars, including best picture and best director. Then Cameron disappeared as a Hollywood director for 12 years. And now came back with... Avatar.

"An avatar is a computer user's representation of himself/herself or alter ego, whether in the form of a three-dimensional model used in computer games."

Avatar, the 9 Oscar nominated sci-fi epic film, is set in the year 2154 when humans are mining a precious mineral "unobtanium" on the moon Pandora in the Alpha Centauri star system. The expansion of the mining colony threatens the existence of a local tribe of Na'vi, a humanoid species which is indigenous to Pandora. Humans decide to use genetically engineered Na'vi bodies commanded by human minds to interact with the natives... an Avatar. Watch the trailer bellow and visit the movie official website at http://www.avatarmovie.com/

The film broke several box office records during its release and became the highest-grossing film of all time worldwide, surpassing Titanic, which had held the record for the previous 12 years. It also became the first film to gross more than $2 billion.Following the film's success, Cameron stated that there will be a sequel. But what is more amazing is the technology behind it and the 5 year process driven by passion and will. Watch the following videos to learn about the new 3D virtual camera and interactive technology behind the Na'vi's bodies and the harmonious moon Pandora... watch 5 more videos about the making of  at http://www.wired.com/underwire/2010/02/avatar_oscarnom_gallery/