"Cameron’s twelve-year hard Work—new film ’Avatar’ begins!" Just after returning to Los Angeles, Duke took part in a promotional campaign, jointly announcing with James Cameron the upcoming launch of a mega-blockbuster—the new film Avatar, created by James Cameron over five years with a total investment of $500 million, would be screened worldwide on December 11 in digital cinemas, showing a 15-minute segment for free. Just like James Cameron being surrounded by the media, Duke, one of the film’s three major investors, also became a target of attention. During an interview, he said, "What we are doing is unprecedented. This will be a social marketing experiment. On December 11, we will screen it in many IMAX 3D and selected 3D theaters globally, offering a 15-minute Avatar clip for free. That day will be ’Avatar Day’!" Avatar’s marketing strategy differed from the traditional release of trailers and promotional campaigns. Although 3D and IMAX technologies were becoming more popular in North America, globally, the latest wave of 3D films had only truly surged after Transformers. Many moviegoers had yet to experience 3D cinemas, and some were still deterred by the high ticket prices. The latest_epɪ_sodes are on_the 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝✶𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖✶𝕟𝕖𝕥 This new promotional method could bring more people into theaters to experience 3D films for free it was undoubtedly a visionary initiative. On December 11, ’Avatar Day’, audiences could watch selected Avatar clips in chosen 3D and IMAX theaters. Additionally, an Avatar-themed video game and movie action figures would be released at the same time. On that day, a total of about 700 3D screens—including 248 IMAX theaters across the U.S. and 438 theaters in 77 countries and regions simultaneously screened the 3D preview of Avatar, which required 3D glasses to view. 20th Century Fox officially announced that the online Avatar trailer had achieved a staggering 7.8 million views on its launch day, breaking the single-day viewership record of 4.2 million set by Transformers 2. "Duke Rosenberg and James Cameron last collaborated on Titanic." Some comments reflected the reason behind the trailer’s popularity: "We have every reason to believe that these two directors, sitting at the pinnacle of Hollywood, will once again deliver a revolutionary epic." The 16-minute preview shown on ’Avatar Day’ included five scenes from the film, as well as a quick-cut montage. Director James Cameron personally appeared on the stereoscopic screen, leading audiences into the world of Avatar. If Transformers helped familiarize audiences with 3D and IMAX, then this 16-minute preview of Avatar virtually opened the door to a new cinematic era. "After watching these 15 minutes, I finally understand why Duke Rosenberg, Warner Bros., and 20th Century Fox would invest $500 million, why James Cameron waited over a decade to start filming, and why it took so many years to complete. Whether it’s in character design, art direction, or CGI, this film is a top-class production." "The color and reflective precision of the alien skin couldn’t be achieved in the ’90s or early 2000s, and 3D was even more impossible. Duke Rosenberg and James Cameron were the earliest advocates for 3D cinema. I also understand why directors and exhibitors who watched the short film gave such high ratings and had such great expectations." "If the film maintains the quality of this 15-minute segment, I’d gladly pay $100 to watch the IMAX 3D version it would still be worth the money, not to mention the ending might have even more wonders and airplane battles. But this is absolutely not a movie to be watched in standard 35mm format; 3D is the essence of this film. I can’t even imagine watching it in regular 2D after seeing those visuals." Veteran movie buffs who watched the preview weren’t stingy with praise. Even though Cameron’s cut wasn’t the film’s best footage, it fully deserved the acclaim. "Avatar’s 3D effects surpass all 3D films in recent years. It can be called a new realm in stereoscopic cinema. Also, the realism of the CGI characters is a new milestone in film history. From the scenes shown, you can tell how much heart Cameron put into the film and his incredible directing skill. But 15 minutes is just too short—right when everyone’s fully engaged, it ends. I really want to watch the complete Avatar now..." —From a British moviegoer. "Visually, nothing comes close to what Cameron has now achieved. Although I’m not fully satisfied with the character designs, they were truly vivid and thrilling on screen. At one point, I felt like I was on Pandora. When I first saw the Na’vi, I thought they were awful. But after five minutes, it all felt natural. In short, Pandora is beyond human imagination." —From an Australian moviegoer. "The 3D effects are amazing at least a hundred times better than the post-converted 3D cash-grab films! Even Transformers, widely considered the best in 3D, doesn’t compare to Avatar. The powerful 3D even distracted me at first, and I needed time to adjust. During fast-moving close-up shots, I felt completely immersed. When the camera stilled, you could see the depth it was breathtaking!" —From a Chinese moviegoer. "IMAX 3D’s Avatar preview was absolutely incredible superb, magical, and immensely shocking! The audience kept gasping in amazement. Everyone was dumbfounded. It truly is a revolutionary film!" —From a Japanese moviegoer. Every blockbuster owes its success in part to strong marketing. Behind every big-budget production lies a massive promotional cost often equal to or even exceeding the production budget. This is especially true for so-called low-budget blockbusters. Take The Blair Witch Project, for example. Not counting the cost of producing prints and distribution, this film, made for just a few tens of thousands of dollars, had a promotional and distribution cost of $25 million! Or this year’s Paranormal Activity, for instance Paramount spent over $6.5 million just on prints, and more than $40 million on promotion... The three main investors put over $300 million into Avatar’s marketing budget—more than the film’s production cost. Duke and his partners were willing to spend that because the full rights to Avatar belonged to the trio. Similarly, The Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity’s rights belonged to their respective production companies. Otherwise, studios like Paramount would never have poured such money into those projects. If a lesser-known person with little standing wanted to join and claim half or more of the profits, these profit-driven Hollywood studios would’ve killed the project without hesitation. After all, the concepts, content, and filming techniques of those two films could be described as "awful." In copycat-friendly Hollywood, replicating something similar without infringing copyright isn’t hard. But Avatar has an unreplicable quality. Though no one in Hollywood is truly irreplaceable, there is only one James Cameron in the world. In the spacious dining room stood a long oak table. Opposite the table were full-length floor-to-ceiling windows made of tempered glass, through which the enchanting scenery of Malibu Beach could be fully admired. Opening a small window would let in a slightly salty, cool sea breeze, like a lover’s hand gently brushing over every inch of the dining room. Several people were seated on either side of the table, chatting and laughing. One glance was enough to see the atmosphere was harmonious, clearly not just a business dinner. Sitting across from Duke and Scarlett Johansson were George Lucas and his girlfriend, Mellody Hobson. The former needs no introduction, and the latter was also a prominent figure in the industry—she was the head of the animation division at DreamWorks Animation. George Lucas and Mellody Hobson had been dating for several years now, which had shocked many people at the time. The reason was simple: Mellody Hobson was a pure Black woman. Although slogans opposing racial discrimination were shouted loudly, Hollywood could be considered one of the most racially discriminatory circles. Fortunately, Mellody Hobson was not a Black woman from a traditional inner-city Black community. She came from a good background, received a higher education, and her family belonged to the mainstream middle class. Perhaps calling her a "coconut"—Black on the outside, white on the inside would be more appropriate. Otherwise, George Lucas and his children would not have accepted her. Of course, just like Will Smith or Barack Obama, Black people who can truly enter the mainstream are basically all coconuts. "French cuisine is pretty good," George Lucas said to Duke, glancing at Mellody Hobson chatting with Scarlett, "very authentic." "She specifically hired the chef from Paris," Duke put down his knife and fork and raised his glass to George Lucas. "I don’t have any particular fondness for gourmet food." "That’s true." George Lucas agreed and said, "Everyone in Hollywood knows that the Duke Rosenberg of today only loves movies." "Mainstream commercial films." Duke added deliberately, and the two of them laughed. After the laughter faded, George Lucas said again, "It’s exactly commercial operations that have made movies the most important form of cultural entertainment in the world, and it’s commerce that has enabled Hollywood films to conquer the globe." "I completely agree with that," Duke set down his knife and fork. "So..." George Lucas gestured with his hand, "You’ve invested in James Cameron again, hoping to create another film miracle?" "I wouldn’t call it a miracle..." Duke thought for a moment and then said seriously to George Lucas, "In fact, for Hollywood to be where it is today, George, everyone should be thanking you." He meant it sincerely, and it was also a consensus within the industry. Among the four major directors in Hollywood, George Lucas could only rank last, but in terms of his status within the entire Hollywood film industry, he definitely surpassed Martin Scorsese and Francis Coppola.