James Cameron talks about the improvisations he had to make to stay on budget while making “Titanic,” the 1997 film that earned record box office returns and 11 Oscars.
The 69-year-old filmmaker chatted with the Los Angeles Times this week about innovations he's come up with to keep costs down amid the release of a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray and limited edition of the iconic film.
The Oscar-winning director said he had to take special measures as the budget of the upcoming record-breaking film – starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet – soared to its then-highest level ever, sending the studio into panic while he and his team continued working.
“We never panicked,” says the Ontario, Canada native. “The studio panicked. “It’s our job not to panic.”
Cameron told the newspaper: “We only cast short extras so our set seemed bigger.” We didn't cast anyone taller than 5ft 7in. It’s like we gained an extra million dollars in value from the casting.”
James Cameron, 69, talks about the improvisations he had to make to stay on budget while making “Titanic,” the 1997 film that earned record box office returns and 11 Academy Awards. Taken last June in Argentina
The Oscar-winning director had to take special measures as the budding record-breaking film's budget rose to its highest ever with $200 million spent; still from the Titanic
The film was a collaboration between Twentieth Century Fox and Paramount Pictures; Cameron said studio management tried to cut one of the film's most important scenes to save money.
“If the studio had had their way, they would have prevented the entire ship from sinking,” Cameron said. “The smartest thing we did was sink the ship last.”
“It wasn't the strategy – it was just the fact that you sink the set last, otherwise it won't look as good when you bring it back up the next morning.”
According to Box Office Mojo, the film had a budget of $200 million. (After its release in December 1997, the film grossed $600 million at the domestic box office and $1.84 billion worldwide.)
Cameron explained to the newspaper how the film's budget was ballooned by the need to build huge and complicated sets, in addition to a full-size replica of the ill-fated ship measuring 800 feet long.
He said that with modern technology he would be able to shoot the film on a smaller set, using CGI that was not available in the late '90s.
Cameron admitted that there were some technical errors in building the sets because “the scale of everything was beyond anything we could have imagined based on our previous experience.”
“It was hundreds of miles of wiring, all the Musco lights in Hollywood at the time.”
Cameron told the newspaper: “We only cast short extras so our set seemed bigger.” We didn't cast anyone taller than 5ft 7in. It’s like we gained an extra million dollars in value from the casting.”; seen in 1997
The film, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, grossed $600 million at the US box office and $1.84 billion worldwide when it was released in December 1997
“If the studio had had their way, they would have prevented the entire ship from sinking,” Cameron said; still from the Titanic
Cameron added: “At the time we thought, 'Wow, there's no way this film will ever make its money back.' It's just impossible. Guess what?'
Cameron's Lightstorm Entertainment partner Jon Landau said in one instance during the filming of the film that filmmakers “compromised the three degrees and … saved $750,000” by sinking a set that was at an angle of three degrees would have been inclined.
Cameron credited the enduring popularity of the film, which also starred Billy Zane, Kathy Bates and Frances Fisher, as well as the late Gloria Stuart and Bill Paxton.
“I think there’s someone who has a goal of seeing it 10,000 times,” Cameron said. “It's a long movie, so I don't know. “He might not live long enough to pull this off.”
Landau recalled how the Titanic filmmakers “bestowed the heart of the ocean on Adele for her birthday” when she turned 30 in 2018, referring to the necklace that Stuart's character dropped into the sea at the end of the film .
At Adele's birthday party, Landau said, organizers “built a big staircase” and incorporated “all of these things” from the film.
According to the newspaper, Cameron took “about a week out of his busy Avatar franchise schedule” to oversee production of the 4K remastering.
Cameron said: “At the time we thought, 'Wow, there's no way this film will ever make its money back.' It's just impossible. Guess what?'; still from the Titanic
At the 1998 Academy Awards, “Titanic” received eleven Oscars, including “Cameron” for best director
Cameron's new releases included his National Geographic special “Titanic: 25 Years Later With James Cameron,” in which he explored whether DiCaprio's Jack character could have survived on a floating door; still from the Titanic
Cameron's new release included his National Geographic special “Titanic: 25 Years Later With James Cameron,” in which he explored whether DiCaprio's Jack character could have survived on a floating door.
Cameron explored the topic with scientists and stunt performers in a New Zealand hypothermia laboratory.
Cameron said he was tired of people talking about the scenario year after year, adding: “The funny thing is, 25 years later, people are still arguing about it.”
The prolific director plans to release five more of his films in the updated 4K format: “Aliens,” “Avatar,” “Avatar: The Way of Water,” “The Abyss” and “True Lies,” according to the outlet.