Interviews: Ask James Cameron About The Deepsea Challenge 3D Movie

Starting at 5:15 am local time on March 26, 2012, James Cameron piloted the Deepsea Challenger to the east depression of the Challenger Deep, the deepest part of the Mariana Trench. He spent three hours exploring the sea floor. Later analysis of the specimens Cameron collected during this and other dives in the submersible revealed many life forms, with at least 100 of them identified as new species. One shrimp-like amphipod was found to produce a compound that was already in clinical trials to treat Alzheimer’s disease. The Deepsea Challenger submersible and science platform was donated to Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution on March 26, 2013, the one-year anniversary of the historic dive. A new National Geographic film chronicling the project from the beginning called, Deepsea Challenge 3D, is coming out August 8th in select theaters. Here's your chance to ask James Cameron and director John Bruno about the film, the dive, and the submersible. As usual, ask as many questions as you'd like, but please, one per post.

New life forms?

[Anonymous Coward]

Later analysis of the specimens Cameron collected during this and other dives in the submersible revealed many life forms, with at least 100 of them identified as new species.

But how do they taste?

Re:

[Virtucon]

like chicken..

Re:

[xevioso]

"Shrimp: Mild shrimp flavor" ...as opposed to shrimp with an intense shrimp flavor? What about shrimp that taste like mere shrimp, how common are those?

what cannot be experienced on screen

[turkeydance]

what one sensation makes this exploration different? pressure? smell?

For James Cameron

[Anonymous Coward]

Why does James Cameron do what James Cameron does?

Any surprises?

[amanaplanacanalpanam]

What were you surprised by most in the course of this entire project, and in the environment at the trench floor?

What's next?

[Nidi62]

First of all, you have done some amazing work and brought back incredibly interesting and, at times, (in the case of Titanic) haunting images.

That being said, having reached the Challenger Deep-what do you plan to do next: do you want to return to the deepest part of the ocean, or do you find yourself drawn to a new destination(and what challenges do you expect to face in reaching that destination)?

Did you actually raise the bar?

[the_humeister]

And how did you do it?

How rigorous was the training, and was it enough?

[Anonymous Coward]

Mr. Cameron:

I know you've had a long-time interest in undersea exploration, but you've been busy doing things like making films for much of your life, rather than (say) being a full-time submersible pilot. Could you please talk a bit about the training you undertook to control the craft? (It's all one *big* question, but it comes with some small ones -- Did you use a simulator beforehand? Are there differences in the control mechanisms between this and other underwater vessels you've used? How many hours did you practice either on-land or at easier depths first? Did the vessel react in the deepest parts as you expected it to, or were there hairy moments?)

Thanks for your insight!

How can we inspire humanity to respect the ocean?

[See Attached]

Too often, the ocean is seen as an infinite resource that we are free to plunder at will, and to absorb our garbage with no consequence. How can we get people to respect the ocean as a huge part of the canvas that supports our life directly? How to balance the pursuits of fishing against the need to maintain a breed stock? One day we may realize that the perfect net does not catch all the fish, but thats still a ways off, it seems.

Fear level?

[NeoNormal]

I wondering what the level of fear, apprehension, etc. was on the dive? I think I'd be very fearful.

trash

[ganjadude]

James, You have been on the bottom of the ocean a number of times over your career. We all are aware of the great pacific garbage patch. My question is have you come across any trash on the bottom of the trench? ( My assumption is yes) and if so, what is the strangest thing you have seen down there wondering how it may have got there??

underwater living

[SethJohnson]

Mr. Cameron-

I really enjoyed your visual special effects work on the landmark film, Escape from New York [imdb.com]. I've been out of touch with your career since then, but noticed you were able to parlay your success working for John Carpenter into supporting an underwater diving hobby.

I'm wondering if you see any chance of technology improving soon that would enable humans to live underwater for extended periods. These underwater hotels are so darn expensive. I'd like to have a house in about 20' of sea water. Wh

Life

[cyberchondriac]

What's the average size for the species that deep down, within a ballpark figure? Does it decrease, increase, or does the variety not really change from species we're more familiar with closer to the surface?

I just reread OSC's The Abyss yesterday

[neminem]

Deep down, were you secretly holding out just a tiny bit of hope that if you got down to the bottom, you'd find Builders or something like them? I know I would be.

Camera tech

[excelsior_gr]

Was there any innovation in the camera equipment involved in the filming? Are there any special considerations that one has to make for filming at such depths?

Why so many compromises to the 3D?

[John_The_Geek]

Mr. Cameron,

Given your self-evident knowledge of stereoscopy, as well as your independence from normal studio constraints on a project of this sort, why do you not make a "pure" 3D documentary without the usual 2D version compromises? Raise the bar for 3D yet again and let the 2D release take a back seat for once.

No more shallow depth of field so that the 2D version is conventional - give us the sharp backgrounds that make the 3D sing. No convergence because it works with the 2D frame - the distortion i

Quite the meteoric rise

[blincoln]

I find it quite amazing that you've not only been incredibly successful in the film industry, but that you've gone on to deep-sea research and plans for asteroid mining. What got you interested in moving into those fields, and was there anything other than money that enabled you to do so?
For example, you have a reputation for being able to improvise and make the most of limited resources - I am still in awe over the bridge set in Galaxy of Terror [imdb.com], which looks like it cost ten times the entire budget of that