MOVIE NEWS – The fact that James Cameron feels compelled to attach detailed projection instructions to the third Avatar film is more revealing than any statistic. Many theaters fail to prioritize the viewing experience, and Cameron is just one of several filmmakers who have tried to take control.
However advanced home displays have become, the cinema screen should still stand in a league of its own. In practice, though, the moviegoing experience has increasingly become frustrating in recent years. There are two very specific reasons for this. One is the shockingly poor behavior of part of the audience, or the complete lack of basic etiquette. The other is the audiovisual setup, which, with a few honorable exceptions, often falls well short of what a major motion picture deserves.
Let’s finally do things properly
It is therefore no surprise that, in a world of overused projector lamps and poorly calibrated sound systems, some directors are genuinely concerned about how their work reaches audiences. This is especially true of James Cameron, whose films are extremely sensitive from a technical standpoint. With Avatar: Fire and Ashes, image and sound are not secondary elements but core components of the experience.
For this reason, the director attached a special note to the film’s DCP, or Digital Cinema Package. In it, he thanks projectionists for their work as the final, crucial link between the film and the audience, while also providing detailed and explicit specifications. He addresses framing, exact brightness levels – particularly important for 3D screenings due to light loss through the glasses – and sound system calibration.
The note, written in the infamous Papyrus font, makes it clear that Cameron personally mixed the film at a 7.0 reference level and explicitly asks theaters not to lower it.
Not just Cameron
In 2025, as industry trends increasingly favor streaming, protecting the theatrical experience should matter more than ever. James Cameron is far from alone in this effort. For decades, numerous directors have issued detailed guidelines to ensure their films are shown correctly, precisely because of the often-neglected state of movie theaters.
One of the most famous examples dates back to 1975, when Stanley Kubrick created a ten-point projection rulebook for Barry Lyndon. He emphasized the importance of the 1.66:1 aspect ratio, the length of the reels and intermission, and specified screen brightness between 15 and 18 foot-lamberts.
David Lynch provided a short instruction sheet for screenings of Mulholland Drive, requesting that the volume be set three decibels higher than usual and that the top framing be slightly adjusted while maintaining a 1.85:1 aspect ratio.
Terrence Malick, in a letter accompanying prints of The Tree of Life, referred to projectionists as “the last craftsmen of cinema,” detailing brightness levels, projector lamp color temperature at 5400 Kelvin, and even when the house lights should be dimmed.
Michael Bay also issued specific instructions for the 3D screenings of Transformers: Dark of the Moon, just as Wes Anderson supplied an extensive handbook covering sound, brightness, aspect ratio, and framing for The Grand Budapest Hotel.
While many theaters do indeed leave much to be desired, filmmakers who take their work and the audience experience seriously generally do everything they can to avoid unpleasant surprises. In the case of Avatar: Fire and Ashes, 3D HFR projection is strongly recommended, as 2D makes little sense here.
Choosing the largest possible screen – ideally an IMAX theater with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio – and a reliable venue is also essential, since proper brightness is crucial to compensate for the light loss caused by 3D glasses.
Source: 3djuegos
