Many of us would have watched the film Abyss (Watch the documentary by clicking the link). The direction and cinematography zapped us all. James Cameron, the director of this film, dared to think of telling us a story that happens 2000 feet underwater. It was considered an impossibility in 1989. There were many technical challenges. It was not possible to shoot the film in the ocean. So, they had to find a large water body for building the set underwater. They found a redundant nuclear power plant in Cherokee. It had a water tank that would hold close to 3 Crore liter water. Cameron had to repair and paint it. However, he was running out of time. So while the technicians worked on the repairs, Cameron started filling the tank with water. As the water rose, the technicians struggled to keep pace. They achieved the impossible schedule.
But, this was not the only challenge. The water soon got turbid with use. Cameron set up a filtration and chlorination plant. The chorine bleached everyone's hair. They lost their body hair too! They redesigned the diving suit. It had to be provided with lights to lit the actor's face. Everyone from the actors to crew members had to be trained and certified for deep-sea diving. Immense safety precautions were necessary to prevent electrocution. Working underwater in confined areas took an emotional toll on the actors. There were other technological challenges too. The project overran by USD 10 million, and many more months past the planned schedule.
The film fared poorly at the box office. Yet, it is still considered a milestone in film making. The subsequent release of the movie in 2000 and a documentary on the making of this film became a hit. The film won the Academy Award for Visual Effects. James Cameron won the Saturn Award as Best Director.
I consider this film as a great example of enduring human capabilities, grit, prototyping, and problem-solving.
Metrics: Set a vision that you think is impossible to achieve. Tackle one hurdle at a time and build solutions on the fly. Fail faster, but fail forward. Make sure that you are inching closer to your goal. Record how many scary goals are you and your team willing to take on.
Comments