After nearly 20 years dedicated to James Cameron's groundbreaking Avatar saga, virtual production supervising stage operator Dan Fowler joins host Chris Nichols in the garage for a deep dive into his incredible 30-year career. Dan recounts his journey from being the drummer in a 90s hair metal band to becoming a key operator on one of the most technologically advanced film sets in history.
This conversation is a rare, firsthand look into the evolution of modern filmmaking. Dan shares stories from the trenches, starting with his self-taught entry into VFX, his "rock and roll" days at Digital Domain in the late 90s, and the pivotal moment in 2005 when he joined the top-secret Avatar prototype project. He provides an insider's perspective on how the virtual production pipeline was built from the ground up, the immense pressure of working alongside James Cameron, and what it was like to solve unprecedented technical challenges in real-time.
Dan Fowler and IMDB >
Dan Fowler on LinkedIn >
Avatar: The Way of Water - Capturing Pandora >
Episode 518 - Scott Ross: "You Got It Wrong About James Cameron" >
Episode 510 - Industry Roundtable — James Cameron, AI, Sinners, and Indie films >
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