AVATAR - 5 Years - A Look Back

[Alan]

Can you believe it is 5 years today, 17th December, since Avatar was premiered in Leicester Square, London? It has been quite a journey for many of us and continues to be. So I just thought I would take a look back on my experiences over the past five years. Feel free to add yours.

2009
Why not start back at the premiere night? Check out this video from the night where everything changed for us: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TusABjq124Y

At the time I didn't know this was going on. The first I got to hear about it was in an advert on the TV. At the time I had just finished work for Christmas and being as I didn't have anything to do I thought I might as well go and see it. I didn't watch in in 3D as I didn't think the 3D would work for me...

Nottingham, 22nd December. That's when everything really did change. I came out of the cinema completely dazed by what I has just seen. I didn't know what to do. Do I go and see it again or wait...? No this needed something special and I ended up travelling 50 miles to Birmingham to watch it in 3D on the IMAX! As we waited to go in I remember thinking, why have I travelled 50 miles just to watch a film... There ended up being soooo many repeat viewings.

Back at home I was scouring the internet for information about anything and everything to do with Avatar. My first find was Avatar Forums. I joined, but stayed quiet. It felt odd being so affected by a film and here I was in my mid 30s on a forums about Avatar. Gradually I began to realise there were so many like me and with the same experience. So I dipped my toe in the water and began to find new friends from around the world.

This film was affecting me physically too. Unbeknown to me I was losing weight. I didn't realise until I found myself looking in a large mirror at myself. I had lost 3 stone (42 pound/21 kg)!

Meanwhile, I was unaware of other forums were popping up: LearnNa'vi, Na'vi Blue, Avatar Prime to name but a few. Interest in the language was growing massively . Contact had been made with Dr Paul Frommer, who was later to be known 'Karyu Pawl' - Teacher Paul.

2010
There was a large environmental message with Avatar that resonated with many of us and there was much debate. It was suggested that instead of talking about it, why don't we do something about it. So through the summer of 2010 a group of 23 Avatar fans from nine different countries created 'Our Only Home': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiFRTu5EtNo

There was also an App made by Unil Makto which can still be downloaded here: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/ouro...390877337?mt=8

Avatar 'Special Edition' was released in the August and many more trips to the cinema followed, including one special night on 5th November where we got permission to show our fan film prior to a showing of Avatar at the IMAX in Birmingham. There was a group of us who went, including Unil Makto who had flown over from the US to join us!

By the end of 2010 we were all getting rather reflective of what a year it had been so we decided to do a video message to James Cameron: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmT5wQfqq6g

2011
What a year! What were we going to do next? Enter stage left Raiden on Tree of Souls with the suggestion of meeting up in Seattle for the opening of the Avatar Exhibition. Word spread around the forums and arrangements were made. The clan on LearnNa'vi were also organising a meet up, but a month after the proposed one and so notes were swapped to get the same hotel discounts for both groups.

Here is a video from the first meet up (a playlist of 8 short videos): http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...YsuVM52MNgMqC9

After the first meet up there was a very strong desire to do it all again and so AvatarMeet was born. Meanwhile in Germany EuroAvatar was also taking place pulling together Avatar fans from across Europe : EuroAvatar 3

2012
Whilst Avatar had long gone from the cinemas, the Avatar fandom was still thriving. The summer saw Euro Avatar and AvatarMeet take place. EuroAvatar was held near Berlin and the city was painted blue! Meanwhile in Seattle the museum where the Avatar exhibition was located had organised a visit by Jon Landau, who gave the assembled fans a talk followed by questions. In addition Dr Paul Frommer came and gave a Na'vi lesson class 101 that was videoed and can be found on his naviteri.org blog here: Audio and Video Learning Materials for Na

All the videos and photos from the event can be viewed here: AvatarMeet.com

2013
This was the year of the meet ups, possibly because Jon Landau said he wanted to see the gatherings grow and grow, every year...

The first one was a mini-meet in London:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZckqkWn4Vk

Then there was a mini-meet in New Jersey to visit the Avatar Exhibition whilst on its travels:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNvK0XxK1AE

This was quickly followed by Euro Avatar 3 which Karyu Pawl and his husband , John, attended. The meet up was captured in photos and video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cK1lk4dEi8Q

And then AvatarMeet 2013, which took in Washington and Shenandoah National Park:
AvatarMeet.com

Karyu Pawl provided Na'vi Class 102 which was captured for prosperity and can now be found on his Naviteri.org blog: Na'vi 102 Videos! | Na

Lightstorm sponsored the room hire for the clan showing of Avatar and also provide sweets, candy and drinks for the showing along with a surprise video message from Jon Landau. In return the attendee of the meet up send an 'irayo message' back to them: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66E-pIcfwFI

2014
2013 was quite a busy year on the meet up front during, what someone described as, the desert period between films. But for the fans of Avatar 2014 witnessed a unique experienced. Lightstorm invited us to visit their studios! It was an amazing time for the fans to meet the people who turned James Cameron's story and vision into reality and express their appreciation...as well as have a fun time!

I never would have thought I would have met such a wonderful group of people that I would get to share my time with, let alone leave the shores of my country. Irayo nìtxan for accepting me ma ayelan.

Although there are seemingly so many dark ills in the world, every now and again there are very bright chinks of light that beam out. For those who have connected with this film called Avatar, from fan to film creator, it feels like one of the chinks of light has shone brightly on us all. I hope it continues for a long time to come.

This has been my Avatar journey so far, what was yours?

Eywa ngahu frakrr ma aysmuk,

Alan

[Sìkat]

I joined the Avatar fan community a little over two years after the movie came out (first viewing: 2 January 2012), but having attended AM2013 & AM2014, I have never been more privileged than to be a part of this community.

[Alan]

So that means you never saw Avatar in 3D until the showing at Lightstorm?  Well glad you are part of the clan ma tsmukan

Alan

[archaic]

I wonder if there was anything organized for the anniversary at Odeon Leicester Square, London, England.

[Alan]

I had a quick look, but it appears not.  I wonder where 'Avatar 2' will be premiered - we got to have one helva meet up there! 

Alan

[Niri Te]

Kaltxi, ma Alan,
  Ateyo and I did not see the movie until November of 2012, when we were visiting an elderly Air Force Veteran friend of ours. He had a large screen Tv, and we liked its strong subplot about greed killing the environment. We never made any of the meetups, as we bought 80 acre's of far west Texas high altitude grassland,in the middle of no where, 80 miles east of El Paso, making it VERY EXPENSIVE on a retired soldier's pension to go to either coast for a week. In a way,  though,  that does not affect either of us that much, as our day to day lives are lived much closer to the land. And the ways of our ancestor's.  (We are both part Native American). We busy ourselves now (when we are nut busy with homesteading rural Texas land), with each writing our co-authored fan fiction which is written serial fashion, as two seperate stories that show two perspectives of the same story. It is a lot of fun,  and we both have been doing it for quite a while.  We have the Director's cut, collector's edition Blu -ray of the movie and watch it as often as we like on our large flat screen LED TV,with the surround system that we installed a month after getting the TV.
Hope everyone can "keep their drive alive " until AVATAR 2 is released.

[archaic]

Avatar is great in 2D, but in 3D it's even better. If you get the opportunity to watch it in 3D then I strongly urge you to take it.

[Alan]

@ Niri - That's amazing that you didn't see Avatar until 2012!

@ Archaic - Avatar was my first ever 3D film.  What an experience that was on the IMAX!  That first shot where Jake comes out of cryo just disappeared into the distance... Then I definitely knew it worked!

Alan

[Niri Te]

Glad that the opening scene had that strong an effect on you. The flying and battle scenes were pretty intense for you as well,  I would guess. As far as why it took us so long to see the movie, you have no idea how remote Ateyo and I really are.  You might find it hard to believe, but we truly enjoy living so far away from large groups of people.

[Tìtstewan]

Kaltxì ma Aysmuk!
Kaltxì ma Alan,

First off, thank you for posting this thread! I still wonder why this thread isn't in the news section where it (IHMO) should belong.

I saw Avatar the first time on October 2011, after I've borrowed a DVD version from my friend. My sister mentioned Avatar way earlier (in 2010, if I remember me correct). I have never seen Avatar in a cinema also not in 3D as I can't see '3D' rather the 3D effect doesn't work for my eyes.
On March 2012 I've joined this community after lurking here for around 4 months and I also bought the Avatar collector's edition Blu-Ray.

I also haven't the chance to be on any meetups, because either I couldn't go because of work or because of lack of money. But I spent (and I still spending) time to learn Na'vi and also to help everyone who need/want help, mostly by creating learning materials and rewriting old and outdated threads like the Links to useful learning materials, or creating tutorials and guides. There are also some projects I have started and I still working. And after almost 3 years since I'm here, I also one of the people who help to grow the Na'vi language and also trying to keep active this most friendliest place in the internet I aware of.

I'm enjoying every free minutes here, and I can only say:

Irayo nìtxan!

for all of this!

And I hope this journey will be continued.


Eywa ayngengahu!
- Tìtstewan/Roland

[Niri Te]

 
  I have a question, Alan, that you might know exactly in who's this "bug" needs to be placed. I have a pretty large Na'vi vocabulary now, and that is
due, in great extent to the picture flash cards, that taught me a lot of words, and those words STAYED with me, in spite of the TBI that I suffered in the Army. Where I need work now is with my vocabulary, which is probably sorely lacking, but if there is not an easily recalled learning method, (A comic strip
geared for very young Na'vi, that used the "body language images" that the flash cards used?), that could help people learn, what to me seems to be a VERY tough grammar? I have improved a lot in the last several years, but I would like to be farther along.

[Sìkat]

So that means you never saw Avatar in 3D until the showing at Lightstorm?  Well glad you are part of the clan ma tsmukan

Correct.  I don't have a 3D TV myself (I watch it so little that I can't justify the expense), but at my workplace, there are 3D TVs in the major workspaces and conference room, including the large room holding the development, QA, and product management teams.  I've often joked that some Friday I was going to bring in a pair of 3D glasses, a 3D Blu-Ray player, my 3D copy of Avatar, and have myself a private viewing after knocking off for the day

When I fired up the movie for the first time at roughly 8:30pm Eastern time on 2 January 2012, I never thought, in my wildest dreams, that I'd ever have the chance to meet the producers.  Even now, months later, I am still standing in awe.  I am truly honored and privileged to be a part of this community.

[Eichhörnchen]

Kaltxì ma frapo


Very nice thread, ma smukan Alan. It was exciting to read your journey.

Okay. Let me see ...


2009

I see the Movie Trailer for Avatar, on the german tv and my girlfriend says to me: "It looks fine. Let us go to the Cinema." Okay ... but it is Christmas time and we have much to do, so we forget this at the Moment.


2010 - The Year We Make Contact  

On the 3th August, I buy Avatar on CD and Look it my first Time at Home.
It is very interessting and I falling in love with Neytiri. Srane. I am a skxawng.
Looking all Theaters in my Area, no Avatar is running. But a little bit later, I see the Movie Poster for the Extendet Version, comming soon in the Cinema. I buy with my Girlfriend the tickets and we go two Times in this very avarage Movie. Ist a experiemence we never get before. My first 3D Movie.



The word srane has some faszination for me and so seeking for more Infos on the web.
On November 16, 2010, 05:49:33 PM I sign in, on this Forum, after a long time of watching, how people here response to each other.
On December 04, I participate on a writing contest for Avatar FF in the german section and won this little crazy challenge.
With this contest, my little Na'vi Girl "Fawn" was born and I write my first FF - Storys about them.


2011 - A very busy Year

Founding my long lost interesst for writing back and so I create many Storys. Not only Avatar FF. ( Some are about Fantasy or sexual affairs )
It's a very interessting time in this Board and I found some new friends from other countrys here.
Buying some merchandise products from Avatar, that I show in several threads.

2012

Looking Avatar the last Time on german tv. All this Na'vi Protagonists now into my Brain and so no need to see the movie more. In my freetime learning much about the Na'vi language.
This is on of the results:

http://forum.learnnavi.org/navi-lernen/oeya-vurtsyip-21523/

Writing more and more Fantasy, about a little cheeky Fairy and wondering how many people will read this.
Some members vanishing, but my buddy list is fullfilled enough at this time.
On September 16 I can show my first own writen FF-Book ( Somtìlor ) on this board, I create for my Readers.

http://forum.learnnavi.org/books-and-literature/somtilor/


2013 - Dark shadows arrive ...

This year I noticed that more and more members leave the Forum. Most subboards are without new Threads or posting. I write some Haikus and Poems in Na'vi for the international Section. Ist a rough time. Avatar runs often on the german tv, but no new members Sign up in our subboard.
Winter 2013 is the first moment for me, that I think what am I doing here ...
Participate on:  Puk Pxaw 'Rrta - A Book Around the Earth.

2014 NoW ...

Okay. Very bad Situation. Most members are gone. I send pms to many people, but never gets an answer back. So sad ...
The german Sektion is almost dead, but my writing skills grows every day.

So Alan. Hope you can all understood, what I write about the four Years of my Journey in this fine Board. Sometimes I lost a word or two ...  
Not sure what is happen in the Future, but we will see.


Many greetings from germany,


Robert

[Alan]

Kaltxì ma aysmuk 

@ Tìtstewan - Aye, I was wondering where to best put the thread.  It ended up landing here.  It seems so many of us came across Avatar by chance without any knowledge of the pre-release hype.  Maybe that's why it 'hit' us more?  Anyway, Irayo nìtxan for all your learning materials.  I suspect they will be in big demand in the coming years.   You are so right about the friendliness of this place.  I have experienced it across the Avatar fandom and I feel so privileged to be a part of it.

@ Niri Te - It seems Tìtstewan might be able to help you with the learning material.  You could try Karyu Pawl's blog too - naviteri.org.  There are all sorts of audio clips to listen too, to help with your vocabulary, including some videoed lessons.  Hope that helps.

@Sìkat - That's great ma tsmukan - 3D TVs are work! I wish!  Hehehe.  Anyway, I'm so glad you were able to make it to the meet ups.  Great to meet you and irayo for the photos  - I was editing them into the next meet up video today.

@ Eichhörnchen - A great write up of your experience ma tsmukan.  Yeah, I got it.  It is a bit of an inevitability that people will begin to drift away over time in this 'desert period' and someone put it, between films.  But I'm sure they will all come rushing back once interest builds for the next films.  So enjoy the quiet times, because I'm sure all the Avatar related forums are going to explode with activity once the sequels come out!  Will we be ready?  Congratulation on getting your Avatar FF done by the way.  It all adds to the world of Avatar.

Alan

[archaic]

Been thinking, was John Landau hinting that we can expect way way way more merchandising for Avatar2 than there was for Avatar1?

[Tìtstewan]

Ma Alan,
I also feel so privileged to be a part of it.

Ma Niri Te,
Probably it could be worth reading this: [For Beginners] Links to useful learning materials - II
There als alot of stuff linked also audio materials and videos.