Online Tonight Interview with TITANIC director James Cameron presented by John Gilbert. Chat Room Hosts were directed by Chrissy Abblett.

The interview was the biggest ever hosted in the UK. The chat room recieved 1,500 downloads with 991 people signing in to the chat room during between the hours 7 and 8:45 pm GMT Jan 21st.

This is the first time a major Hollywood director has come online for a chat in the UK. It was the eve of the Film's opening in London and James Cameron stayed online a full hour longer than scheduled making the event, at 1hr 45 mins, the longest and most exciting on record.

As the chat gathered momentum Online Tonight put hundreds of fans directly online with the hottest director in Hollywood. OLT first chose fans asking questions on one of the 12 of the most urgent topics suggested by the thousands of questions recieved via email.

Online Tonight says:
Good evening and welcome to MSN's premier chat show Online Tonight. MSN welcomes guests from all over the world, joining us live from places as diverse as the US, Canada, Japan, Germany, France, Ireland, Taiwan, Holland and Australia - where it is 6am in the morning - a special g'day to you.
A special welcome also to our guests from other ISPs - the first co- operation of it's kind on the Internet and to all those who are joining us on IRC.
We are coming to you live and direct from London and Los Angeles. Our guest tonight needs no introduction but he is going to get one. MSN is proud to present: Writer, director, producer and editor of TITANIC James Cameron.
Let's put your audience directly online with you.
Here comes the first question....

Online Tonight says:
THE SINGLE Most Frequently asked question on e-mail: e-mailers seemed personally touched by the casting Kate Winslet as Rose and Leonardo DiCaprio as Jack. Genuinely. They identified closely with them and were very emotionally involved with the ending...

email: What made you cast these newcomers especially Kate Winslet in a movie, which had so much at stake?

James Cameron says:
Well, the interesting thing it was given from the beginning we would not have big stars. Rose was 17 and Jack was 19 so this was the function of a plausible age of a survivor now. With that as a given I searched for the young actors and actresses based on merit.

I was looking not only for the individual skill set as an actor but the chemistry between them.

Kate struck me as the one of the young women that I saw having the most potential.

Online Tonight says:
email: Everyone has his or her own interpretation of a film but for you was Rose dreaming or was at the end of the picture or was that the start of her afterlife.

James Cameron says:
That would be telling :0)

Online Tonight says:
email: The Titanic has images of huge engines, pistons and big businesses indifference to people alongside images of hands drawing, making pottery and holding hands. Why was this contrast important to you and by the way, were the hands drawing the picture of Rose your hands?

James Cameron says:
People have asked me if I am pessimistic or optimistic about the future and my answer has been recently that I am pessimistic about systems and optimistic about individuals.

It occurs to me that the contrast of big business and technical systems with the human touch is symbolic of that philosophy and yes, to second part of the question that is my hand :0)

Well, I didn't write the scene imagining I'd end up doing the drawing but I wound up doing the drawing. Then I had to perform the drawing for the film so that the style would be consistent.

In fact Leonardo is right handed and I am left handed!

Online Tonight says:
anyoi says: Mr. Cameron: Although "TITANIC" is a 3 hour plus movie, were there scenes that you wished to have kept in the final cut? If so, what were they?

(There were rumours in Japan and the US that there were plans for a 5 hour version of TITANIC)

James Cameron says:
I couldn't do a five-hour version. I could do a version that would be about a half-hour longer. What would be restored would be little historical pieces. What you would see is the receiving of the ice warning in the Marconi room and them ignoring it.

Online Tonight says:
email: Your films seem to be bathed in blue light and you say that many of your ideas come from your dreams. What is it about the depths of the sea that you find is so eloquent, like in the Abyss and TITANIC and what is the "Heart of The Ocean" for you.

James Cameron says:
My relationship with the ocean goes back to when I was a teenager and has remained with me my entire life. I don't like being in boats because it makes me seasick!

I love being underwater, but I don't like being in boats

Online Tonight says:
email: Is this the first film you have made with romance at it's heart? How did that effect your gut-motivation for the making of the film.

James Cameron says:
Those of you who know my earlier films know that I have done love stories before, most notably The Abyss. My primary motivation for making this film was to make a love story.

In fact my first film the terminator was a love story, a kind of gothic romance

Online Tonight says:
_Michael_ says: Your work often presents a theme of people interacting with technology Abyss, Terminator, Aliens. Does technology impact on your life and would you describe yourself as a tech addict?

James Cameron says:
I've always had a love-hate relationship with technology my mind is drawn in by technical problem solving but my stories usually deal with the pitfalls of misuse of technology.

I suppose then, I'm not truly a technoholic. I use the Internet for research rather than recreation.

Online Tonight says:
email: Were the underwater shots of the Titanic on the ocean floor mostly real? Did you feel at risk being in the submarine at that depth?

James Cameron says:
I love diving and being in the submarine was a peak experience of my life. I made twelve dives we were the only expedition that was able to send a robot vehicle inside the ship. Most of the exterior shots of the Titanic are real, with only a few model shots.

Online Tonight says:
Evgeniy says: Question for Mr. Cameron: Spielberg said about his film "Jaws": "OK. It's just a film about a shark..." Is your film just about a ship?

James Cameron says:
No, I think that films are about people. You can interpret this film at a surface level, as a love story or you can interpret it at deeper levels - for its broader metaphorical levels

Online Tonight says:
David says: With all the history and memories involved in the story of Titanic, how did you feel about your mix of poetic licence and being true to the facts? Were you aware how real people remember things "all mixed up"?

James Cameron says:
Yes, I believe that history is just a consensus hallucination the more research I did the more I realised that there were many grey areas in the history of The Titanic.

Despite that we tried to be as historically accurate as possible. The history of Titanic is like the 3 blind men and the elephant everybody who was there experienced something slightly different.

Online Tonight says:
Darren says: Did you meet any survivors and was it fascinating listening to them?

James Cameron says:
I believe there are 6 or 7 survivors right now. Unfortunately, they were very young when they were on the ship. They were under a year old so their experience is second hand so the first hand accounts of survivors who are now dead are much more compelling source of information.

Online Tonight says:
email: What inspired your final tragic scenes?

James Cameron says:
It's impossible to do a film about Titanic without exploring the emotion of loss and grief. So, this is the necessary conclusion of the relationship - within the context of this historical event.

Online Tonight says:
Hube says: James: Is there any reason that you tend to use actors over and over again i.e., Arnold, Michael Biehn, Bill Paxton?

James Cameron says:
Yes, it proves that I'm not the jerk everyone thinks I am!

Online Tonight says:
email: Your Crew wear T-Shirts with "You don't scare me, I've worked with James Cameron". Now that TITANIC is such a huge success, what T-Shirt would you wear in reply?

James Cameron says:
That's funny :0) How about: "Trust is a beautiful thing"

Online Tonight says:
Isa says: What do you think about all those journalists that were against Titanic because of the budget and now have completely changed their minds?

James Cameron says:
I would say, "next time see the movie before you go off!"

Online Tonight says:
MissingLink says: What made you so interested in the Titanic your entire life, enough to dedicate three years of your life to make an epic film out of it?

James Cameron says:
Actually, I wasn't interested in it my entire life. I got interested in it about 10 years ago when I was researching The Abyss. I was interested in the technology used to explore the wreck.

Since then, I became fascinated by the history and the people who were on board and one thing lead to another.

Online Tonight says:
email: What will happen to the model of Titanic and all the props and sets and costumes - will there be a museum?

James Cameron says:
We didn't call it a model, we called it a set the set was 100% scale but not the complete ship there was a section that we did not build, which is why it was not the full length. That full size set has been torn down it doesn't exist anymore.

It was torn down to make room for the Bond film which was using our studio in Mexico.

James Cameron says:
Bond obliterated the Titanic last summer and we obliterated Bond this year.

Online Tonight says:
Leah, age 7 email: Was Leonardo DiCaprio scared of all that water?

James Cameron says:
OK. :0) Hello Leah. Leo was never scared he just doesn't like water. I should amend that Leo doesn't like to be in water fully clothed. He likes to be underwater in scuba gear.

We did some underwater shooting and he loved that!

Online Tonight says:
DaRcWyNd says: What did you feel the first time you saw the ship?

James Cameron says:
Hmm ...sheer terror - we almost crashed into it! The first dive you don't have your acoustic navigation grid in place, so subsequent dives were more controlled.

There's no light at that depth whatsoever any exposure you see in the film we had to supply. We used some specially designed deep submergence lights and mounted them on submarines.

Online Tonight says:
CNBC says: How did you deal with the executives at Fox and Paramount when you went over budget on the film? What did you say to them? Did you allow them onto the set?

James Cameron says:
Yes, as the budget overrun increased the relationship became more tense but of course they were always welcome on the set and we always behaved as gentlemen.

We were prepared to go down as gentlemen.

Online Tonight says:
Christos_Girl says: Mr. Cameron -- first, thank you for this wonderful film. Do you want to return to the ship again, now that the film is done?

James Cameron says:
You're welcome. I don't feel a need to go back there personally. I have closure for Titanic.

Online Tonight says:
Saundra says: Did James Cameron cry the first time he saw the completed, final cut of "Titanic"?

James Cameron says:
I occasionally as I watched the film, have an emotional reaction to certain scenes not so much a response to the film-making more imagining the event itself.

Online Tonight says:
Many of the emails told stories of people having a very strong emotional response and crying at the end. Not just younger people but older Men and Couples.

James Cameron says:
It seems to be a film for all age groups.

Online Tonight says:
email: Were there any true elements to the story of Jack and Rose?

James Cameron says:
Well, Rose was my maternal grandmother's name so that's made up and unconnected to the Titanic. No, they are fictional characters but for example, Rose steps back from the lifeboat onto the ship and that actually occurred when Ida Strauss stepped back onto Titanic to be with her husband.

Online Tonight says:
Roger-Corman says: James, will you go back to the action/sci-fi or does TITANIC mark a new direction for you?

James Cameron says:
Yes, it's strictly Hallmark cards from this point on. I love science fiction and I'll always return to it. There are several other projects I am considering that are science fiction/action films.

Online Tonight says:
email: What is your next project? Will it be Avatar or Spiderman or Terminator 3? Have you cast it yet?

James Cameron says:
Okay there are a few questions there. Terminator 3? No, not involved. Spiderman, I don't own the rights but I would like to do it. I have a script. Avatar, I am not doing. Next project is not decided.

Online Tonight says:
JediKnite says: What did you think of James Horner's soundtrack as you watched the completed film?

James Cameron says:
He's talking to his 2nd favourite director then! :0) I love it. I think it's exquisite, it has a timeless quality and it doesn't sound like every other over-produced period movie score.

Here's one for you. I've been told that 14 year old girls are buying the soundtrack and sitting around in a circle and having sobbing parties.

Online Tonight says:
Doug_Griswold says: James: Did you ever think in your wildest dreams you'd create a film that touches a person in such a way that they are compelled to see the film again and again?

Online Tonight adds:
email: Will there be a director's cut?

James Cameron says:
Doug, it was impossible to predict the outcome that we are experiencing right now even though I always believed in the film.

It looks like this film will probably be at a minimum the number 4 highest grossing films in history!

The Director's cut will not be soon because the film still has so much life left in theatres.

Also, people must realise they are already seeing the director's cut this is the best version of the film.

Online Tonight says:
Plato says: Mr. Cameron, was the Californian incident omitted or cut? Splendid film. You will be remembered for it!

James Cameron says:
Well, thank you, Plato. I did not focus on the Californian because I was primarily interested in events on Titanic and ultimately the Californian did not save anybody or make a difference.

However, we did shoot the scene where the Californian wireless operator tries to warn Titanic, and is ignored.

Online Tonight says:
Thomas says: Mr. Cameron, where you afraid that with all the deaths and drowning in the movie, that it would be given an R rating?

James Cameron says:
The only issue that gave the ratings board pause was the nudity, which they ultimately deemed to be artistic.

Online Tonight says:
_Crash_ says: Were you aware at the time of writing the script that there was a J. Dawson - Jack Dawson aboard the ship?

James Cameron says:
Crash, Corey. You're good historians one of the bodies recovered buried in Halifax Nova Scotia was a J Dawson. I've seen his tombstone.

But the script was already written when I found out!

Online Tonight says:
James, what is your favourite film of all time or at least the most influential?

James Cameron says:
Those are two different things my favourite film is The Wizard of Oz and the most influential film for me was 2001 because at that point in my life it gave me a great deal of curiosity about the film making process.

Online Tonight says:
Bruce_Haldane says: Mr. Cameron - would you like to direct Arthur C. Clarke's novel of 3000, the follow up to 2001, 2010 and 2064?

James Cameron says:
No.

2001 meant a great deal to me when I was 16 or 17 years old and sparked my interest in film-making but it doesn't hold the same interest now.

Online Tonight says:
Is there a connection between outer space films and inner space films?

James Cameron says:
I my mind there's absolutely a connection because they both simultaneously deal with the unknown and the exploratory urge and with human psychology in extreme conditions and they both require technology to travel there. And there be dragons!

Online Tonight says:
And Monsters?

James Cameron says:
Yes, and there be monsters there!

Online Tonight says:
Bradster says: Thanks for a phenomenal movie. TITANIC made me rethink what is important. Did you find that researching and making this movie changed you? If so, how? Thanks, Brad (Vancouver, BC)

James Cameron says:
Well, in emerging myself in the story of Titanic, I think I discovered the truth of it's lesson which is all you have is today the future is impossible to predict.

Online Tonight says:
William Wallace says: Mr Cameron, a question all the way from Scotland, would you have gone down with the ship if you were on it?

James Cameron says:
I like to think I would have been clever enough to swim for one of the lifeboats before they rowed too far away.

Online Tonight says:
trace says: Titanic has been compared to the great epic Gone With The Wind. How do you feel about such comparisons? Historical epics, love stories that last?

James Cameron says:
I think the comparison is valid to the extent that The Titanic - my film Titanic - is an intimate story against an epic setting. I think it's also valid in that this film resurrects a kind of intentionally epic film making which we haven't seen in a while.

And believe it or not, that was the pitch to the studio.

Online Tonight says:
Origen says: The parallels between the Titanic herself and Rose are quite intricate. Is there any part of that (connection) artistry which you think we might have missed?

James Cameron says:
Well here's my answer - I don't quite understand this question ;0) The intention of Rose's character was to show a woman becoming aware of her potential for the first time.

Titanic on the other hand certainly did not live up to her expectations. Not the movie - the ship!

Online Tonight says:
NickB says: Illuminatis: Why are you interested in doing Spiderman?

James Cameron says:
Because Spiderman rules!

Online Tonight says:
lisaH says: Did you make ANY money on this incredible movie? I certainly hope so!

James Cameron says:
Thank you for your concern. I made my script fee but I gave up my directing fee and my producing fee and my profits. In order to protect the quality of the film.

CNBC says:
If you had 200 million dollars to play with again then what historical event would you like to shoot, maybe Ben Hur or the Crusade?

James Cameron says:
I don't have anything else compelling interest in history and I do not intend to spend that kind of money again. I do not enjoy the media scrutiny.

The lowest budget film I've done was the first Terminator, which was 6.5 million. If I was to make that film today exactly the same way, it'd probably cost 30m.

Online Tonight says:
Is it true you sold the movie to the studios for $1 dollar on the understanding that you would direct?

James Cameron says:
No, that's not true. I sold it to Gale Ann Hurd for $1 dollar.

Online Tonight says:
Rick_Cromack says: Mr. Cameron, who inspires your creation of such outstanding female roles of strong-willed, intelligent, pro-active women?

James Cameron says:
The women of the world.

Online Tonight says:
Andy_Copenhagen says: Mr. Cameron how did this great project affect your personal life?

James Cameron says:
Well, there was no personal life while I was making it. I had to struggle to spend some time with my 4 year old daughter at the weekend. Film-making and family life are really mutually exclusive.

Online Tonight says:
Jo says: Mr. Cameron, Titanic was excellent! I was wondering if it is true that you want Leonardo to play Spiderman if you do the movie? Have you talked to him about playing the role?

James Cameron says:
Yes, I have and I think he would be amazing in the role. He's much more physical than people think.

Online Tonight says:
email: What is your advice to aspiring scriptwriters and directors? Who are your film making heroes? Who is the best of the new crop? Did the sheer scale of Titanic mean that you had special difficulties in your script?

James Cameron says:
That's like, several questions! Advice to directors is different to scriptwriters. My advice to directors is just direct anything - no matter how small. Shoot it in 16mm or video if you have to.

Because once your name is on something that says Director, everything after that is just negotiating your budget.

Online Tonight says:
Angelique says: Have you gone to see the movie along with "the public" to see the reactions?

Online Tonight aside to James Cameron:
In one of the email received, a mother brought her very young daughter to the film. The child sat spellbound for the full length of TITANIC and loved it but on the way out of the cinema she saw many of the audience crying. The child approached one young woman who was in floods of tears and gave her a hug. She said, "S'ok, don't worry, Rose is with her Jack now"

James Cameron Aside:
Ohhh that's so sweet.

James Cameron says:
continued Yes, Angelique, I've gone many times in different theatres and the response is always very similar. It was the same virtually from our first test screening in Minneapolis to our unveiling for the Royal Film Performance in London.

Online Tonight says:
Soozie says: What did Billy Zane bring to the part of Rose's fiancee?

James Cameron says:
Well, Soozie, Billy gave the part a certain dimension when Cal could have been a cardboard villain he gave the character vulnerability.

Online Tonight says:
Toka says: Mr Cameron? Do you think the Titanic will scoop some prizes at the Academy Awards later this year? Or are you just not thinking that far at this point?

James Cameron says:
I don't want to think about it! I've worked on this film for 3 years, I sort of want it to be done and not hanging over my head for another 2 months. But if it did happen, I think it would be just peachy ;0)

Online Tonight says:
kristiek says: Mr. Cameron, you do beautiful artwork. Do you have any other artwork that we can see from you like the rose sketch and the others?

James Cameron says:
Yes, I've been an illustrator for many years and I've stayed to stay current with the drawing skills. In case the directing thing doesn't work out :0)

Online Tonight says:
GoldenGlobe says: If Titanic had flopped would you still see it as one of the best films you had ever made.

James Cameron says:
I think there's a difference between the intrinsic quality of the film and it's commercial success. The best example in my personal experience is Strange Days, which I still like as a film even though it made no money.

Online Tonight says:
Cameron: Have you heard that there were an writer onboard the real Titanic who had written a book about a ship called Titania that also sunk on it's maiden voyage? The writer is said to have died that terrible night too.

James Cameron says:
The facts are slightly scrambled here. There was a book called "Futility" which was written in 1899. It was a story of a triple screw steamer, like Titanic, called The Titan, which hit an iceberg and sank on its maiden voyage. The writer was not on board the Titanic.

My favourite conspiracy theory I saw in a cartoon the other day. It was called Oliver Stone's Titanic and it showed a second iceberg.

My theory was they could have saved everybody by putting them off onto the iceberg - as the iceberg wasn't about to sink.

Online Tonight says:
cmpondy says: Mr. Cameron, do you think Titanic has catapulted computer and digital imaging to new heights? and do you feel it has set a new standard for this type of work?

James Cameron says:
I think every year that passes sets a new standard and advances the artistry and the technology of digitial film-making but I will say that the photo-realistic images of Titanic were about ten times in an order of magnitude more difficult to create than my previous films.

Online Tonight says:
Jeremy says: Question: I have seen many pictures of you holding the camera while you film. Do you always do that or do you sit behind the monitor and let the cameramen do the work?

James Cameron says:
Jeremy, it depends on the shot. I shoot most of the hand-held myself but I work with one of the best Steadicam operators in the business and he does beautiful work.

Online Tonight says:
Jo says: How important would you say the special effects were to Titanic, Mr.Cameron?

James Cameron says:
I think the visual effects were extremely important in creating a sense of time and place in creating the ship itself and the event of its sinking. Of much greater importance was the love story and capturing the intimacy of those moments.

Online Tonight says:
Bruce_Haldane says: Mr. Cameron, were all the extras accounted for at the end of the movie? ;-)

James Cameron says:
(Laughs out loud) LOL. In any endeavour this large, you have to expect losses :0) No one was ever reported missing.

We had very complex safe guards against people being injured in the water. We utilised a buddy system and had a headcount after every take.

It's important, sometimes we had 200 people in the water. There were also 30 lifeguards wearing costumes interspersed amongst the extras and stunt people.

Online Tonight says:
Niagara_Falls says: James What about the Rose giving the finger going down the elevator? Historically inaccurate?

James Cameron says:
Niagara Falls - my hometown! I can't believe I'm being dissed by someone from my own town! :0) My understanding is that that gesture was evented by the Romans to taunt their enemies - its called the Digitus Inputicus

Online Tonight says:
Tom_Mustaine says: How soon before you and other directors begin to produce fully realistic computer animated movies? Is it closer than we think?

James Cameron says:
Well, the effects budget on Titanic was $40m and it accounts for about a half hour of the film.

Online Tonight says:
K says: Mr. Cameron, did you keep any of the props of the Titanic film yourself - for example - the picture of Rose you drew?

James Cameron says:
Well, I kept the drawing because I drew it and they'd have to wrestle me for it and I kept the ship's wheel from the bridge because I know what it's like to be at the helm of a sinking ship!

Online Tonight says:
BlueFrog says: Mr. Cameron: I'm assuming all the computer generated effects were done at Digital Domain. Any idea what software was used?

James Cameron says:
Oh, we used there were so many different software packages. The one that was the most interesting was Arete. Most of the effects were done on the Windows NT platform as well as the silicon graphics. Correction: it's interesting that some of the effects were done on the NT platform as well as silicon graphics.

Online Tonight says:
Tracy says: What is the primary thing that attracts you making a particular movie?

James Cameron says:
It varies. For example on True Lies I was interested in the character where Arnold shows vulnerability and comes unravelled for love and I was also interested in the comedy potential in True Lies.

With Titanic, I was attracted to the opportunity to work with the full emotional spectrum.

Online Tonight says:
Jo says: There are tales that superstitions prevented many from joining the voyage. Others arose from the unexplainable events that took place during the building of the ship. Are you superstitious?

James Cameron says:
Well, I like to think I'm not but I find myself occasionally being superstitious. For example, the date originally set for our first test screening for the film was the 13th and I said, “No”.

Online Tonight says:
corey_doyle says: James: I have family that died on TITANIC. Thank you for making this movie. It needed to be done. Are you happy with the fact that so many are now more aware of the TITANIC?

James Cameron says:
First of all, you're welcome, thank you for the compliment. The more people that know about Titanic, the more we collectively stand to profit from the warnings of history.

Online Tonight says:
James, thank you very much for joining us all online. We will be running a special show on Oscars night and we will be routing for you! Good luck at the Oscars!

James Cameron says:
It was a great pleasure. Thank you and Goodnight everyone.

In the run up to the event OLT had 156,000 page views with 57,000 on the night. We have since been receiving 12,000 page views per day and much more during peak periods for example 213,000 for the WebCast of Samuel L. Jackson chat for Jackie Brown (639,000 hits). If this continues we expect to have reached over 1,190,000 page views by the night of the Oscars. Using a measurement of 1 page view per 3 hits (requests on the server) to those who measure in hits this figure would be approx 3.5 million.

Although copies of this transcript has been posted repeatedly on various newsgroups and exerpts have been sent out in email Listserves to many more. Our estimate of what the above number represents in visitors to this site alone would be between 300,000 and 500,000 thousand - approximately half a million people.

It has been pointed out by more than one person that the number of survivors from the TITANIC were 1,500 the exact number of page views on the chat room that day and co-incidentally the precise number for which our servers were configured.