Renowned filmmaker James Cameron recently shared a harrowing incident he encountered while shooting underwater scenes for his 1989 movie, The Abyss.
During a special edition screening of The Abyss at the Beyond Fest film festival in Los Angeles, Cameron, 69, revealed that he had a near-death experience during production.
The film required lead actors Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, and Michael Biehn, along with others, to perform their scenes while scuba diving.
Cameron mentioned that they had safety divers, referred to as “angels,” assigned to each actor, ensuring their safety throughout the shoot.
However, the safety divers overlooked Cameron.
The Oscar-winning director, who is an experienced diver himself, explained that he filmed scenes 30 feet underwater, carrying heavy weights on his feet, a weight belt around his waist, and no fins to maneuver the camera effectively.
At one point, Cameron’s oxygen tank ran out of air while everyone else was busy setting up lights, leaving him unnoticed.
Desperate for help, Cameron attempted to catch the attention of underwater director of photography, Al Giddings, using the underwater public address system (p.a.).
Unfortunately, Giddings, who had suffered a diving accident and damaged his eardrums, couldn’t hear Cameron’s calls for assistance.
With his last breath of air, Cameron resurfaced after removing his equipment.
A safety diver on the production then placed a regulator in his mouth without checking it properly.
To Cameron’s dismay, the regulator had been damaged and had a rip through the diaphragm after being knocked around the tank for three weeks.
He inadvertently breathed in water twice before realizing the malfunction.
Despite the critical situation, Cameron managed to stay calm and made the decision to swim to the surface.
However, the safety diver, following protocol, held him down to prevent lung over-expansion during ascent.
Unable to communicate that the regulator wasn’t working, Cameron punched the diver in the face as a last resort and successfully reached the surface, saving himself.
The Abyss, which also starred Leo Burmester, Todd Graff, Kimberly Scott, and J.C. Quinn, received an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects at the 1990 Oscars.
The film preceded Cameron’s subsequent water-themed successes, such as Titanic in 1997 and his most recent project, The Way of Water, a sequel to Avatar.
Reflecting on The Abyss, Cameron emphasized that the underwater creatures showcased in the film captivated audiences and demonstrated the possibilities of visual effects at the time.
He believes it served as a catalyst for the advancement of computer-generated imagery (CGI).
James Cameron’s firsthand account of his near-death experience while filming The Abyss highlights the challenges and risks that filmmakers undertake to create extraordinary cinematic experiences.
