“I was hired by a very unscrupulous producer. He put me with an Italian crew who spoke no English then fired me a couple of weeks into the shoot and took over directing. Turns out, he’d done that on his two previous films.

He wouldn’t show me a foot of film that I’d shot, so I went in and ran the film for myself. I made a few changes – I don’t know if the editor ever noticed – and it was fine.

So I thought, ‘I actually can do this. I just fell in with a pack of thieves and wackos.’ I also realised nobody would hire me after that experience. I’d have to create my own thing to direct again.”

Effect On Avatar: Cameron made a film. Every 3D visionary has to start somewhere.