Oscar winning director James Cameron is visiting Australia to promote his latest epic, though in a slightly different role.
Cameron is the executive producer of Sanctum, an underwater thriller that was filmed in Australia by Australians.
And it promises to woo audiences world-wide, using the same revolutionary 3 D technology behind Cameron's previous juggernaut Avatar.
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Sanctum follows a team of cave divers, who after a freak storm, struggle to escape from an unexplored cavern system.
It was inspired by a true story, where underwater documentary maker Andrew Wight led an expedition gone wrong, beneath the Nullabor Plain.
Script writer Andrew Wight says good stories are all about people and their dramas and how they get through them and survive.
"What I was moved by in my own reality was how all the people functioned and how strong that survival spirit is in people," he told SBS.
He also happened to be a long time collaborator with Hollywood royalty.
Multi-Oscar winner James Cameron is no stranger to water-based epics, with The Abyss and Titanic proving cinematic milestones.
But his visit comes at a difficult time: when the state Sanctum was filmed in is itself under water.
"I've got enough experience with water having shot in the ocean to know the destructive power of water is enormous, so I think all of our hearts go out to the people in the Queensland area," Cameron told SBS.
Cameron's background includes thousands of hours making underwater documentaries, and developing his fierce passion for 3D technology.
"It's an enhancement to the story-telling, it's an enhancement to the visual experience. I believe you feel the emotions more strongly," Cameron said.
"My goal was to demonstrate to the filmmaking community at large that you didn't need to be making a 100 million dollar movie to make a world class 3D film. They shot with the same cameras that we used, literally the same cameras, my A and B cameras from Avatar".
Director Alister Grierson says this movie is 100 per cent Australian.
"We just had some wealthy friends in New York who gave us the money. Technically it's a real accomplishment, and it's a real achievement for the Australian industry."
Though the real test will come next month, when Sanctum enjoys a simultaneous release across thousands of screens worldwide.
