[originaltext] I grew up on a steady diet of science fiction. In high school

I grew up on a steady diet of science fiction. In high school I took a bus to school an hour each way every day. And I was always absorbed in science fiction books, which took my mind to other worlds and satisfied my sense of curiosity. And my love of science fiction actually seemed to mirror what was happening in the world around me. Later, I wrote this piece called Avatar, which was meant to absolutely push the envelope of visual effects. [23]When I came to make my movie, “Avatar,” I tried to apply the principle of leadership which is that you respect your team, and you earn their respect in return. And it really changed the dynamic. So, here I was again with a small team, in unknown territory doing “Avatar”, coming up with new technology that didn’t exist before. Tremendously exciting. Tremendously challenging. And we became a family, over a four-and-half-year period. [23]And it completely changed how I do movies. So, people have commented on how, well, you know, you brought back the ocean organisms and put them on the planet of Pandora. To me it was more of a fundamental way of doing business, the process itself, that changed as a result of that. So, what can we synthesize out of all this? You know, what are the lessons learned? Well, I think number one is curiosity. It’s the most powerful thing you own. Imagination is a force that can actually manifest a reality. And the respect of your team is more important than all the honors in the world. I have young film makers come up to me and say, “Give me some advice for doing this.” And I say, “Don’t put limitations on yourself. Other people will do that for you. Don’t do it to yourself. [24]Don’t bet against yourself. And take risks.” NASA has this phrase that they like: “Failure is not an option.” [25]But failure has to be an option in art and in exploration, because it’s a leap of faith. And no important endeavor that required innovation was done without risk. You have to be willing to take those risks. [25]So, the thought I would leave you with, is that in whatever you’re doing, failure is an option, but fear is not.
Questions 23 to 25 are based on the recording you have just heard.
23. What completely changed the speaker’s way of making movies?
24. What is the speaker’s advice for young filmmakers?
25. What did the speaker think of failure in art?