THE MAKING OF TITANIC TIMELINE
TITANIC TIMELINE
JAMES CAMERON'S TITANIC WAS ONE OF THE BIGGEST PRODUCTIONS IN HISTORY. HERE IS A TIMELINE OF HOW THIS GREAT MOVIE CAME TO THE CINEMAS.
* DECEMBER, 1995: Director James Cameron announces his next film will be "Titanic" not "Terminator 3".
* MARCH 20, 1996: Kate Winslet is cast. Cameron budgets $110 million for 400 special effects.
* MAY 16, 1996: Shooting begins in Mexico on sound stages constructed according to the Titanic's dimensions.
* MAY25, 1996: Leonardo DiCaprio is cast.
* JUNE 20, 1996: Filming moves to California. Work begins at Mexico's Rosarita Beach on a huge water tank three times the size of the Melbourne Cricket Ground to simulate the open sea.
* SEPTEMBER 9, 1996: Cast and crew move to Mexico. Final cost nudging $230 million.
* DECEMBER 9, 1996: Release date announced as July 4.
* FEBRUARY 18, 1997: Filming near completion.
* MARCH, 1997: Cameron begins editing. Special effects slow him.
* APRIL16, 1997: Fox studios says it is unsure 'Titanic' will be ready by July 4.
* MAY 15, 1997: Cameron tells studios July 4 is out. October 8 is set.
* MAY 22, 1997: New release date of early November.
* JUNE 2, 1997: After viewing a rough cut, studio decide it is so strong they hold release to December 19 to catch lucrative Christmas trade.
* OCTOBER 21, 1997: After six weeks of editing, the final cut clocks in at three hours and 14 minutes. To placate theatre owners and public, it's listed as two hours and seventy four minutes.
* NOVEMBER 1, 1997: Titanic has a world premiere at Tokyo International Film Festival. Positive reviews indicate raise the possibility of Oscar nominations in February.
Timeline taken from the Advertiser article "Titanic Hit Potential"
