August 3, 1993: James Cameron starts a visit to Belfast as part of his research into the will-fated Titanic. Cameron is profoundly moved by the struggling city and it's proud shipbuilding heritage, he decides this will be where he will make his film - however first he needed facilities, sets, and a scale Titanic built.
Dec 15th 1997: After many years and much speculation about the costs, the wisdom of building a full scale sinkable Titanic, overruns, etc James Cameron's obsession is released. Titanic is a huge success and dominates the cinema's for the year ahead, clearing over $.25billion globally. The film cleans up at almost every award ceremony, including 14 Oscars, but it controversially beaten for Best Picture at the 70th Academy Awards by L.A. Confidential. Cameron is apparently unmoved by the loss - the huge pile of statues in front of him may have played a part. Famously he joked after 'Never let me do something like this again!'
The film sparks enormous interest in the ship, and by the end of 1998 tourists are being taken down to the wreck in Russian subs. Plans are started by many a company to cash in on Titanic, including plans for a full scale working Ship in time for the 2012 anniversary.
Jan 4th 1998: Release of Building the Titanic - a sprawling, almost soap opera of the dramas of making a film. From contract negoications with Harland and Wolfe to build a huge water tank; getting massive tax breaks from John Major's government; outfitting the yard buildings and partial rebuilding the Aarol Gantry; recruiting the skilled workers; the still very raw tensions between Catholic and Protestant workers that occasionally spilled over into actual fighting, and finally all the way to filming the Epic Disaster movie itself, the cameras were on hand to capture it all!
April 10th 1998: The Titanic Experience opens in Belfast, Northern Ireland. A combination of movie tour of James Cameron's sets, and a celebration of Belfast shipbuilding. The scale replica of Titanic is the centrepiece of the Experience, allowing visitors to walk the famous Liners desks, visit the Bridge, Salons, Grand Staircase, etc. Some express unhappiness that the ship is not totally complete and they cannot stay on-board like the Queen Mary, but they are reminded it is a movie Set.