Of course, for all of the praise that Jim Cameron rightfully deserves for the sets on Titanic, he deserves it even moreso for the lesser-seen of his outings, The Abyss. As has been established, Cameron has a penchant for building what nobody thinks is necessary, and he took that notion to the next level for this film. The underwater drilling platform that was the central setting for this film was actually built in a 7 million gallon tank. Repurposing the abandoned Cherokee Nuclear Power Plant in South Carolina, Cameron and company turned the reactor into a 40 foot deep water tank which housed this impossible set. To put in perspective just how big this all was, it was so massive that they couldnt even afford to fully dismantle it after use. The exterior of this drilling platform really sold the isolation that was a central theme to the film. It made them feel truly deep in the water and its real presence was an essential element to the films success.