Star Wars has undoubtedly pushed all aspects of filmmaking to new heights in a way that had more significant influence than people even realize today. Ironical as it may seem; the first Star Wars (1977) was created at a time when computers were practically non-existent. The technical prowess and special effects required for the storyline to come to fruition were unavailable at the time which led George Lucas, the creator of the Star Wars franchise, to establish his own special effects company named Industrial Lights and Magic (ILM). ILM has since played a pioneering role in the creation of modern special effects techniques.
With the release of Disney+ live-action series, The Mandalorian, the way it was created represents a change perhaps most important since the green screen, which is a relic in itself. The VFX studio created an innovative virtual production workflow called ILM StageCraft, which allowed the filmmakers to generate complex digital backdrops in real-time. Instead of a green screen, the actors performed in an immersive and massive 20’ high by 270-degree semicircular 2.5mm LED video wall and ceiling with a 75’-diameter performance space, where the practical set pieces were combined with digital extensions on the screens. Most parts of the two seasons were filmed using StageCraft, eliminating the need for costly and time-consuming location shoots entirely.
The computer-generated backdrops could be edited in real-time during the shoot, which allowed for accurate tracking and perspective-correct 3D imagery rendered using Epic Games’ Unreal Engine. The environments were lit and rendered from the perspective of the camera to provide parallax in real-time, as though the camera were really capturing the physical environment with accurate interactive light on the actors and physical set objects. By moving the visual effects from post-production to pre-production, StageCraft helped in enhancing the performance of the actors as they react to their surroundings for richer storytelling in a completely fabricated scene.
One of the primary advantages of using this video wall technology was the realistic lighting, with the wall providing ambient light and accurate reflections on the actors. This culminated into scenes where light reflects almost naturally over the Beskar armor as the Mandalorian moved around and required no post CGI effort. The end-product is this spectacular visual treat where it’s nearly impossible to tell what was shot on a soundstage and what was shot outdoors, and it lends a cinematic touch to the entire aesthetic.
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