The Volume Isn't Working For Star Wars Anymore
The filmmakers behind the Star Wars saga have always been on the cutting edge of new filmmaking techniques. Franchise creator George Lucas pioneered brand-new CGI technologies to make the prequel trilogy possible. The prequels ended up being heavily criticized for their reliance on primitive computer-generated effects. With Industrial Light & Magic’s new StageCraft technology – pioneered for The Mandalorian and subsequently used in The Book of Boba Fett, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and the upcoming The Acolyte – history is repeating itself.
StageCraft is an on-set virtual production VFX tool that allows filmmakers to shoot against finished CGI. Considered a revolution in the field of visual effects, StageCraft production involves high-res video walls set up around a soundstage called “The Volume.” When The Mandalorian first premiered, StageCraft seemed like a great way to achieve movie-level effects on a TV budget. But after being overused in The Book of Boba Fett and Obi-Wan Kenobi, it’s become clear that ILM’s digital StageCraft is giving the Disney+ Star Wars streaming shows a very cheap look, detracting from the prestige of the iconic saga.
Obi-Wan Kenobi: The Problem With Prequels
When cinematographer Greig Fraser ran into issues while shooting Rogue One, ILM began working on a VFX technology that would nullify those problems. That technology might’ve made production a lot easier, but it created a bunch of new problems with the end results. Jon Favreau had experimented with similar CG shooting environments when he remade The Lion King, so when he created The Mandalorian and teamed up with ILM – who were waiting for the right filmmaker to test-run their newfangled tech – to bring it to life, it seemed like a match made in heaven.
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