Following the panel, Mama’s Geeky attended a press conference where the conversation was continued. One of the reoccurring themes of which was about practical effects versus digital effects. This documentary goes all the way back to the start of ILM, therefor it shows a lot of effects that were breaking at the time like stop motion.
So when should the team use practical effects, and when should they use newer technology and digital effects? Well, it is all about picking the best tool for the job. Sometimes, practical and digital effects are combined.
The team explains they are doing a bunch of stop motion stuff for the Mandalorian and printing out the 3d articulated skeletons is a huge help. They are life-like figurines where you don’t have to actually do something like a Harrison Ford face. You can do concept art in 2d on a computer screen or whatever, but then just take it the next step and print it out. They learn so much more from being able to hold it up and look at it in a different light and everything. 3D printing is really valuable.
The team spends a lot of time figuring out how they can automate and get more natural reactions with things like the stage craft. For example, when they use the real time technology to populate the scenes, there are happy accidents that happen because because it is running live. Therefore, it is similar to practical sets — things that happens are naturally generated through the real time tech.
Be sure to learn all about the process when the eight part docuseries Light & Magic hits Disney+.
NEXT: Light & Magic Panel @ Star Wars Celebration 2022
About Light & Magic
Light & Magic is an exciting, new six-part documentary series produced by Imagine Documentaries that showcases Lucasfilm’s Industrial Light & Magic (ILM).
Granted unparalleled access, Academy Award®-nominated filmmaker Lawrence Kasdan takes viewers on an adventure behind the curtains of Industrial Light & Magic, the special visual effects, animation and virtual production division of Lucasfilm. Learn what inspired some of the most legendary filmmakers in Hollywood history, and follow their stories from their earliest personal films to bringing George Lucas’ vision to life.
The series is directed by Lawrence Kasdan, and the executive producers are Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, Justin Wilkes, Lawrence Kasdan, Kathleen Kennedy and Michelle Rejwan.
All episodes of “Light & Magic” premiere on July 27, exclusively on Disney+.
Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. On Camera personality and TV / Film Critic with 10+ years of experience in video editing, writing, editing, moderating, and hosting.