Inside Look On How ILM Created The 'Razor Crest' From 'The Mandalorian'

The hit Star Wars TV series The Mandalorian has been praised for many reasons. To various viewers, it is simply for the thrilling story, or its charming characters. In addition to that, there is also the series of technological feats that has been accomplished to bring the series to life. StageCraft has been talked about quite a bit over the last good while, but the TV series also incorporated modelmaking into the process of creating the world of the show. Fortunately for those who are curious about this technique, we now have an in-depth look at what goes into this method.

On Thursday, September 24, Industrial Light & Magic released a mini-documentary titled Inside ILM: Creating the Razor Crest. Clocking in at 17 minutes in length, this video focuses on the filming of Din Djarin’s ship, the Razor Crest. Chris Hawkinson, the director of the documentary, said the following to StarWars.com:

“Miniatures and motion control are in our DNA at ILM, and it’s been over 15 years since we have done a motion-control shoot. Documenting the process wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the company and filmmakers.”

He is right about these being staples of Star Wars. Who can forget the miniatures used in iconic space battles, or even in the audience of the podrace? And at the end of the day, Star Wars works best when it is a team effort. A lot of work goes into it, and a lot of people put their hands into the process to create something magical. Hawkinson also added the following:

“We spent just over two months gathering interviews and shooting behind-the-scenes footage and finished post production during shelter-in-place. From the design of the ship, to the engineering the motion-control rig and model mover, to the incredible level of detail in the miniature, to the passion everyone brought to the project… It’s movie magic. It’s what inspired me growing up, and helping tell the story was one of the greatest joys of my career.”

The documentary delves into some interesting tidbits, such as how the Razor Crest was inspired by military aircraft. We see the time and care that is taken in assembling the pieces required to bring the vision to life. George Lucas had an idea of a used universe back when he made the original trilogy, so the team used this idea as a reference point when designing the ships of The Mandalorian, which makes sense given that it is relatively close to the original trilogy in the overall Star Wars timeline. It is only five years removed from Return of the Jedi. A continuation of the used universe look is only natural. There is continuity between the overall looks of the ships.

Of course, now, we have 3D printers available for use. As expected, ILM incorporated such technology when working on models for the series. Technology evolves, but tradition can still be utilized as ILM adapts to the times. It is also nice to hear that ILM loves hearing the audience excitement whenever they see whatever it is that they have to offer. Keeping the fan excitement in mind is very important. The fans are the other half of the conversation initiated by those who work on the franchise.

Experience the mini documentary via the video below!

After watching this informative and easily digestible documentary, viewers can rewatch The Mandalorian season 1 with the hindsight of the knowledge provided by the doc, thus adding another layer to the viewing experience. Season 2 premieres October 30 on Disney+ and is bound to continue showing the impressive results of this technology.

Written By Steven Shinder

Syndicated From Culture Slate