Making the vastness of the Mint
Reflecting on the environment of the vault, Chris says: “A lot of our work – like all the work in the vault – was shot in a blue screen studio. There were a few practical elements, such as the ground they’re walking on, the security droid puppet and a partial set for the spaceship where they sit on the ramp. Apart from that, everything else is bluescreen.”
The vast industrial space of the vault seen at the end of Skeleton Crew evokes the seemingly bottomless space below the Theed Hangar in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, and Chris says of such spaces: “In the Mint there was the landing platform. Before it gets to the bottom of the Mint, the characters look and see the ‘credit maker’, which is this big machine that’s making all of those credits. We had to create the vault and the credit maker in CG as this really massive environment.”
Developing the look of At Achrann
Chris explains that DNEG’s sequences in Episode 4 of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew showcase the team’s environment work in relation to practical set work. In this episode, the hero kids arrive on At Achrann, a war-torn, bombed-out version of their homeworld of At Attin.
“At Achrann was shot on a set,” Chris notes. “Any rocks or ground that the characters walked on were practical sets. Generally, everything was blued off in the background and then we extended the set. What was difficult about that sequence was the smoke, dust and mist which gave it that post-war kind of look. There was a lot of smoke on set, but it was difficult to maintain a consistent look and feel, so we needed to balance that out in post.”
The Influence of Classic Star Wars
The opportunity to work on Star Wars: Skeleton Crew has been a very special opportunity for Chris and it’s evident when he recalls how he “grew up loving those films and loving the world: its design and artwork and production design”.
Chris’s enthusiasm for the worlds of Star Wars underpins his closing comment when he notes that, “Probably my favourite shot that we worked on is of the Onyx Cinder spaceship coming in and landing on At Achrann. The shot has lots of dust, big fiery engines, and elements flying into camera. The animation of the ship coming in and landing took quite a few goes and the way that it settles and its weight readjustment was all quite refined”.
Chris pauses and adds with satisfaction that this shot, “is classic Star Wars fare”.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the team at DNEG has created an impressive array of environments, from the vast industrial space of the vault to the war-torn landscape of At Achrann. With their expertise in visual effects, they have brought these worlds to life, drawing inspiration from classic Star Wars and using a range of techniques, from bluescreen to practical sets. The result is a visually stunning and immersive experience that immerses viewers in the world of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew.
FAQs
Q: What was the most challenging part of creating the vault environment?
A: The most challenging part was replacing the entire environment, including the ground, security droid puppet, and partial set for the spaceship, in CG.
Q: How did you approach creating the war-torn environment of At Achrann?
A: We deconstructed the suburban setting of At Attin to create something that felt familiar, even in its devastation. We used a range of real-world reference images to help us achieve the desired look.
Q: What was your favorite shot to work on?
A: My favorite shot was the Onyx Cinder spaceship coming in and landing on At Achrann. It was a complex animation process, but the end result was worth it.
