The second season of The Mandalorian was a smash-hit with Star Wars fans from all across the galaxy, providing a planet-hopping adventure to remember.
Those awaiting the follow-up to the acclaimed show will have to hold on for a bit longer, as The Book of Boba Fett will be arriving on Disney+ first. Some familiar faces are rumored to appear though, so fans of the series that started it all won't be in completely uncharted space.
One of the biggest takeaways from The Mandalorian was its groundbreaking visual effects, a milestone for what can be achieved in a televisual format. One breakdown of the series' CGI revealed how the spider-like Krykna were conceived for "The Passenger," in addition to the iconic shot of Boba Fett destroying some Imperial starfighters.
Now, even more VFX reels have been posted online, giving even more behind the scenes looks at how the world of The Mandalorian Season 2 came to be...
THE MANDALORIAN VFX BREAKDOWN
Two visual effects companies have recently released visual effect montages of their CGI work in The Mandalorian, displaying how the creatures, vehicles, and worlds of the Star Wars universe come to life.
Hybride Technologies posted a reel showcasing a number of breakdowns for various shots seen in the second season, including several from "The Gunslinger" on the desert planet of Tatooine.
One part of the video details the process of compositing Cobb Vanth and Mando racing over dunes and through canyons, having to compensate for the armatures used on set.
Hybride Technologies even shows off some furry friends on set, and how they are turned into less fuzzy fellows in the Tatooine-set Season 2 premiere:
The interior of Moff Gideon's light cruiser is also seen, which is composited from a variety of different shots and CGI assets:
The full video can be seen below:
Stockholm-based visual effects company ILPVFX shared a reel of their own, which details several key moments from "The Heiress" and "The Tragedy."
One shot shows how the Quarren species are completed using CGI, with their face tendrils being omitted from the prosthetic to be added in post-production:
Another behind-the-scenes look demonstrates just how much CGI is used for one given frame, with crash mats, fans, and blue screen all having to be digitally replaced to get the final beauty shot:
The full video can be watched below:
Check out some of our work for Disney+ Mandalorian s2. Thank you all pirates and @Lucasfilm_Ltd @halhickel for the ride. pic.twitter.com/HhJzl8jTNG
— ILPVFX (@ILPVFX) March 20, 2021
STAR WARS' CGI GALAXY
The Star Wars franchise has always been known for its ability to push the boundaries for visual effects and The Mandalorian is no different. These VFX breakdowns demonstrate just how much of the series is made up of computer-generated images, and how seamlessly it is integrated. Whereas the prequels' reliance on CGI arguably led to their detriment, the significant advancements in visual effects have only helped The Mandalorian from an aesthetic and narrative standpoint.
It is interesting to see how much goes into one given shot, with the interior of Moff Gideon's ship requiring shots of Cara Dune and Fennec Shand, additional shots of Bo-Katan and Koska Reeves flying to their sides, the backdrop of the starcraft, an extended CGI walkway, and extra texture and lighting to finish it all off.
The crews that are able to pull this off should be thoroughly commended for flawlessly creating a galaxy that all Star Wars fans can become immersed in.
