It’s funny the way time works. What is at first viewed as a revolutionary new technological tool can quickly become overexposed in a way that it isn’t fully prepared for, and in the span of just a few short years, become something people are extremely wary of. This is very much the case for The Volume, a piece of revolutionary filmmaking technology that redefined budget-conscious possibilities when it was first utilized by ILM and co. on the first season of The Mandalorian in 2019.
In the years since then, The Volume and other technologies like it have become increasingly commonplace in blockbuster productions. But in tandem with this, audiences have grown exhausted by what the use of such technology generally implies. Because for as wonderful of a tool as The Volume can be, it has also become the hallmark of rushed productions that simply didn’t want to spend the time or money to get things done practically, on-set. As a result, the question of whether or not The Volume has been utilized in the making of the new Star Wars movie, Jon Favreau’s The Mandalorian and Grogu, has become an unexpectedly contentious issue. Despite early rumors and erroneous reports, it now does appear to be confirmed that The Volume was, in fact, utilized in The Mandalorian and Grogu.
In response to another outlet reporting that there was no Volume utilized on the film, an editor from Empire, who did a recent in-depth piece with the creatives behind the film clarified that, “They said they used a lot more practical sets etc on this one compared to the show. Unclear whether the Volume was used in some capacity or not, but we don't state that there's no Volume at all.”
If you’re unfamiliar, The Volume is an all-encompassing set of LED screens which is able to project digitally-rendered backgrounds and sets for media projects. It is a cheaper alternative to traditional CGI, as it allows the filmmakers to capture everything in-camera on-set, even if it necessitates a completely different workflow, in which these backgrounds are rendered prior to production. On top of this, it can yield a much more immersive result than traditional rear-projection or green screen methods, because it can also serve as a light source within the frame. For strong examples of this, one need look no further than the first season of The Mandalorian, where cinematographer Greig Fraser utilized the tech to truly stupendous results.
However, without someone behind the camera who know how to properly utilize the tech, the results can be little more than an eyesore. Take, for example, a film like Thor: Love & Thunder, which made extensive use of The Volume due to COVID lockdowns. The end result is easily one of the most shallow and ugly looking visual affairs that Marvel has ever made. Contrast this with something like The Batman, which utilized similar technology but had Fraser as a cinematographer, and the importance of having an artist capable of utilizing the tech becomes apparent.
When it comes to The Mandalorian and Grogu, its incredibly obvious why everyone has been so hesitant about confirming the use of The Volume. Cases like The Batman have very much become the exception rather than the rule, with The Volume becoming far more synonymous with streaming content like latter seasons of The Mandalorian or The Book of Boba Fett, none of which used the tech nearly as effectively. Thus, in attempting to pitch this new film as something distinctly more cinematic and grandiose than its TV counterparts, no one is exactly keen to come right out and say that they used The Volume. And credit where credit is due, it appears that real sets were utilized much more than on those TV shows. However, it is ultimately disingenuous to act as if The Volume wasn’t a key player here.
The Mandalorian and Grogu was filmed in California for the purposes of receiving extensive tax cuts and came in as the lowest-budgeted Star Wars film made under Disney. Most of this is only possible if the Volume and tech like it was used a fair bit. But the fact that those behind the film clearly realize how news of its heavy usage could ultimately affect the public’s perception of the film as a made-for-TV product is fascinating, especially considering how acclaimed and revolutionary this tech was just a few short years ago.
The Mandalorian and Grogu releases in theaters on May 22.