The Mandalorian's Groundbreaking Volume Technology Made Katee Sackhoff Spacesick
When you hear the words "The Mandalorian," the first thing you think of is likely some combination of Grogu, those distinctive Western vibes from the spur sound effects whenever Mando walks anywhere, or that rather horrifying Luke Skywalker deepfake that somehow made it into the final cut of multiple episodes last season. For me, I immediately gravitate towards the spiffy Volume tech that Lucasfilm popularized with this series. With the ability to transform any ol' soundstage into a 360-degree panorama projecting otherworldly locales, the use of this tool has been a boon for performers and VFX artists alike. But for actor Katee Sackhoff, however, it turned out to be a little too realistic for her tastes.
In the April 2023 issue of Empire magazine, the cast of "The Mandalorian" came together to tease the highly-anticipated third season of arguably the most popular "Star Wars" property in years and reveal some insights into what it felt like to return to set. For the star himself, Pedro Pascal, that meant going from his trailer one minute to suddenly strolling through another world the next. "It's almost like going into Space Mountain. This perpetually dark studio that gets lit up by snow-capped planets." For co-star Carl Weathers, who plays Greef Karga, the Volume displayed such a level of detail that it messed with his perception a bit, like in the season 1 finale when he's making a getaway with Mando on a boat floating over molten lava. "All of the lava looked real. I remember [director] Deborah Chow saying, 'Cut, and all of the technology stopped. I grabbed the side of the boat because it felt like I was going to fall over that's what it does to your senses."
Sackhoff's experience, however, went even further. Barf bags may have been involved.
The dangers of space travel
Every "Star Wars" fan knows about podracing, thrilling space battles, and lightsaber duels to the death. But it's funny how nobody ever talks about the less glamorous side of existing in the "Star Wars" universe. (Well, okay, almost nobody.)
Actor Katee Sackhoff, who reprises her original role as the Mandalorian named Bo-Katan Kryze after first appearing in "The Clone Wars" animated series, learned this the hard way. Of all the innovative techniques that the "Star Wars" franchise has pioneered since the days when George Lucas and Irvin Kershner were behind the camera, the Volume/StageCraft technology used liberally on "The Mandalorian" might rank up there at the top of the list. From the audience's perspective, it's easy to experience a high level of immersion from the comfort of a living room. For the actors themselves, well, that immersion can go awry pretty quickly.
Sackhoff sheepishly admitted as much to Empire, explaining how getting the chance to accompany Mando and the other characters on his spaceship ended up having some unfortunate side effects:
"To be standing on the Razor Crest [spaceship] and getting nauseous, you're getting seasick, it's such a weird experience because you're literally there."
The devil's in the details
Some people can't handle the speed and heights of roller coasters, while others have trouble with motion sickness during bumpy car rides and flights. Put all that together and it might come reasonably close to explaining what some of the cast and crew of "The Mandalorian" experienced during filming of the fan-favorite series.
Of course, there's the other side of the coin, too. "Star Wars" has never been an all-or-nothing enterprise, and "The Mandalorian" is certainly no exception. Pedro Pascal told Empire that certain locations involved in shooting the series, such as the very familiar confines of Tatooine, requires a mix of both practical sets and VFX to fully bring it to life:
"Once you step onto a set like that, you are in the real Tatooine. The detail is astonishing."
"To witness that process in such early stages, it's fascinating. You always get a real sense of what it's going to look like and you're always like, 'Holy s**t. This is going to blow people away."
From what's been revealed about season 3, it's clear that Din Djarin is on a quest for redemption after admitting his faux paus involving the removal of his helmet. Meanwhile, Bo-Katan now appears to be installed as a ruler on Mandalore, with both feet firmly planted on the ground. So, luckily for Sackhoff, perhaps her days of riding shotgun on the Razor Crest are behind her. In any case, fans everywhere likely can't wait to see what the actor brings to the character in the episodes to come.
Season 3 of "The Mandalorian" premieres on Disney+ March 1, 2023.