{"id":7613,"date":"2021-09-07T06:13:35","date_gmt":"2021-09-07T10:13:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/desis.osu.edu\/seniorthesis\/?p=7613"},"modified":"2021-09-07T15:28:51","modified_gmt":"2021-09-07T19:28:51","slug":"the-art-of-designing-star-wars-galaxys-edge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/desis.osu.edu\/seniorthesis\/index.php\/2021\/09\/07\/the-art-of-designing-star-wars-galaxys-edge\/","title":{"rendered":"THE ART OF DESIGNING STAR WARS: GALAXY\u2019S EDGE"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By:<\/strong> Kristin Baver<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Publisher: <\/strong>Starwars.com<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Date: <\/strong>August 14th 2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For years, the cinematic wonder of the Star Wars<\/em> galaxy has captured imaginations, transporting viewers off this rock and hurtling into adventure through hyperspace. It\u2019s a universe unlike any other, filled with planets and creatures that are at once completely alien and somehow totally familiar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Black<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

But to make the galaxy out of brick and mortar inside Star Wars<\/em>: Galaxy\u2019s Edge, where fans could step onto the dusty surface of a real Star Wars<\/em> planet for the first time, artists and designers couldn\u2019t entirely rely on the same movie magic that brings those worlds to life on screen. The project is the culmination of Lucasfilm VP and Executive Creative Director Doug Chiang\u2019s lifelong love of the saga and individual artistic expertise. \u201cOf all the Star Wars<\/em> experiences, whether it\u2019s a video game or a film or a themed attraction, this is one of the most challenging and the most fulfilling for me,\u201d he says. \u201cIt reminds me of when I first saw Star Wars<\/em> when I was 15. When I saw it in the cinema, it was amazing. But I really wanted to go there and visit that place. And now we can.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Black<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The truth is, from the beginning, Star Wars<\/em> storytelling has been grounded in reality, an attribute that helped the design team for the new themed-land now open at Disneyland<\/em>\u00ae<\/a> Resort and opening August 29 at Walt Disney World<\/em>\u00ae Resort. \u201cWe try to give it that layer of reality, that history,\u201d Chiang adds. \u201cWho has been living here? What have they done here?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt really just looks so realistic,\u201d says Kirstin Makela, Walt Disney Imagineering\u2019s art director on the project. \u201cWe want our guests to feel like they\u2019re in a new environment that also feels familiar to the world of Star Wars<\/em>, but gives them a sense of adventure that they can actually make this world their own.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, making something feel real in a movie and making something realistic that holds up to the naked eye and all five senses are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Star<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Imagined nature meets imagination<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The planet of Batuu and Black Spire Outpost started out just like any other Star Wars<\/em> setting: as concept art. Erik Tiemens, a longtime concept design supervisor for Lucasfilm and Star Wars<\/em>: Galaxy\u2019s Edge, was part of the crew that traveled to Turkey and Morocco in search of real-world inspirations, personally shooting nearly 3,000 reference photos to help inspire those earliest iterations. <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reference photo taken by Erik Tiemens in Istanbul for Star Wars<\/em>: Galaxy\u2019s Edge park design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At its core, Black Spire Outpost could only be realized fully if the planetary surface felt natural and authentic. Tiemens dug into geological research of petrified trees and sedimentary rock work, merging the two. \u201cI wanted it to be very simple,\u201d he says. \u201cThe first exploration was between good and evil in the landscape.\u201d Color was peppered throughout to evoke emotion and symbolism, with playful pops and washes in the marketplace acting almost as an invitation to come wander the stalls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Star<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOne of the fun challenges of designing Star Wars<\/em>: Galaxy\u2019s Edge is that we were creating a unique landscape that was grounded in reality,\u201d Chiang adds. \u201cWe had to make sure that the landscape actually had a geological history, that you could actually understand how the land was formed and that made it feel real, that it wasn\u2019t fantasy\u2026.So you saw these horizontal strata mixed with a vertical spires. It kind of grounds it in something that\u2019s very familiar, but yet it kind of takes it to another level.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reference photo taken by Erik Tiemens in Marrakesh for Star Wars<\/em>: Galaxy\u2019s Edge park design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Building the outpost on top of that geographical base gave it a sense of time and a placement in galactic history. Designers sought to reverse-engineer the world to peel back layers and reveal different moments. Buildings that were just being built were aged to appear as if they had weathered long years, relics from ancient cultures were co-mingled with the newer construction that heralded the arrival of the First Order and the Resistance. \u201cWe look at a wall, we might see blaster marks,\u201d Tiemens says, inspiring viewers to think, \u201c\u2018Oh, there was some event there.\u2019 Just looking at the village itself, Black Spire Outpost is trying to tell a story.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Wall<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Lessons from George Lucas<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tiemens, like Chiang, owes his career to being completely enveloped in Star Wars<\/em> from the moment he saw it as a seven-year-old. \u201cThe original Star Wars<\/em> movie, that really left sort of an indelible impression.\u201d The design of the galaxy far, far away inspired him to seek out a Joe Johnston sketch book and begin honing his own skills as an artist. \u201cYou would remember things even at a subliminal level \u2014 the textures and the lighting on the original cantina, the exterior of that.\u201d And through his study, personally and professionally, he learned that a key component in creating Star Wars<\/em> was for designers to bring their own perspective to the mix. \u201cA big influence in the design process would be looking at what\u2019s inside yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marketplace<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

For Star Wars<\/em>: Galaxy\u2019s Edge, the marching orders for the design approach were part period film, part city planner. \u201cLike it was a real location,\u201d Chiang says. Batuu as we experience it on our planet had to blend together as one seamless and cohesive world, just as if we had stepped inside of a Star Wars<\/em> film and onto a real planet in the Outer Rim. \u201cA big challenge for us in designing Batuu is we had to make sure it all integrated,\u201d Chiang says. \u201cMy trick was to approach it like how we design for films. For films, we try to create a world that\u2019s very believable, from a very specific point of view.\u201d It was more science fantasy than space future. \u201cThis was a lesson that I learned from George [Lucas], because he considered Star Wars<\/em> not as science fiction, he always considered it a period film. So we designed it like a period film.\u201d  <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reference photo taken by Erik Tiemens in Marrakesh for Star Wars<\/em>: Galaxy\u2019s Edge park design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The designers followed some of the same basic tenets that gave the original film its unique used-future aesthetic and utilized Tiemens\u2019 wealth of reference photos of \u201cactual streets, actual pavers, mismatched doors, amazing things\u201d from his travels abroad. \u201cWe were kind of seeking a little bit of the strange, the anomalies. I think George was always interested in that in the original Star Wars<\/em>.\u201d  To make Batuu feel lived-in and give the place the weight of its epic history, designers were attentive to details that organically occur in real locations over the centuries, like unusual marks and asymmetrical compositions that crop up over time. \u201cWe were all searching for what we could do that enhances the space but not make it generic or predictable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Kids<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Translating cinematic marvels into something that would hold up to the naked eye called for more 360-degree thinking. \u201cIt can\u2019t just be a movie set where things drop off and there\u2019s going to be a matte painting and a blue screen,\u201d Tiemens says. \u201cThis a space that actually has to function.\u201d For example, the Millennium Falcon<\/em> and individual spires were placed just so to take advantage of sight lines and sunlight and crafted with the utmost care. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Black<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Makela calls the technique \u201canthropology mixed with art direction.\u201d Artisans gave the petrified forest surrounding Black Spire Outpost personality by carefully hand-carving and hand-painting each sprire. \u201cThey think so deeply about how those rocks translate not only up close but as they start to recede back and back and back,\u201d she says. \u201cThey\u2019ll actually paint different layers of color around a spire. If you see it from one angle and you\u2019re closer, it\u2019ll be a little more saturated, but if you\u2019re seeing it from another angle, they\u2019ll actually paint it more faded. They\u2019re thinking about everything 360.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Guests<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Absolutely real\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Batuu had to look like it had already stood for thousands of years and it had to be built to last for future generations. \u201cWe have to make it real. And that means we have to make it out of real concrete. Dirt is dirt. Steel is steel,\u201d Chiang says. \u201cAnd for me, I think the hardest part was realizing that, OK, all the tricks I know in terms of production design for a film set we couldn\u2019t use.\u201d That was especially true during the site-planning phase. \u201cIn cinema, we can have edits,\u201d Chiang adds. \u201cWe can cheat things by making things out of plywood or foam to simulate concrete and steel. For a theme park, we can\u2019t. It has to be absolutely real.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Star<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The end result, marrying mythical proportions to realistic elements, is truly something that must be seen to be believed and fully appreciated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTo be honest, I never thought I\u2019d be working on something like this because this was so beyond anything that I could comprehend,\u201d Chiang says. \u201cThe fact that five years later we\u2019ve actually built this is surreal because all the love and hard work that everybody put into it is there and I just can\u2019t wait for people to experience it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check out even more images from Marrakesh and Istanbul, captured as reference photos by Erik Tiemens, below!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Source: <\/strong>https:\/\/www.starwars.com\/news\/star-wars-galaxys-edge-art-and-design<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Comment: <\/strong>This article focuses on the design and artistic approach Disney took while working on Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge. This article particularly mentions the asymmetry seen throughout the land that provides an authentic experience as if the environment has been lived in along with the one of a kind pieces Disney manufactures and produces. I think that these environments and one of a kind pieces are a perfect opportunity for large scale additive manufacturing to step in and take a place in the sort of magic Disney and other theme parks produce. The ability for Cincinnati Inc to incorporate metal components into the prints also assists from the standpoint of rigidity which could allow the prints to be utilized as carts for rides, or have other mechanical properties. Another large use for AM tech at a place like Disney would be the potential for it to create internal environments such as a cave. Concrete could be spread on the floors, walls, and ceiling to add an extra layer of realism, completely hiding the 3D printed pieces.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By: Kristin Baver Publisher: Starwars.com Date: August 14th 2019 For years, the cinematic wonder of the Star Wars galaxy has captured imaginations, transporting viewers off this rock and hurtling into adventure through hyperspace. It\u2019s a universe unlike any other, filled with planets and creatures that are at once completely alien and somehow totally familiar. But to make […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":37,"featured_media":7614,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-7613","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-arts"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/desis.osu.edu\/seniorthesis\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7613","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/desis.osu.edu\/seniorthesis\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/desis.osu.edu\/seniorthesis\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/desis.osu.edu\/seniorthesis\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/37"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/desis.osu.edu\/seniorthesis\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7613"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/desis.osu.edu\/seniorthesis\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7613\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7764,"href":"https:\/\/desis.osu.edu\/seniorthesis\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7613\/revisions\/7764"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/desis.osu.edu\/seniorthesis\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7614"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/desis.osu.edu\/seniorthesis\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7613"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/desis.osu.edu\/seniorthesis\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7613"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/desis.osu.edu\/seniorthesis\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7613"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}