The Mandalorian: 10 Facts You Didn't Know About The Razor Crest
8. Filming The Ship Is A Mix Of Old And New Technologies
When Jon Favreau decided he wanted to use a practical model for the Razor Crest, it would be the first motion control shots made by ILM since 2005.
Favreau's vision necessitated the creation of a whole new camera rig system using modern 3D printing and machining, as there was nothing currently available that could do what he hoped. ILM engineers were up to the task, allowing for glorious panning shots of the ship travelling through space.
Despite this modern tech, the crew still use some very old-school techniques unique to model work. For example, camera crews used a simple technique of surrounding the model with canvas backdrops painted like a desert planet to get the proper reflections and colours on the shiny aluminum of the model. An old trick brought to new life.
For Star Wars Celebration in 2019, Favreau wanted to show off a tracking shot of the Razor Crest model. At that point, the new camera system wasn't ready, so the crew had to rent an older motion-control system using 1992 hardware and software, all to get a five-second shot of the ship.
Luckily, Lucasfilm and ILM must be great places to work, as there were still one or two ILM employees who had used this 30-year old tech at the start of their careers.