In light of The Acolyte’s much anticipated season finale, Metastage is reflecting on one of our favorite collaborations. Last year, Metastage and Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) joined forces to redefine the essence of holographic magic in the Star Wars universe through their collaboration on Ahsoka.
Unlike any of the Star Wars activations before it, Ahsoka features holographic characters and scenes created using 3D data from Metastage’s state-of-the-art volumetric capture studio in Los Angeles. In other words, the holograms in the show are actual holograms!
Flexibility in Post
Volumetric capture continues to revolutionize visual effects workflows by providing high-fidelity 3D representations of real actors and environments for seamless integration into traditional 2D scenes.
Real-world performances are captured by 106 machine-vision cameras and compressed into “holographic” assets, preserving all the human nuances, micro facial expressions, gestures, and detailed movements of each performer. VFX artists have tremendous flexibility in post production to integrate and adjust these performances in-scene without needing to reshoot. This kind of adaptability reduces strain on talent, enhances the realism of the visual effects, streamlines physical production, and provides a more immersive/engaging experience for audiences.
While the current state of holographic display technology has not yet caught up to the futuristic world of Star Wars, Metastage’s dedication to pushing boundaries and ILM’s commitment to visual excellence converge in Ahsoka, offering viewers a glimpse into the limitless possibilities of modern visual effects.
This collaboration marks a profoundly exciting step forward in the portrayal of holograms in the Star Wars universe, which have become more than just a narrative device — they are technological feats in their own right.
Ready to learn more about volumetric capture, or see how it can breathe life into your next project?
Send us an email at team@metastage.com to set up a call!