MANHATTAN BEACH STUDIOS (Los Angeles): The Volume.
The main soundstage for The Mandalorian is located in Manhattan Beach, a city in in southwestern Los Angeles County. But don’t kid yourself, you won’t find surfers or sand at this Studio, only a 360-degree stage of seamless LED panel screens.
This soundstage is known as ‘The Volume’ and it’s already changing the future of film due to its size and technology.
Yes, we too thought there was nothing new under the sun regarding films. But all of a sudden, someone comes up with the idea of covering the walls and ceiling of a soundstage with LED panels and BOOM! A revolutionary way of filming is born!
Filming people in front of a moving background isn’t new technology however, what ‘The Volume’ does different is that can change the background in real-time to match the camera’s movement.
It is like being inside a video game, the crew affirms. Even executive producer Dave Filoni has praised the photorealistic look it gives to the shot.
An immersive experience that may be the end of green screen technology completely. In fact, now there are replica set-ups of ‘The Volume’ in places like England or Australia.
For those of us who like traveling to visit real filming locations, it is a bit reassuring to know that The Mandalorian production team at least did go to places like Iceland or Chile to capture those “exotic” sceneries that then were turned into a digital background. So traveling the world in search for other worldly sets is never really going to be over.
EL SEGUNDO (Los Angeles): Outdoor film set.
El Segundo is a city in Los Angeles County where most of the outdoor film sets used in The Mandalorian were located, pretty near Manhattan Beach only a ten-minute drive away.
But wait! Don’t buy the plane ticket to visit this filming location, because sadly the sets were demolished once the shooting was over. So visiting them is an impossible mission.
SIMI VALLEY (Ventura): Boba Fett against Stormtrooper.
Simi Valley is a dry and rocky valley in the southeast region of California. And it is located in the Ventura County, an hour away from Los Angeles. This valley is recognisable for being the filming location of the scene where Boba Fett fights the Stormtroopers in episode 14 of season two of the show.
The extreme aridity of the land limited the used of explosives in this scene. And what is a Star Wars fight without something blowing up in the air?
Thankfully, the special effects team did its magic carefully controlling the fire, and the visual effects did the rest to serve us with a fair share of detonations!
STAR WARS BARS (Los Angeles): Enjoy the best themed places in LA.
The Mandalorian futuristic shooting in a soundstage has left us with fewer real locations to visit. But if there is city that knows how to recreate galactic sceneries in everyday places is Los Angeles! In this city you have plenty of options to enjoy a meal or a couple of drinks in a Star Wars environment!
Are you up for a movie night in a cinema with a restaurant menu that focuses on film-inspired classics? You have to visit Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Downtown LA. Or maybe you prefer sharing a cocktail with Baby Yoda? The Scum and Villainy Cantina in Hollywood is your place! An intergalactic bar inspired by the best drinking establishments from your favourite sci-fi and fantasy movie!
