Movies News Talk
The Acolyte has effectively avoided a key Lightsaber problem afflicting the Obi-Wan Kenobi Disney+ TV program. Modern Disney lightsabers are just glow-sticks, a development from prequel technology as they produce actual light, resulting in much better cinematography. Sadly, Obi-Wan Kenobi exposed the issues with blue lightsabers; captured with digital cameras, this can lead to something known as "chroma clipped." The colors don't really stand out, so Obi-Wan Kenobi was under great criticism.
The Acolyte boasts several Lightsaber hues, and Screen Rant had the chance to interview Emmy-Winning principal cinematographer Chris Teague of the program. He clarified how the crew worked hard to make sure it wasn't a problem and that testing did in fact find this issue. This especially applied to evening situations.
Set at the tail-end of the High Republic Era, a century before the Skywalker story, The Acolyte employs more lightsaber colors and designs than anything Lucas has ever produced. This meant it was a special challenge for Disney's staff, but thus far it appears to have been passed with perfect marks. From Obi-wan Kenobi, the mix of still developing lightsaber technology and meticulous digital testing for light seemed to have solved the issue.
The fascinating issue is whether this will still be the case in the next episode. At the end of The Acolyte episode 4, a Sith emerged from the forest canopy as the sun sank on the planet Khofar. Following on from this, Trailers have featured innumerable action scenes staged in the night. That suggests the lightsaber technology is about to be tested; the night scenes in Obi-wan Kenobi were the really troublesome ones.
"You know, we discovered in our early testing that the look we were creating for the camera had some difficulties, especially in the blue parts where a very saturated blue would sort of skew in a somewhat unusual manner. We therefore had to somewhat change the appearance to safeguard for that blue and ensure that truly came across as precisely as feasible. There was therefore that element to it. Then for the night work with all these lightsabers, it is all about creating this balance, where you provide a reasonable degree of light on the set that feels dark enough to believe it's night. We still want to see the space, but we also want to sell the fact that it's night understanding that we're not the type of event we're aiming to have everyone fall off and into full shadow. Actually, the lightsabers help with that since they produce this brilliant highlight and the trick of the eye that always occurs. And one of the best ways to sell night on camera is that, should you have a light source, you know, it's some for some reason; it simply makes the rest of the world seem darker basically. And thus the lightsaber has truly been of great use to us.
Surprising events abound in the Acolyte, which takes set in the High Republic Era, one century before the Skywalker story. This presentation promises to be bursting with lightsaber innovations with a lightsaber sequence that "breaks all the rules" and a Lightsaber Whip being presented for the first time ever. It's not only about the lightsabers' color and design; furthermore, it's about how the technology itself has developed.
Lucasfilm has assured further flips and twists in lightsaber technology in meantime. While showrunner Leslye Headland has also hinted at another lightsaber scenario that defies all the guidelines somehow, the Acolyte will have the first ever live-action lightsaber whip. Seeing Star Wars' actual lightsaber technology keep developing will be exciting.
Set in the Star Wars world toward the conclusion of the High Republic Era, the television series The Acolyte follows the Jedi and the Galactic Empire while they were most influential. Investigating various killings, this sci-fi thriller sees a former Padawan reunite with her former Jedi Master as they uncover deadly secrets beneath the surface ready to bring about the downfall of the High Republic. With lightsaber action and clever twists and turns, the Acolyte is guaranteed to be a visually spectacular production. Fans of the Star Wars world as well as those seeking a fresh and captivating sci-fi thriller will find great enjoyment in this program.