StarWars.com: 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’s a universe unlike any other, filled with planets and creatures that are at once completely alien and somehow totally familiar.
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When I first read the article, I did not understand how the designers would make a seemingly imaginary world “grounded in reality”. What they meant was giving the site history and time. I’m amazed by the dedication they had to achieve this. For example, the designers mentioned that they reverse-engineered the structures, aging them to make them look old. By doing this, the structures don’t look like sets, but rather as buildings that have stood over thousands of years. I agree that giving geological history, or any sort of history, to a landscape is extremely important and could totally be applied to designing for theatre. While we have to acknowledge the purposes between a theme park and theatre are vastly different, it’s universal that a compelling story can be aided by convincing designs.
One thing that I also really liked about the designers’ process with the Star Wars theme park is that they took advantage of physical elements too, such as sightlines and sunlight as they mentioned. Their attention to detail also contributed to the success of the designs, particularly how they handpainted the spiral rocks to make them look different when looking from different angles. Many of the designs processes mentioned in the article can be applied to theatre here.
The art of inspiration manipulation is fantastically brilliant based on the photos provided. I commented earlier on an article about the resort opening, but the facts about the design are even more fascinating and inspiring. Looking into the reference images and how they took details from locations such as Istanbul markets to design a science fiction/dystopian future market blow my mind. The various arches, color pallet, and placement of shops transfer between Istanbul and the resort very clearly, but even small things such as fictional weapons, metal-cast slide doors, or a Death Star resistance logo here or there make the immersion experience for me. Even online, I feel as though I’m looking at a real location, and I LOVE IT! The focus in the little details seems to be the designers at Disney’s best skill, and it’s a skill I envy and hope to improve throughout college and life in general. I hope one day to create even close the amount of excitement and inspiration that creations such as Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge creates in me every time I see the amount of effort and miniscule details going into the project.
I grew up appreciating Disney—more specifically their meticulous attention to detail. Having been to Disneyland before, I know firsthand that every attraction and “land” has been painstakingly designed down to even the choice of plants. What makes theme parks unique as an entertainment venue for consumers is the tangible factor of the space itself. Like this article mentions, there is a significant difference between design for cinema and design for a park—in the latter the ‘audience’ can physically walk through the space, lean in up close to see the textures. In this case, every detail matters, and the full effect cannot be communicated unless every single detail has been thought of. As a designer who values the importance of research, really appreciate how much thought and effort went into the design of Galaxy’s Edge. From the blaster marks on the wall, to giving the landscape its own backstory, the designers seemingly ticked all the boxes.
Theme parks and immersive entertainment are exploding as an industry. This has posed really unique challenges as designers, artists, and production teams since, as the article points out, we can't use the same tricks we are used to doing (particularly in a theatrical setting). Fortunately, as the article points out, so much of the original film is grounded in the world we live in today, even if it isn't in the same time period (or the same galaxy for that matter). So much of what you can see in the photos could be found on earth today, albeit with a specific paint treatment. This simultaneously helps us construct the scenery and effects since they aren't out-of-this-world, yet poses the new challenge of using manufacturing processes normally considered beyond the scope of theatre and movies.
I really like where Disney took Galaxy’s Edge to. Often times in their amusement parks you walk into an area and you can tell by just looking at it that an object is not what it appears to be. Almost like its too perfect or just not good enough. This becomes especially true with things that you can touch, like buildings and such. Galaxy’s Edge is a whole world in one of their theme parks which mean a lot of it shouldn’t be faked. It those moments when you touch something or look at something and realize it isn’t what it pretends to be. It takes you out of the world and you just feel disappointed whether that’s for a moment or the rest of the trip. However, I like what Chiang explains in this article. Batuu needed to be made of materials that are actually what they would be made of. So, a steel door would have to be made of steel and not plywood, foam and other. I think it is great that this was recognized and really is what will make Disney stand out. It will be more expensive, but it will also make me want to come back over and over. If something is fake, once I notice it, its never the same. The dream is lost, and I am okay never going back.
Disneyland is 30 minutes from my house, and I go there a lot. Star Wars Land is easily the most detailed Disney attraction to date. I think what is so impressive about it is the size, and how they took a space and truly transformed it into this world that many people only dreamt of coming. Now, all Star Wars fans get to experience the place they always dreamed of. I think that what could go unnoticed but makes a world of difference in creating the realistic land is the tree and shrubbery they added.I think without it, It wouldn't look realistic. Also, very un-Disney-like of them, they let the rough edges of set pieces show, instead of blasting it with their usual shiny coating. I can't wait to visit Star Wars land when I go home for Christmas!
I have been fortunate enough to visit Galaxy’s Edge on both coasts, but frequent Disney’s Hollywood Studios one in Orlando. I remember when the land first opened, every single guest who walked in dropped their jaw and let themselves get fully immersed in the world. Imagineers did a flawless job in making sure every detail continued the experience for guests and transported them to Batuu. Both rides are super immersive and unique, and Rise of the Resistance could be argued to be one of the greatest attractions of all time. I will say, however, that there is no time like your first ride as the different rooms get revealed. All of the shops and restaurants on Batuu are equally as immersive, and the cherry on top was that the cast members working in the land keep guests immersed by using jargon that is specific to the StarWars universe. Fan or not, Galaxy’s Edge is a place like no other and I highly recommend visiting.
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