Even though it was released back in December, we still can't stop dissecting and discussing every frame of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. A true experiment by Lucasfilm and Disney, Rogue One was a learning experience in how to craft fascinating Star Wars stories that aren't directly connected to the main franchise. But it also appears that a few other hard lessons were learned, especially when it came to the motion capture work done by Firefly actor Alan Tudyk.
Rogue One producer/visual affects supervisor John Knoll recently spoke at last weekend's Star Wars Celebration about the learning process associated with producing the standalone film. This includes motion capture work, because K-2SO actor Alan Tudyk reportedly suffered some on set injuries that could have been avoided. He said (via StarWars.com):
The sparks would hit the suit and would actually burn through. So, yeah, future suits will be fireproof.
Well, this sounds about right. If you're going to have an actor run around a live set with little more than some spandex, you may want to make sure they at least have some fire protection. Let's hope Lupita Nyong'o gets some fireproof suits in her next outing as Maz Kanata.
Motion capture is one of the most fascinating new aspects of film production. Because while voicing CGI/animated characters used to be as simple as stepping into a recording studio, it's now become common practice for actors to get their hands a bit more dirty. Motion capture technology will help bring an actor's physicality and facial expressions to life, allowing for voice performances to become more detailed and nuanced work.
But there are still some voice acting roles that don't involve the process of motion capture. The Guardians of the Galaxy franchise in particular doesn't require Bradley Cooper to be onset while the rest of the cast films. And they're likely going to continue this process when the Guardians crossover in Avengers: Infinity War.
But regardless of how blockbusters handle their voice acting, actor safety should be a priority. While Alan Tudyk didn't fall victim to a major accident on the set of Rogue One, he did sustain quite a few burns from falling sparks. The Star Wars franchise has never been cheap in regards to explosions and action, so John Knoll's resolve to make sure each future motion picture suit is fireproof is a step in the right direction.
The next trip into the galaxy far, far away will be Star Wars: The Last Jedi on December 15th, 2017. Be sure to check out our full 2017 premiere list and plan your next trip to the movies.
