I have a confession to make (easy Reverend, you’ll get your chance!) in that I know nothing about One Piece. I vaguely understand that it is based on a well-known Manga series, yet I haven’t seen a single minute of it.
I also know that every single Outposter who has seen it seems to rave about it. This makes me want to check it out as soon as I can find a gap in my busy schedule between hate-watching Ahsoka and drinking heavily.
The production is noted for using real sets and making use of location shooting. In an interview with The Direct, cinematographer Nicole Hirsch Whitaker has said they considered using The Volume/StageCraft technology but the director was not in favor:
“My director comes from the theater. So I think he was very much against that type of filmmaking for a show like this… He really felt like it was important for the actors to be in a real environment.
Even when we shot [the] Gold Roger [sequence], even though that was a lot of blue screen, he took us to a real location and we shot in a castle so that they were surrounded by the walls and that they felt like they were in a space.
Everybody else wanted us to shoot in a parking lot. He was like, ‘No, we’re not going to do that. We need them to feel there. And know where they are.’ And I really respect him for that.”
She has no problem with The Volume technology in itself and agrees it is a useful tool, but it has to be the right fit for the production. The series is $138 million for the eight-episode run, so under $18 million per episode. For comparison, Rings Of Power is nearly $90 million per episode and Game Of Thrones was around $15 million per episode for its final season.
One Piece is currently on Netflix.
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