Bringing the popular anime series One Piece to life is a project that would require from its studio lots of visual effects. To achieve this, editors usually rely on the power of green screens and CGI, something that the show’s director heavily advises against.
One Piece’s success on streaming media already guaranteed a second season, and one of its strong points is the use of practical background sets that make viewing more immersive and realistic.
Netflix’s One Piece Used Practical Sets And Natural Daylight Instead Of CGI Effects
One Piece director of photography Nicole Hirsch Whitaker spoke with The Direct and revealed that the show’s director opted out of using green screens during production. She said Marc Jobst “comes from the theater” and he was “very much against that type of filmmaking.” Whitaker noted the importance of letting the actors feel they are in a real environment:
“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.”
The innovation of Volume, a soundstage technology that utilizes large format screens instead of green screens, has made tremendous changes in the world of filmmaking. While Whitaker described this as incredible, she believes it does not suit a show like One Piece. She further added:
“The Volume is incredible, it’s amazing, and it’s a wonderful tool. And it’s really important because we have to embrace it for so many reasons. But I think for this show, a story about family and being out in the world with a lot of exteriors and a lot of daylight, I think this was the right way to go.”
For some stunning scenes that looked like they were made out of CGI, Whitaker reiterated they were purely practical settings. She remarked that “almost all of the work during the day on the water was practical” and they got to “use natural light and natural settings” for the actors to feel that they are really in the middle of the ocean.
It is absolutely refreshing to know that many filmmakers still opt to use real environments, such as going to castles and shooting in water, instead of relying on green screens. After all, One Piece is a show that should make the viewers feel they are also part of the ragtag team’s adventures.
Marvel Actors Despised Working With Green Screens
While the production crew behind One Piece chose to steer clear of the use of green screens, Marvel Studios is widely recognized for its extensive use of it. Fans deeply enjoy watching the films, but many MCU stars claim they did not find it pleasant working on stages or with blank screens.
Christian Bale, who starred as Gorr the God Butcher in Thor: Love and Thunder, shared with GQ his unsatisfactory experience working on the movie:
“The definition of it is monotony… Can you differentiate one day from the next? No. Absolutely not. You have no idea what to do. I couldn’t even differentiate one stage from the next.”
Chris Evans, who is widely known for his portrayal of Captain America, spoke highly of the practical sets from his 2013 movie Snowpiercer. He stated via GQ:
“[It was] incredibly helpful with the tangible environment as opposed to Marvel when you’re talking to green screens and imaginary aliens. Everything was right there for you to touch and react with.”
Working with green screens may save time and money, but nothing beats the beauty of filming in a real environment.
One Piece Season 1 is now streaming on Netflix.
Sources: The Direct, GQ 1,2
