Do you believe in magic?

Once again, the return of Light & Magic wants to remind us that the team at Lucasfilm’s visual effects company, Industrial Light & Magic, certainly do. In the second season, Light & Magic highlights ILM’s push into the digital dawn. As the 90s moved forward, so did audiences yearn for something new… and ILM wanted to bring it to them. From the world’s first fully realized CG character to the challenges of digital water, ILM continued to fight technological limitations to push the boundaries of the cinematic experience.

With the return of Light & Magic though, the series notes some differences from its previous episodes. With the rise of digital, George Lucas (and, subsequently, ILM) shift their focus to the awesome power of CGI. Almost gone is the emphasis upon practical effects as the ILM team explores the incredible opportunity that they have to make the impossible possible. With the development of the Star Wars prequels, ILM did more than simply continue a saga, they strove to change the entertainment experience. And, as the forerunners of digital technology of the time, it’s hard to argue that they didn’t. In this way, Light & Magic does an excellent job of exploring the impact that Lucas and his team had upon the industry as a whole.

Nevertheless, despite the joy of the series, there are moments that one wishes could be explored more in-depth. For example, whereas the first season ended with a period of mourning for the loss of practical effects and those who subsequently lost their jobs, the digital revolution essentially washes over this conversation. Similarly, the series hints of the relationship of constant digital effects and the wear that it had on its increasingly unimpressed audience yet moves forward quickly. Finally, the tease of competition from companies such as Weta doesn’t really step into the ways that affected ILM’s team. (For example, when speaking about ILM’s missed chance on Avatar, it’s suggested that the corporate heads weren’t willing to take the risk on the advanced effects but the series never goes deeper than that.) 

Moments like these are worth exploring as they reveal the impact that this change was having on the industry during a time of incredible change. As a result, while it’s fine that Light & Magic chooses instead to focus on ILM’s accomplishments, one can’t deny that the series feels like it has its share of missed opportunities.

Yet Light & Magic does a good job of reminding us that, even though the world had changed, ILM’s vision remained the same. 

Refreshed by the digital age the drive for making magic onscreen remained as vibrant as ever. Love him or hate him, the creation of Jar Jar Binks was a true benchmark for digital technology and is properly celebrated here. The complexity of the creation of Davy Jones from the Pirates of the Caribbean films explored in depth. Even unexpected films such as Rango and War of the Worlds have their moments of glory. It’s here that Light & Magic truly shines. 

In Light & Magic, the emphasis has always been how ILM has fought to make new worlds feel authentic. And that is fully on display in the second season, just as it was in the first. With new technology comes new challenges. Whether those battles are being fought on a desktop screen or shooting practical set models, that doesn’t make their feats any less impressive.  ILM has always been obsessed with wonder. And Light & Magic never allows us to view them as anything but innovators in an ever-evolving technological battle. 

Ending with the 2017 closure of their original building, there’s a certain sense of finality to the second season of Light & Magic. However, it’s also clear that there’s still story to tell. After all, ILM has always been a company that charges towards the future, and there’s still a lot more of that to come.

Light & Magic – Season Two is available on Disney+ now.