Walt Disney Imagineering has shared a behind-the-scenes look at how Disney Live Entertainment created Grogu’s shadow puppet-filled new moment in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland.
Behind the Scenes of ‘The Curious Child’
The video, shared by the official Imagineering Instagram account, takes viewers into Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland Park after dark, where crews are shown programming the nighttime projections on the spires of Batuu near the Millennium Falcon.
KC, Video Systems Design Manager with Disney Live Entertainment, explains that the team was working on The Curious Child, a new post-show connected to the release of Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu.
The limited-time show plays following Shadows of Memory: A Skywalker Saga, the projection display that transforms the rocky spires behind the Millennium Falcon into a massive storytelling canvas.
Rather than presenting the effect as a purely digital projection, KC describes the work as a form of “shadow play.” The video shows the team using simple physical cutouts and light to create recognizable shapes, including Grogu’s silhouette.
These shapes are then translated into the larger projection environment, with the spires of Batuu effectively serving as the screen.
The footage then shows a behind-the-scenes programming interface, where the rockwork and projector positions are mapped out on a computer. The display includes labeled elements for rockwork and projectors, giving a glimpse at how the show is aligned to the irregular surfaces of Galaxy’s Edge.
The video emphasizes that the team used “ancient storytelling” techniques with modern show technology, blending practical shadow effects, animation, projection mapping, and lighting design.
One of the most interesting moments in the reel shows Grogu’s silhouette being animated. The video explains that the team used movement reference from animators and choreography to help shape Grogu’s physical performance in shadow form.
The Curious Child is about three minutes long and features Grogu a.k.a. The Child or Baby Yoda using the Force to revisit memories of his travels with Din Djarin.
Check out the original video from Imagineering on Instagram below:
You can also check out our POV coverage of the show from WDWNT POV on YouTube:
Have you had the chance to watch The Curious Child in person? Tell us about the experience on social media!
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