How Masters Of The Air’s Flight Scenes Were Filmed & How Much Was CGI

Although war dramas like Apple TV+’s Masters of the Air prioritize accuracy, there are some things that filmmakers simply cannot recreate, which leaves audiences wondering how much of the series was CGI, and how exactly they recreated the epic flight sequences. Masters of the Air is a brand-new war drama created by famous World War II television duo Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg. The series is a companion to their previous shows, 2000’s Band of Brothers and 2010’s The Pacific. In particular, it follows the true story of the 100th Bombardment Group, or the “Bloody Hundredth.”

At this point, using CGI in big budget movies and TV is somewhat inevitable. If a project includes fantastical or sci-fi elements, or in the case of Masters of the Air, aspects of war, there is definitely a need for some technological assistance. This is because filmmakers want everything to look as real as possible so that audiences can become truly immersed in the story. When it comes to Masters of the Air, its flight scenes are pivotal to the story. Therefore, CGI and other technology were necessary to really make the series shine.

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Masters Of The Air Used On-Set Virtual Production And CGI To Film Its Flight Scenes

The first step Masters of the Air’s creators took when filming the drama’s flight scenes was using on-set virtual production. On-set virtual production, otherwise known as OSVP or The Volume, is a form of entertainment technology which includes a series of LED panels that are used as a backdrop on set, and which display videos and images in real time. In some ways, it is like a step up from a green screen. This type of technology only recently became popular when it was used for Disney+’s The Mandalorian. Masters of the Air’s OSVP was managed by Lux Machina.

On top of the OSVP, Masters of the Air used CGI as well. In an interview with Total Film, Masters of the Air producer Gary Goetzman said that, “Really, it’s primarily a CGI situation – so it’s just about those cockpits, and making those boys feel like they’re really in it. So it’s having screens around them, and having [CG] planes fly by them in real time.” Based on this quote, it seems that Masters of the Air used OSVP to simulate being in the sky, and then, used CGI to add in other elements such as other planes and explosions.

Masters Of The Air Built Full Planes & Cockpits For Its Actors

While CGI technology can be very cool, the best part of Masters of the Air’s flight sequences were their practical effects. Goetzman told Total Film that on Masters of the Air, “[they] built a couple of planes from scratch, a couple of extra cockpits, and the fuselage of the plane, and the tail gunner positions.” In this way, the cast of Masters of the Air were not simply surrounded by screens, but were able to dive fully into the experience by sitting in an actual cockpit with levers and buttons. Overall, this made Masters of the Air feel especially real.