Since The Mandalorian pioneered the use of StageCraft video wall technology, every live-action Star Wars series that has followed has been made using the incredible studio set known as the Volume.

However, the newest arrival from the galaxy far, far away, Andor, is not following that trend and has instead been filmed in real-life locations and traditional studio sets.

But where exactly was Andor filmed and why did the crew choose real filming locations over the Volume?

Andor will land on Disney+ on Wednesday, September 21, 2022.

Beginning five years before the events of Rogue One, the series tells the story of the burgeoning Rebel Alliance and how it grew from a handful of individuals into the fighting force that managed to wipe out the Galactic Empire.

At its heart, the series focuses on the titular Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) and follows his journey from being a good-for-nothing thief into a hero of the Rebellion.

But Cassian’s rebellious quest will not be an easy one as the galaxy is being pounded into submission by an Empire at the peak of its powers while intrigue, deception and betrayal lurk around every corner.

Andor was filmed at a number of locations across the United Kingdom.

Filming on the project began in November 2020 after several delays thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic and continued for 10 months until September 2021.

The production of Andor was based primarily at the famed Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire, around 18 miles from London, where much of the interior studio-based filming took place.

However, the series also made use of real-life locations up and down the UK including quarries in Little Marlow in Buckinghamshire, not far from Pinewood Studios as well as the disused Winspit quarry in Dorset, Middle Peak Quarry near Wirksworth in Derbyshire and the Coryton Oil Refinery in Corringham, Essex.

Filming also moved north to the seaside town of Cleveleys on the Fylde Coast near Blackpool as well as across the border into Scotland where production took place at the stunning Glen Tilt in Perthshire and the nearby Cruachan Dam which features in a number of Andor’s trailers.

Unlike The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett and Obi-Wan Kenobi, Andor did not use the innovative StageCraft technology that has exploded in popularity in recent years.

Rather than filming in a studio surrounded by LED screens, the production used as many real-world locations and traditional sets as possible.

Speaking to IGN at Star Wars Celebration earlier in 2022, Andor’s executive producer, Sanne Wohlenberg,said: “We haven’t been working with StageCraft at all for our show, no.”

Instead, Wohlenberg revealed that the decision was made to shoot “as much on camera” as possible because Tony Gilroy’s writing for the series did not lend itself to the confines of the Volume set.

“We can be different,” added Cassian Andor actor Diego Luna. “Rogue One in a way was kind of an homage to the original Star Wars, A New Hope, and that kind of very theatrical way of shooting where stuff is actually there and you can interact with that. And I think we had a lot of that on this one and it’s beautiful as an actor to react to real stuff and to play the game with tons of actors.”

Andor will be available to stream on Disney+ from Wednesday, September 21, 2022.

In other news, Andor release time: When are the first episodes on Disney+?