My general overview of the trailer.

1. Star Wars Essay
General Overview:The directorforthisfilmisJJ.Abrams,the studioisLucas Filmwhoare now
ownedbyDisney.The yearof release is2015, the countrywhere the productionof the filmwas
mainlyinEnglandat Pinewoodstudios.The budgetforStarwars the force awakens was$245 Million
USD.
Purpose:The mainfocusof this filmwasforDisneytomake moneyandmaybe to revitalisethe Star
wars series.Anditcouldalsohave beenmade tointroduce new andyoungeraudiencestothe star
wars franchise.Itcouldappeal to olderaudiencesasthere are the returnof the oldercharacters
whichformost made the original trilogysogoodforthe majorityof audiencesandthe returnof the
characters givesthe olderfansasense of familiaritywhilethe filmwasalsobe appealingtonew
audiencesasthe additionof the newcharacters give the franchise afreshfeeling. More audiencesit
can appeal to can include actionfansasthere isa lotof fightingandexplosionswhichcanattract
actionfans,meanwhile there isalotof sci-fi featuressuchasspace shipsandrobotswhichcan make
thisfilmappealingforsci-fifans. Thisscene nearthe beginningof the trailergivesyouasense of
science fictionasthere isinstantlyanimage ora character walkingwitharobot whichisa
conventionof sci-fi andinthe trailerthere are sceneswhere thereare spaceshipswhichare another
science fictionconvention. Alsoanexample of the filmbeingappealingforactiongenre loversisthat
inthe 3rd
picture shows
an explosionduringabattle betweenthe twosidesandthe spaceshipbattlesare quite fastpaced
whichagaincan be appealingtoactionfans. Howeverthe filmcouldbe aimedtoalsoentertainthe
fansof the franchise andawakenthe fansof the popularfranchise butit’smore likelytobe because
Disneywantto make moneyfromthe filmandall of the merchandise theycanrelease forkidsand
make moneyoff of.
Genre:The maingenre forthe filmisprobablySci-fi asthere isalotof science fictionconventions
such as robots and spaceshipsagainwiththe above scenesshowingevidence of spaceshipsand
robotsand thispossiblysuggeststhatthe audiencelikethese
thingsandlike watchingothersci-fi films.Othergenresinthe
filmare actionas there isquite a lotof action throughoutthe
film, forexample the picture belowshowingamassive
explosion,possiblyfromthe spaceshipblowingsomethingup,
and alsomore conventionsof actionare In the trailerasat
1:28 the battle betweenthe opposingforcesisfastpacedand
actioncan normallybe associatedwithfastpacedscenesand
sequencesandthiscouldtell youthatthe audience are into
fastpaced and intense films.The filmalsohasreferencesand
linkstothe westerngenre asthe desertsettinginthe first
image havingreferencestothe desertsof westernfilmsand
nearthe endof the trailerthere istwocharacterslookingat
each otherina standoff kindof mannerandcould possible

2. Star Wars Essay
suggesttheyare about to fightandwesternfilmsusuallyinvolve astandoff andfight betweentwo
characters. Overall these genresmaysuggestthatthe audiencesare peoplewholikefuturistic
thingssuchas spaceshipsandrobotsand alsolike fastpacedsequenceswithalotof actionand they
may alsobe people whoare intowesternstyle filmswithstandoffsbetweencharacters.
Form: The filmwasrecordedon 35mm traditionstockbut one actionscene onJakkuwas recorded
on 65mm Imax stockand the fact that the filmisrecordedon35mm traditionstockcouldbe an
efforttomake the films seemmore likethe originalafterthe majorityof the prequelswere recorded
on digital andthe move backto 35mm couldbe in an efforttorecreate the feel thatthe oldfilms
had and thiscouldappeal toolderaudiences butsome of the filmwasrecordedonImax cameras
againto try and appeal to neweraudiences.Othertechnologyusedinthe exhibitionof the filmcan
include 3Dwhichcouldbe inan attemptto attract new and youngerfansintostar warswho have
grownup watching3D filmsandif the filmwasonlyin2D thissegmentof the marketcouldbe less
obtainable assome people mayonlywatchfilmsin3Dand withoutofferingthe filmin3Dthey
wouldhave lesscustomers. Andinthe productionof the filmtheyusedgreenscreensforshotsthat
were impossible torecord.
Style:JJ. Abramswentforan 80’s style filmsothatit couldappeal tothe olderfansof the franchise
and create a nostalgicfeelingforthose type of fans. JJ.Abramshascreated an 80’s feel trailerby
craftingtogetherdifferentgenrestocreate a hybridof differentgenres.He hasdone thisbymixing
the keyelementsof sci-fisuchasrobotsand spaceshipswithothergenressuchaswesternbyhaving
desertlocationsandstandoffsbetweencharacters.Below we have anexample of how JJhashybrid
twogenrestogetherbymixingthe robotsof sci-fi withthe desertsof westernfilms.He hasalsodone
thisby havingthe actionof a fightbetweencharacterswiththe westernaspectof afaceoff between
characters to merge the genrestogether.He hasalsogiventhe filman80’s feel byrecordingiton
35mm traditionstockfilmwhichthe original filmshad.
Content and meaning:
Mise en scene:Inthe trailerthe use of Mise enscene isusedto make an emotional connection
betweenthe oldfansandthe newtrailer,thisisdone throughthe nostalgic featuressuchasthe
millenniumfalcon(below)tomake the audience keentowatchthe filmastheyknow thatthere
favouredspaceshipsare goingtobe in the new films.Anotherexampleof aprop usedtocreate an
emotional linkbetweenthe audience andthe filmiswhenyousee the lightsabersforthe firsttime
and itgivesthe audience the emotional realisationandclarificationthatthisisa star warsfilmand
raisesquestionsof whothese peoplewieldinglightsabersare astheyclearlyaren’tanycharacters
for the original characters.Anotherexample iswhenthe maskof Darth Vaderisshownas it makes
olderaudiencesemotional astheycanreminisce to original filmsandcreatesasense of mysteryto
whyhismask isshownand to newaudiencesitcreatesasense of mysteryasto waythismask is
burnedandin a disfiguresway. Anotherexampleof Mise enscene canbe seeninthe shotbelow as

3. Star Wars Essay
it showstwo people inaforestcoveredinshow andit lookslike theyare readytofightandcreates
excitementforthe audience becauseitlookslikeacool locationfora lightsaberfightasthe
lightsabersstandoutandintriguesfansaboutthe outcome of thisfight.Andfinallyanexample of
the audience beingemotionallytouchedcouldbe where inthe trailerthe shotof R2D2 whichwith
emotionallytoucholderfansashe issuch a lovedcharacterand is anotherwaythat Disneyhad
pulledonpeoplesstringsandmanipulatingthe trailerinsucha way thatit makesolderfanswantto
watch thisfilmastheyare those
attachedto these propsandobjectsas
theymade the olderfans love the older
films.
Cinematography:
Thismidclose up image of Han solocreatesand emotionallyreactionfor
viewersasitisthe firstinsightandimage of himandconfirmsthat he is
goingto returnfor these filmsandthiswill excite fansandalsoraise the
questiontooldfansof what part he is goingto playinthisfilmwhile also
raisingthe questionfornew fansof whothisisand how significanthe is?
Thisnextimage reassuresfansthatthe storm troopers are going
to returnand createsquestionsforfansof whattheyare going
to do inthisfilmandwhois now in charge of themnow that
Darth Vaderand Emperorare dead,while italsoraisesthe
questionstothe new fansof whothese people are andwhat
theyare doing.
Thisclose up image couldcreate a sense of confusionand
mysterytodiehardstar warsfans as a small scene inthe trailer
showsa storm trooperremove himhelmettounveil ahimself as
a black stormtrooperand this couldcreate a sense of confusion
as all storm trooperswhere originallyclonesof BobbaFettwho
was a white characterinthe original filmsandthe factthat he isblackchallengesthe viewsandrules
of the firstfilmsandcouldalsohintto the fanshe ispossiblyunique ordifferentfromthe other
storm troopers ashe isn’ta stereotypical stormtrooper.

4. Star Wars Essay
Thisclose up at the beginningissignificantasitstraightawaycreates
a sense of mysterythatthe restof the trailerfollowsandraisesthe
questionsof whotheyare,whattheyare doingand are theya
humanor an alien,andthisisbecause youcan’t identifywhothe
character isas theyare ina suitand youcan’t see anyof theirface,
and maybe asksthe questionof theirsignificance asthey are rightat
the beginningof the trailer.
Thistwo shotof ChewbaccaandHan Soloemotionallytouchesthe
fansas confirmsthat ChewbaccaandHan are both inthe new film
and are togetherandthiswill pleasealotof fans whoremember
and love themfromthe firstfilms.
Sound: The soundin trailerisusedtocreate an emotional connectionbetweenthe audience andthe
traileras the musicisusedto create a new sense of mysteryyetaddfamiliarityforolderfans,this
has beendone throughmusicsuchas the non-diegeticmusical score whichissimilarto the original
score of the original filmsbuthassome adaptionsanddifferencesfromthe original score andisused
throughoutthe trailertocreate tensionwiththe inductionof the new charactersandchangeswhen
the trailerisbasedon the goodguys and changeswhenitislookingatthe bad guys,for example it
changesfromupliftingtodarkwhenthe firstshotof KyloRenisshownwhereaswhentrailershows
people suchasHan Soloand Reythe musicismore uplifting.
Anothersound affectthatraisesquestionsisthe voice of awomanwhospeaksthroughoutthe
trailerandraisesthe questionof whoshe istalkingtoand the significance of herandthe personshe
istalkingto andalso followsthe mysteryof the restof the trailer,similarlywhenLuke talksinthe
filmitalsocreatesa sense of familiarityasthe trailerisfilledwithnewcharactersandthisnew other
character speakingandwhenLuke speaksitcreatesa reassuringfeelingforfans.
Editing:EditinginThe Force Awakenstrailerhasbeenusedtoaddsuspense andmake isfastpaced
as duringthe fightscenesbetweenthe resistance andthe new orderthere isa lotof cuts thatmakes
it fastpacedand suspenseful,whereas inotherpartsof the trailerlike atthe beginningitisslow
pacedand focusesoncertaincharacters andthe editingof the trailerhas beendone inthiswayto
make the audience thinkaboutthese charactersmore,andthe editingisalsodone ina waythat
theyhave so manydifferentshottypesinthe trailer,rangingfromclose upsof Poe,establishing
shotsof Jakkuwiththe downedstar destroyertotwoshotsof Han and Chewywhichwould’ve been
done to excite the audienceandmake the audience aware thattheyare bothreturning.The editing
isalso done ina way thatthe musicat the start is some chordsthat are spacedoutand as the trailer
progressesthe musicgoesfromsome unknownchordprogressionstofamiliaradaptionsof the
original filmsandthisappealstothe audience asitreassuresthemthatitisstar warsand the change
fromslowmusicto fastermusicshowsthe transition fromthe slow beginningwithclose upsof Rey
to the fast pacedspaceshipbattles.
Structure/Narrative/SFX
The filmisstructuredso that at the beginningof the filmwe getintroducedtothe mainprotagonists
inthat we learnabout Finnandhimbeinga storm trooperthatdoesn’twantto kill forthe firstorder

5. Star Wars Essay
and we learnaboutReyand howshe is a scavengeronthe planetJakkuwhowas leftbyherparents
whenshe wasa childand the introductionof Poe andwho is the bestpilotinthe resistance andwe
meetthe villaininKyloRenand learnabouthispower.Andtheninthe middle of the filmwe have
Rey,Finn,Han andChewymeetingandgoingtosee Maz about returningBB8 tothe resistance,next
we have thembeinginvadedbythe firstorderandReybeingtakenbyKylo,nextwe have Han,Finn
and Chewygoingtotake downthe star killerbase andrescue Rey,nextwe buildtothe climax with
the deathof Han SolobeingkilledbyKyloRenandthe beginningof the destructionof the starkiller
base.ThenFinnand ReyfightKyloandescape onthe
Millenniumfalconwithchewy.
Andthe filmfollowsausual narrative where itstarts
withthe Expositionandthe introductionof characters
and eventsandthenthe actionstarts to rise andit all
leadsupto the main part of the filmbeingthe Climax
where the mainactionoccurs, the actionthenstarts to
decrease andleadsintothe endingscenesof the film.
Andin the film there isa limitedamountof specialeffectsasJJ.
Abrahamwantedto try andlimitthe amountof CGI and effectshe
used.Forexample insteadof usingCGItocreate thischaracter they
actuallycreatedthe costume forthischaracter so that theydidn’t
have to use CGI.