2. Pre- production information
In May 2013, it was confirmed that Episode VII would be filmed in the United
Kingdom. Representatives from Lucas film met with chancellor of the exchequer
George Osborne to agree to produce Episode VII in the UK. Osborne also committed
£25 million ($37 million) of public money towards the film, claiming it was a boost for
British culture and the film industry.
In October 2013, other crew members were confirmed, including sound designer Ben
Burtt, director of photography Daniel Mindel, production designers Rich Carter and
Darren Gilford, costume designer Michael Kaplan, special effects supervisor Chris
Corbould, re-recording mixer Gary Rhdstrom, supervising sound editor Matthew Wood,
visual effects supervisor Roger Guyett, and executive producers Tommy Harper and
Jason McGatlin.
4. Historical content
Before Star Wars the force awakens there have been 6 other Star wars
films produced before it. This shows that Star wars is a very successful
franchise as it has a big enough audience and income which has meant
7 films have been able to be made and with the force awakens making
$1.871 billion on box office release it shows that Star wars is still
hugely watch and adored by many people.
Also over the years the star
wars films have been made
into different games and
formats like the first person
shooters like ‘Star Wars
battle front’ and platform
games like ‘Lego star wars’.
5. General factors
Release data in the UK- December 17, 2015
Release date in the US- December 18, 2015
Production company- Wait Disney
Director- J.J. Abrams
Cast-
Harrison Ford as Han Solo:
Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker:
Carrie Fisher as General Leia Organa:
Adam Driver as Kylo Ren:
Daisy Ridley as Rey:
John Boyega as Finn:
Anthony Daniels as C-3PO:
Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca:
Budget the budget for the film was
$200 million and made $247 million
on the opening weekend which
means they have made an extensive
profit in only a couple of days. The
total gross for the film was $896
million.
6. Institution
The producers of the film:
J.J. Abrams, Kathleen Kennedy and Bryan Burk
The distributer of the film:
Wait Disney pictures( which is in the big six) and Wait Disney Studios motion pictures
These company's have disrupted many other films due to them owning loads of other
company's like Marvel Studios, which means Wait Disney have distributed all of the
Avenger films and other comic book films.
Also Wait Disney have produced and distributed many programmes like Micky mouse
and other Disney character programmes which appeals to a young audience.
7. Production
Development:
J. J. Abrams was named director in January 2013,
with Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinberg as
project consultants.
Arndt worked on the script for eight months, but
said he needed 18 more, which was more time
than Disney or Abrams could give him. The
production announced Arndt's exit from the
project on October 24, 2013, and Kasdan and
Abrams took over script duties. Abrams expressed
relief that the release date was announced for
December 2015 instead of a previously discussed
summer release. He and Kasdan planned the story
while walking in Santa Monica, New York
City, Paris and London. The first draft was
completed in six weeks. Abrams said that the key
for the film was to return to the roots of the
first Star Wars film and be based more on
emotion than explanation. In January 2014,
Abrams confirmed that the script was complete.
Casting:
J. J. Abrams was named director in
January 2013, with Lawrence
Kasdan and Simon Kinberg as project
consultants.
On April 29, 2014, the cast was
announced with a photo of the
first table read of the script
at Pinewood Studios near London,
picturing director Abrams with Ford,
Ridley, Fisher, Peter Mayhew,
producer Bryan Burk, Lucasfilm
president and producer Kathleen
Kennedy, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony
Daniels, Hamill, Serkis, Oscar Isaac,
Boyega, Driver, and writer Lawrence
Kasdan. The announcement was
originally planned for May 4 (Star
Wars Day), but was announced early
because of fears of media leaks.
In June, Harrison Ford fractured his
leg while filming at Pinewood after
a hydraulic door on the Millennium
Falcon set fell on him, and was
taken to a hospital.
Filming:
The official announcement came in March,
when Disney and Lucasfilm announced
that principal photography would commence
in May and be based at Pinewood Studios
in Buckinghamshire, England. That month, it
was revealed that pre-production filming
would be taking place in Iceland prior to the
start of official filming in May, consisting of
landscape shots which would be used for
scenery in the film. In April, Walt Disney
Studios chairman Alan Horn confirmed that
filming had begun, filming in secret in
the U.A.E. emirate of Abu Dhabi by a second-
unit
9. Box office:
As of February 9, 2016, Star Wars: The Force Awakens has
grossed $907.4 million in North America and $1.104 billion in
other territories for a worldwide total of $2.012 billion, against
a budget of $200 million. The film is currently the highest-
grossing release of 2015, the highest-grossing film released by
Walt Disney Studios, the highest-ever grossing film in North
America, and the third-highest-grossing film of all time. It was
the 24th film in cinematic history to surpass $1 billion
worldwide, standing as the fastest film to surpass the mark,
doing so in 12 days. It was the third film in history to surpass
$2 billion worldwide, doing so in its 53rd day of release.
10. Merchandising
Merchandise are goods bought and sold that promote something. There is a large variety of
merchandise available for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Some of these are…
• Mugs/cups
• Light sabres
• Figurines
• Clothing/fancy dress
• A video game
Merchandise is good because its good at getting the name of the film in lots of different locations
were your target market are. Effective merchandising can have a positive effect on sales which will
increase the amount of money the film makes.
11. Exhibition
Release
Dates
•December 14, 2015
(Los Angeles
premiere)
•December 18, 2015
(United States)
On its opening day, the film grossed
$119.1 million from 14,300 screens,
marking the biggest single and
opening day record and the first time
a film has earned more than $100
million in a single day.
Internationally, the film was released
in over 30,000 screens.
In North America, it had the widest
release of December across 4,134
theatres of which 3,300 were 3D
locations, a record 392 IMAX screens.
Worldwide, it was be released across
940 IMAX theatres, a new record.
Star wars the force awakens was first
released on the 17th of December
which is just before Christmas and
during the Christmas holidays. This is
because it means that more people
are able and will see the film as
everyone wont be at school so their
parents would be tempted to take
them.
When this film was released there
was no other major films coming out
at the time which meant star wars
had no contenders. This is one of the
reasons for its major success.
