a general overview

1. 1. General overview
J.JAbrams,the directorof the highestgrossingStarWars filmtodate,was part of the large team
whoproducedThe Force Awakens from2013 to 2015 withDisneyandLucasFilm.Thiscame
shortlyafterDisneybroughtLucasFilm for$4.05billion,asDisneywantedtorevivethe franchise
and drawin a new,youngertargetaudience greaterthanthe die-hardfanswhohadbeen
followingthe force since the first instalmentin1977. In orderto do thisa considerable budgetof
$306 millionwasspentoncreatingafast paced,intricatelyCGI-edmasterpiece thatyoung
viewerswouldfindnewandexciting,yetJ.JAbramsstill managedtokeepthe authentic80sstyle
of cinematographyrelevantforthe highlyspeculativecurrentfanbase.The productionprocess
spannedover2 yearsand was kepthighlysecretive,fromthe general publictothe actors who
were auditioningforroles,yetsmall snippetswere releasedviasocial mediaandthe internetin
orderto keepthe climax building. Afteragruellingshootingprocesscoveringfromthe Rubal
Khali desertnearAbuDhabi to the CountyKerryIslandsinIrelandandincludinganinjured
HarrisonFord the filmwasfinallyeditedandreleasedforthe 17th
of December2015.
2. Purpose
The purpose of thisfilmwasby far to produce a profit,andby that I meana generousone.
Consideringthe amountspentonthe filmplusall of the advertisements,distributioncampaigns,
productsand all those involveditisclearthat Disneywere settingupfora great deal of financial
success. It wasthe firstlarge scale projectDisneytookonwithLucasFilmundertheirwingand
can be clearlypinpointedastheirideaof startingas theymeanto go on,as well asprovingto
LucasFilmandthe publicthat thispartnershipwillbe anassetto the filmcommunity.Other
purposesbehindThe Force Awakens suchas to educate and entertainhave alsobeen identified,
thoughnot as prominentlyas producingalarge turnover.It hasbeenrecognisedasenlightening
and educational forimpressionable youngerviewerswithRae portrayingadominantfemale.
Most large scale sci-fi filmsare oftendevoidof thisrole andanyindependentfemale
representationandasa resultthis instalmentwaspraised forprovidingsuchastrong role model
for youngchildren specificallyyounggirls.Asforentertainmentitisclearthat withthe extensive
budgetthere wasno expensetobe sparedoncreatingan entertainingandfreshsci-fi
experience forthe viewers. Thismakesthe filmappealing toawide range of audiences,from
youngto oldand newfansto star wars veterans.
3. Genre
As a franchise StarWars sitsat the top of the sci-fi genre,The Force Awakenscurrently
occupyingthe throne withitsmodernandfast pacedtechnological cinematography.The film
coversprettymuch all of the typical science fictioncodesand conventions aswell asafew more
sub-genressuchasaction,westernandFantasy.One of the mostpredominate conventionsof
the genre isthe Dystopianaspecttothe storyline andthisisone that the Force Awakens
focussesquite heavilyonwiththe theme of rebellionandtotalitariancontrol betweenThe
Resistance andThe FirstOrder.The definitionof adystopiais “an imagined place or state in
which everything is unpleasantorbad,typically a totalitarian or environmentally degradedone
set in the future”and thishas beenreplicatedinthe state of the universe withinthe Force
Awakens. Thiswill be reminiscentwiththe audienceof the destructiveleadersof the pastlike
Hitleror Stalinandthe great army of storm troopers ralliedtofightthe resistance are similarto
the armiestrainedinGermanyand Russiatoinvade othercountries. Othercodesand
conventions include the clonesandrobotsrepresentingthe rise of artificial intelligence andthe
narrativesinvolvingspace travel suchasthe MillenniumFalcon andthe futuristiccostumes.

2. Withinthe subgenresfeaturethe gunsanddestructionasActioncodesandconventions,the
wide sandylandscapesandthe duel betweenKyloRenandFinnasWesternand the fantastical
costumesandcharacters as well asthe famoustagline “alongtime ago ina galaxyfaraway” as
FairyTale/Fantasycodesandconventions.
4. Form
JJ Abramschose to filmThe Force Awakenson35mm filmstockand alsoused65mm IMAX stock
for a specificactionsequence torecreate the warm80s feel of usingreal filmthatmanyfilms
lack nowadays. Thistrendhasbeenrecentlydyingoutdue tothe cost andnew more advanced
technologyyetthischoice wasa rewardingone astheywere highlypraisedbythe audience for
supportingfailingfilmcompanieslike Kodakandmakingthisfilmaspecial occasionforthose
whomissthe natural warmfeelingof film.
5. Style
As The Force Awakensispart of such a classicand historicseriesof films(StarWarsbeingone of
the most well-knownfranchisesof all time) JJAbram’s incentive wastocreate a new filmthat
extendsthe use of CGIto new,fantastical levelswhilstmaintainingthe nostalgic80sstyle that
was createdbythe instalmentsbefore.Thiswaskeyasitmeantthat an extensiveaudience
couldbe drawn in,rangingfromthe oldestfanswhowere lookingforasentimental new storyto
the newerviewerswhowouldbe occupiedby the impressivespecial effects.Abram’seffortscan
be recognisedinthe use of 35mm film, returningcharactersandreoccurringpropslike the
MillenniumFalcon,arguablyacharacterof itsownafter the elationasa resultof itsreturn.On
the otherhand the new65mm filmusage canbe seenas a way of updatingandmodernisingthe
cinematographyinThe Force Awakens aswell asthe more technicallyadvancedCGIandthe fast
pacededitingthatwasnot employedinthe earlierfilms.
6. ContentandMeaning
In termsof mis-en-scene the firstshotof the trailerhasbeenspecificallymanipulatedtoevoke
an emotional response fromthe audience,inwaysuch asthe use of costume and lighting. As
youcan see inthe image the unknowncharacteriswearinga maskconsistingof gogglesand
rags that are woundroundthe face to completelyhidethe subject’sidentity.The fact that the
rags are dirtyand seeminglyof asimple cottonmaterial showshow theyare eithernotmeaning
to standout or simplycannotaffordanythingmore.The audience will be intriguedbythe
potential misfortuneof the characterand wonderwhytheyare hidingthemselveswiththe plain
piecesof cloth. Furthermore the choice of gogglesisreminiscentof the Stormtroopercostumes
of the pastwhichgivesthe impressionof thembeingstolenorsecond-hand.The audience may
feel pityorsympathytotis character as a resultandin turnevenmore intriguedastowhat this
character has beenthroughinthe past. Moreoverthe use of lightingiskeyinthisshotas it
followsthe theme of the hiddenidentityasthe whole settingisdarkandgloomyotherthanthe
torch on the characters goggles.Thissendsthe message thatthisperson,whoevertheymaybe,
isgoingto bringlightto the darknessof the galaxywhichprovideshope andexcitementwithin
the audience.
Cinematographyhasalsobeenusedtoemotionallyimpactthe audiencewithafreshediting
perspective addingtothe pace and drama inspecificscenes.Ifindthe shotbelow particularly
effectiveintermsof itscinematographydue tothe emotional responseIfindmyself
experiencingwhenIwatchit.The fact thatthe camerazoomsin frombehindthe darkfigure
makesitseemlike the cameraand the audience have snuckintothisdangerousshipandare

3. keepingoutof sight of the scary character, moreoverthe identityisyetagainkeptsecret
creatingsuspense andinterestfromthe audience.Ontopof thisthe shotis takenfroma low
angle makingthe unknownvillainbiggerthe closeryouget.Thistechnique willevokefearanda
feelingof vulnerabilityfromthe audience asthisnew formof evil isgivenanimage of supreme
powerandstrength. Thistheme of vulnerabilityiscarriedintothe nextshot(aclose upof Kylo
Ren’smask) as the steadyclosinginof Kylo’sstare boresintothe audienceseyesasif theyare
beingpossessedanddestroyedbythe powerof the darkside.Thisuse of cinematography
createstensionanddiscomfortforthe audience.
On the basisof soundI findthe first10 secondsor so the mostinterestingintermsof creatingan
emotional response aurally.Withthe firstsoundbeingasingularpianochordthe audience will
feel the tensionandanticipationmountingastheywaittohear thatfamiliarmusic.The chordis
lightandhopeful andthe image at the time (Rey) representsthe new source of the force thatis
beingintroduced,thisideapotentiallybeingpickeduponby the speculatingfansandmore
mature individuals. ThisisfollowedbyMaz Kanatavoice askingthe question:“Whoare you?”
and this,Ibelieve,setsthe tone forthe entire filmandtrailer.Itfitswiththe hiddenidentitiesof
the newcharacters,the audience willbe wonderingwhoReyisandherpurpose inthe storyline
as well asKyloinhismask lateron,and withthe title “The Force Awakens”.Whoisthe force?
The questionwill directlytoucheverymemberof the audience because of the secrecyand
teasingnature of the trailerleavingeachindividual feelingemotionsof anticipation,confusion
and climacticexcitementatthe ideaof findingoutthisbigplottwistthatthe new filmwill bring
to the series.
In termsof editingthe entire traileriseditedinshort,snappyshotsthatgive awaytinyglimpses
of the filmandkeepthe tensionhigh.Thishasbeendone inordertocreate a sense of
excitementwithinthe audience andtease themwithoutgivingtoomuchaway.The average shot
lengthforthe traileris3 seconds,withmostshotsof Reyand Finnbeinglongerandshotsof Kylo
Renbeingshorter.Thishelpstointroduce ReyandFinnto the audience andshow them
together,asfriendsorspeculatively,asa couple. Onthe otherhandKyloRen’s2 secondshots
workin hisfavourto create suspense andfeararoundhischaracter,as the audience won’tknow
much abouthim.The short snippetsof hisdarkfigure andsharp cutsof movement(forexample
whenhe fightsRey) are fastand leave the audience shockedandwithquestionsabouthis
power.Hisfastpaced editingwillappeal tothe newer,youngeraudience astheywill be gripped
withthe action-like style of the trailerratherthanthe olderfanswhowouldappreciate the older
style of editing.Howeverthere are alsolongershotsthatare more typical of Star Wars films,for
example whenthe cameratracksthe millenniumfalcon.Thisshotshowsthe smoothmovement
and speedof the falconlike the pastinstalmentsfilmed itandthiswill appealtothe fanswho
are hopingforthe classicstyle of Star Wars to be creditedinThe Force Awakens.Alongwiththe
musicthe editingof thisshotcreatesa strong sense of nostalgiathatmanywill recogniseasthe
warm 80s style of film.
The structure of the trailerisone that starts slow yetgathersspeedasit progresses,givingaway
more and more witha buildof pace anddrama until the final shotwhere itabruptlyends,
leavingthe audience onthe edge of theirseats.It subtly beginswithslow establishingshotsand
limitedsoundtoease the audience backintothe worldof StarWars, as well asintroduce Rey
and all the genre conventionsthe fansknow andlove.Soonthe musicbeginstobuildasthe dark
side isrevealedandthe shotsbegintodecrease inlengthandincrease inspeed.Thisbeginsto
buildtensionandanticipationforthe recognisable StarWarsmusicand cinematography andthe
narrative changesfromtense toone in whicha storyis beingtold. Fromthenonthe pace is

4. constantlybuildingasmore characters,oldand new,are shownas well asthe settingsand
general storyline.Simultaneouslythe musicandsoundeffectsbuildtomatchthe fast paced
shotsand dramaticcontentand a crescendobuildsuntil the finalshotof Kyloflashinghis
lightsaber,the narrative of JedisvsThe DarkSide clearas a final snapshot.This cliff-hanger
leavesthe audience in suspenseanddesperation,successfullyconvcingalltowanttosee the
film.