With about a month left, the anticipation for Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens is at an all-time high. After waiting in anticipation for years, fans were treated to several teasers and trailers that offered up a Star Wars film that look familiar, but also refreshingly new. Star Wars fans have shared their excitement online about the new film and have even broken a few movie ticket websites when trying to buy tickets for the premiere.
Continuing the original Star Wars trilogy created by George Lucas, The Force Awakens takes place 30 years after the Return of the Jedi, where the Empire is destroyed and the Rebels are now in control. However, followers of the Empire still exist and threaten the peace created after Return of the Jedi. Director J.J. Abrams introduces new characters to the galaxy, including Finn, Rey, and cute droid, BB-8, while bringing back Han, Luke, and Leia back to the big screen. Joining the cast will be fan favorites, Chewbacca, C-3P0 and R2-D2, who will be along for the ride and helping out our heroes.
At this year’s San Diego Comic Con, fans were giving a behind the scenes look at the production of The Force Awakens and the dedication of the cast and crew to making the best Star Wars movie possible.
While bridging the gap between the a new generation of Star Wars characters and the old, safe to say that J.J. Abrams is bringing back Star Wars nostalgia in full force. Various trailers for The Force Awakens have alluded to past movies, including images of a flying Millennium Falcon and an old Darth Vader mask increasing the excitement for any Star Wars fan. However, this will not only be a monumental film for Star Wars fans, but film buffs will be delighted to know that Abrams has committed to making The Force Awakens that will rely on practical effects and was shot on film stock.
J.J. Abrams returns Star Wars back to its roots by focusing on having Star Wars look and feel as real as possible. By choosing to shoot the movie on 35mm film stock and prioritizing practical effects over CGI, the new Star Wars film will have a similar look to the original trilogy. The previous two Star Wars movies, Attack of the Clones and The Revenge of the Sith, were both shot digitally, which often gave off a shinier, less authentic look to the films compared to the older, original trilogy.
Panavision provided the Millennium X12 film cameras for The Force Awakens and even customized the cameras by painting them black. The cameras were even nicknamed Death Star and Millennium Falcon during production.
J.J. Abrams did not stop by just shooting on film stock, the director brought in 70mm IMAX film cameras to capture some of the film’s most dramatic moments. However, due to the camera’s cumbersome weight and noise problems, the IMAX 70mm cameras were only used for selected scenes.
#bestformatever pic.twitter.com/fs6JcTALmZ
— Bad Robot (@bad_robot) July 8, 2014
Not only is The Force Awakens making history from being the second Star Wars film to screen in IMAX, but it’s also the first Star Wars film to have IMAX cameras during filming. For those lucky enough to live near an IMAX theatre, you can experience the authentic experience of The Force Awakens as J.J. Abrams intended. In selected IMAX theaters with the eight story tall IMAX screens, the theater “will present the film in actual 70MM film reel and present the 70MM shot scenes in its full-screen glory”, according to Making Star Wars.
By choosing film stock and IMAX cameras over digital, J.J. Abrams and the crew of The Force Awakens show their dedication to the art of film and how they are willing to go the extra mile to create a special film for fans. Premiering on December 18th, The Force Awakens will be bringing you back to a galaxy, far, far, away.
