The Force Awakens: Premiere /Posters

Star Wars The Force Awakens was released on December 25th 2015 on a worldwide level in theaters, DVDS, BLU RAYS & VCD's. The premiere of The Force Awakens took place In Hollywood, where all stars celebrates and thousands of fans showed up.

This was the OFFICIAL POSTER Of The Force Awakens 

Star Wars follows the same kind of character placement in all of their movies front covers

But this time, they released posters with individual character placement too

Star Wars Merchandise

DISNEY STORE if loaded with an unlimited variety of Star Wars merchandise, in fact, no other movie in the history of film industry has such a merch following as much as Star Wars, From Star Wars T shirts to Star Wars APPLES; Here are some of the many things with Star Wars label on it.

Star Wars : Disney's Marketing Strategies

Disneys Marketing For "The Force Awakens":

 Star Wars: The Force Awakens has reached galactic proportions: $529 million worldwide with about half of it from the U.S. and Canada alone. Besides intense nostalgia for the sci-fi series and the appearance of the beloved original cast, the film’s success has been propelled by Walt Disney Co.’s careful — and clever — marketing strategy, according to Wharton marketing professor Jehoshua Eliashberg. The company’s synergistic marketing and distribution strategies were keys to the film’s widespread impact, lessons that other companies can adopt for their own products 

Disney’s playbook for this release has come full circle and was largely written by Lucasfilm alumni. Back in 2005, Disney realized they needed to raise their game when it came to these kinds of franchise movies. Dick Cook and Oren Aviv identified Lucas’ team as having the best and most relevant expertise in the field. Disney raided Lucasfilm after the last SW movie in 2005 and hired-away several of Lucas’ marketing and consumer products execs. Those execs were placed in key positions at Pixar, Feature Animation, Disney Live Action and Disney Consumer Products. The execs were instructed to adapt the Lucasfilm playbook to Disney’s culture and structure and initiate a new Franchise Management function. It took several years to build the processes, tools and culture but a lot of the cross-platform success Disney is now enjoying with Marvel and Lucasfilm is because of the work of that franchise team over the last ten years. The original group of execs are all now gone, but their contributions and work will payoff for years.

The marketing push was so big that it was virtually impossible not to realize a new Star Wars movie was on the way. The team at Disney has masterminded this campaign from the moment they announced the film, and have obviously been at work since they announced a deal to acquire Lucasfilm in 2012.

With video, they were relentless, both online and on television. It started with the 88 seconds of footage they first teased more than a year ago , then the longer second teaser that dropped in April, then the official trailer that debuted in October and the countless TV spots. It seemed like every few days there was a new version released with just a few seconds of exclusive never-before-seen footage. With each version, the anticipation and excitement only grew, and of course it left you wanting more, hoping for the next few seconds in a few days. The cast made the rounds on the talk show circuit and timed it all perfectly. Even the normally reluctant Harrison Ford was cooperative, and playfully so.

ertainly, there's something very special about Star Wars. It's one of the few franchises that has been experienced as a society -- Joseph calls it a rare "cultural phenomenon." Older generations may have seen the original movies in theaters, then watched them again on VHS with their children (like my father did). My generation then got to experience the films in theaters for the first time when the remastered versions released in 1997 for the 20th anniversary of Star Wars: A New Hope.

Filming Technology

Director of Photography Dan Mindel, who shot Star Wars: The Force Awakens (along with a number of J.J. Abrams films), worked with Panavision to come up with some new anamorphics, along with the two custom cameras built for the film (you can see one of them above). Mindel was looking for a set of lenses that called to mind the warmth of the lenses used on the original films, but didn't want any of the technical issues that are generally associated with the older optics, like edge falloff on the top and bottom.
Panavision started with C and B series cylinders, and developed a hybrid version that used some T Series technology. Current optics were used for the spherical components. Once the right combination was determined, it was applied to a full set – 35, 40, 50, 60, 75, and 100mm, with a minimum T-stop of 2.8



Some desert exteriors and effects plates were shot with 15-perf IMAX. On those shots, the lenses included T-2 80mm and T-2.8 50mm models refitted with Panavision mechanics and Panavision proprietary glass. These IMAX lenses had been originally developed for Wally Pfister, ASC on Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight.


 Panavision and Mindel achieved their goal coming up with anamorphics that weren't too sharp but also weren't too soft and didn't have strange artifacts. These lenses, combined with shooting on 35mm (and some IMAX), definitely gave the image some added warmth that's noticeably absent from most sci-fi films, and it would not be surprising if the next films in the series used these same lenses.

Digital Technology Of The Force Awakens

DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY:

 

 Back when production of the very first film started in 1975, George Lucas created the company Industrial Light and Magic because there was no special effects firm around capable of creating the visual effects he envisioned for his fantastical sci-fi epic.

In the end then the Star Wars franchise actually hasn't turned its back on digital film, it's doing exactly what it's always tried to do: use the best of the currently-available technology to get the effect it's after.

They will still be carrying on the classic Star Wars tradition of pushing movie technology forward with their use of both traditional methods for the trilogy and advanced digital movie cameras and techniques for the anthologies

Besides the artistic control George Lucas was so delighted by, one of the biggest benefits of the digital format is the ease and lower cost of distribution. Sending around an encrypted hard drive is a lot easier than transporting and setting up multiple reels of film.

And there's also the fact that many film projectors have been replaced with digital counterparts. So with Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens being shot on 35mm and 65mm film, where are we going to be able to see it?

For the most part, screenings of The Force Awakens will be a digital transfer anyway – even in IMAX theatres. only 1% of the theatres in North America will be showing the full IMAX experience and only a reported 15 theatres in the world will have the 70mm IMAX format.

Every other IMAX cinema will be showing the Digital IMAX version, which is barely any larger than standard cinematic widescreen.

In Star Wars, technologies like hyperspace travel, advanced AI, and hologram projection were just as ubiquitous at the beginning of the prequels as anything shown later in the franchise. Even on a backwater planet like Tatooine, Luke carries a blaster, drives a high-speed hovercraft, and isn’t fundamentally astonished to discover that blades of energy that can cut through anything actually exist. What sets The Force Awakens apart from the prequels is that Lucas depicted a very different array of starships, fighters, and combat technology in the prequels as compared to the films that came later.

Distribution Rights Handed Over to Disney

Disney purchased Lucasfilm for 4 Billion US Dollars,and it seemed logical that future Star Wars films would no longer feature 2-th Century Fox logo and fanfare.But it turns out Disney has also removed it from all previous Star Wars films  , except fro the 1977 original Star Wars as 20th Century Fox still holds its distribution rights
In Place of the 20th Century Fox opening,Disney now begins each Star Wars episode with the Lucasfilms logo but has given its own opening fanfare that is pretty close to the originals,there are still trumpets,but the classic drumroll is gone

Here is what the original clip looked like in the beginning of Star Wars

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_5LhRNb2pg

Distribution
The Channels
Exhibitions
When was it released in Cinema?
Box office opening week
Profit
Eventually how much did they make
Marketing
Online websites
Distributor and audiences relationship?
Merchandising
Press conferences
Film Soundtrack
Outlining Soundtrack for marketing purposes
At  what time was it released
Product placement
Collaborations
How much the actors are getting paid
Deals with ticket sales

Star Wars in Terms of Digital Technology

In May 1999 George Lucas challenged the supremacy of the movie-making medium of film for the first time by including footage filmed with high-definition digital cameras in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. The digital footage blended seamlessly with the footage shot on film and he announced later that year he would film its sequels entirely on hi-def digital video. Also in 1999, digital projectors were installed in four theaters for the showing of The Phantom Menace. In June 2000, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones began principal photography shot entirely using a Sony HDW-F900 camera as Lucas had previously stated. The film was released in May 2002

American & British film Embassy Rating System

The Motion Picture Association of America's (MPAA) film-rating system is used in the United States and its territories to rate a film's suitability for certain audiences, based on its content. The MPAA rating system is a voluntary scheme that is not enforced by law; films can be exhibited without a rating, though many theaters refuse to exhibit non-rated or NC-17 rated films.

The American film industry is a dominant presence in the cultural life of UK citizens. By the time many British movie fans become adults, they are likely to have seen far more films from the United States than from any other country, including the United Kingdom.



BRITISH SYSTEM:

The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) is an independent, non-governmental body. It was set up in 1912 and has been classifying cinema films since 1913. Originally known as the British Board of Film Censors, it was created by the film industry as an independent body to bring uniformity to the classification of film nationally. BBFC categories are used to provide guidance to the UK’s local authorities, who grant licences to the cinemas in their area.


When a cinema applies for a licence, it must include a condition requiring the admission of children to any film to normally be restricted in accordance with BBFC classification categories. However, statutory powers on film remain with the local councils, which have the authority to overrule any of the board's decisions. They can pass rejected films, ban films that have been passed by the BBFC, waive cuts, institute new cuts, or alter categories for films exhibited, using their own licensing jurisdiction – although in practice this power is rarely exercised.


Legally, the US rating system is entirely voluntary - no film maker is forced to submit a film to the board for rating, but the vast majority of producers/distributors opt to do so. Signatory members of the MPAA, which represent the major studios, have agreed to submit all of their theatrical releases for rating.


AMERICAN SYSTEM:
Unlike the UK system, any American producer/distributor who wishes to bypass the US rating system is free to go to the market without any rating – or instead to use any description or symbol they choose, as long as it cannot be confused with the widely recognised symbols that are the federally registered (ie. trademarked) certification marks of the MPAA, and may not be used by any other individual or organisation. The US rating board is not associated with the US. government, and its film ratings have no legal meaning.


RATING SYSTEMS: BRITISH

 Suitable for all ages

All ages admitted, but some certain scenes can be unsuitable for young children. They should not disturb children aged 8 or older

Films under this category are considered to be unsuitable for young children. Cinemas in the UK are only permitted to supply tickets to see a 12A film to children under the age of 12 if they are accompanied by an adult aged 18 or over. However, it is unlikely to be suitable for children under the age of 12.


Only suitable for people aged 12 or older. Illegal to sell a DVD to someone under 12 years


Only suitable for people aged 15 and older.Films under this category can contain adult themes, hard drugs, regular use of foul language and limited use of very strong language, strong violence and strong sex references, and nudity without graphic detail. 

Only suitable for people aged 18 or older.Hard drugs are generally allowed, and explicit sex references along with detailed sexual activity are also allowed. Scenes of strong real sex may be permitted if justified by the context. 



Can only be shown at licensed adult cinemas.Films under this category always contain hard-core pornography, defined as material intended for sexual stimulation and containing clear images of real sexual activity



RATING SYSTEMS: AMERICAN

G – General Audiences

All ages admitted. Nothing that would offend parents for viewing by children.

PG – Parental Guidance Suggested

Some material may not be suitable for children. Parents urged to give "parental guidance". May contain some material parents might not like for their young children.

PG-13 – Parents Strongly Cautioned

Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. Parents are urged to be cautious. Some material may be inappropriate for pre-teenagers.

R – Restricted

Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. Contains some adult material. Parents are urged to learn more about the film before taking their young children with them.

NC-17 – Adults Only

No One 17 and Under Admitted. Clearly adult. Children are not admitted.

Walt Disney buys Lucasfilms

 Robert Iger, chief executive officer of Walt Disney (DIS), sat through all six Star Wars films. He’d seen them before, of course. This time, he took notes. Disney was in secret negotiations to acquire Lucasfilm, the company founded by Star Wars creator George Lucas, and Iger needed to do some due diligence.

As it turned out, Lucas had already done the cataloging. His company maintained a database called the Holocron, named after a crystal cube powered by the Force. The real-world Holocron lists 17,000 characters in the Star Wars universe inhabiting several thousand planets over a span of more than 20,000 years. It was quite a bit for Disney to process. So Lucas also provided the company with a guide, Pablo Hidalgo. A founding member of the Star Wars Fan Boy Association, Hidalgo is now a “brand communication manager” at Lucasfilm. The deal fit perfectly into Iger’s plan for Disney. He wants to secure the company’s creative and competitive future at a time when consumers are inundated with choices, thanks to a proliferation of cable television networks and the ubiquity of the Internet. “It’s a less forgiving world than it’s ever been,” he says. “Things have to be really great to do well.” Part of Iger’s strategy is to acquire companies that could be described as mini-Disneys such as Pixar and Marvel—reservoirs of franchise-worthy characters that can drive all of Disney’s businesses, from movies and television shows to theme parks, toys, and beyond. Lucas’s needs were more emotional. At 68, he was ready to retire and escape from the imaginary world he created—but he didn’t want anybody to desecrate it. 

 On October 30, 2012, Disney announced a deal to acquire Lucasfilm for $4.05 billion, with approximately half in cash and half in shares of Disney stock. Lucasfilm had previously collaborated with the company's Walt Disney Imagineering division to create theme park attractions centered on Star Wars and Indiana Jones for various Walt Disney Parks and Resorts worldwide

The next two Star Wars films will be released under  Walt Disneys production

Lucasfilms Website and Divisions

OFFICIAL WEBSITE:

This is the homepage of Lucasfilms official website, As seen in the picture above, its got 4 links to About, Film & TV , What We DO, and Careers

As we can see, the website is full of various features such as Film previews,Games,Anime,Behind The Scenes and more.it also gives us a range of information about the make up artists, The shooting studios, the special digitized effects, Actors, and their career



DIVISIONS:


Kerner Optical-Practical effects division (model shop) and 3D development team (spun off from ILM in 2006 and subsequently went bankrupt in 2011)

Pixar Animation Studios-Computer animation film production company that was sold to Steve Jobs in 1986. It became a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company in 2006, six years prior to the Disney acquisition of Lucasfilm.

THX Ltd-Theater sound system (spun off from Lucasfilm in 2001)

About Lucasfilms Brand ideology

Lucasfilms was found in 1971 and is an American film and television production company  based in the Letterman Digital Arts Centre  in San Francisco , is an American film and television production company based in the Letterman Digital Arts Center in San Francisco, California. The studio is best known for creating the Star Wars

Other than Star Wars, Lucasfilms has also done many other successful movies and the movies they make usually have an Action,Adventure genre
Some of these movies contain :

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom  

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade 

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Labyrinth

Raiders of the Lost Ark

Their movies seem to have a cult following as they are series of films that have been going on for more than 30 years now. Lucasfilms seem to have worked with really big stars,Harrison Ford being one of them as hes the major character for two of their most noted series, Star Wars and Indiana Jones. Labyrinth is a different kind a movie ,as compared to all of their other work,and has David Bowie as the main character,but the one similarity found in almost all the movies is that alll these films are shown in a fictional time


Another notable work are the Star Wars Cartoon named The Cloned Wars.They're produced by Lucasfilms Animations and written by George Lucas.

Here are some of the animated work done by Lucaslfilms animations :

Star Wars: Droids (1985–1986) (Co-production Nelvana)

Star Wars: Ewoks (1985–1987)

Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003–2005) (Cartoon Network Studio)

The Adventures of Sam and Max: Freelance Police (1997-1998)

Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008–2014)

Star Wars Rebels (2014–present)

Star Wars Detours (TBA)

WOrking title films

recognition
branding
production of mainstream genres

Warp Films
they dont make commercial films
FUnding through the film council
b usually based on social realism
cannot afford huge stars

HOW ARE FILMS CLASSIFIED?

FINANCING,
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PRODUCER AND DISTRIBUTOR

Classification of the film (Not the rating)
Categories
Category A : FIlms are made with British money
Funded from britian but majority financing may be foreign
  Primary audience
How your film was finaanced
connect

classification of the film

Profit
Budget
Ratings

Production Company:The film production companies were Lucasfilm Ltd. and Bad Robot Productions. The treatment for the three new Star Wars films  began in 2011. in 2012, Walt Disney agreed to buy Lucasfilm and announced that the film was to be released in 2015.

History:
Although George Lucas was already well known for his previous work, he came to international success with his graffiti .The first Star Wars movie (named Star Wars) was released in April of 1977 by George Lucas. The film grossed over $150 million , which was the most profitable film at the time

The second Star Wars Movie (named Empire Strikes Back) came out in 1980 and was directed by Irvin Kersher and written by George Lucas and right after its release became the highest grossing film of 1980 by earning more than $590 Million worldwide.

Next,in 1983 came Star Wars episode Star Wars Episode 5 :Return Of The Jedi and grossed over $572 millions worldwide. It showed the time period of one year after Empire Strikes Back.

After a 16 year break, Star Wars Episode 1:  The Phantom Menace which was showed thirty years before the original first film and had an all star casting. A huge amount of special effects were used in this movie. The film grossed over US$943 million,being the second highest grossing film of the year,just behind Titanic. This was the first time after 22 years that George Lucas directed a film.

In 2002, George Lucas released The Star Wars Episode 2: Attack of the Clones. This is up to date the lowest rated Star Wars movie and had mixed reviews by the critics and also became the first out grossed film of the year in the entire Star wars series

The films sequal, Star Wars Episode 3:Revenge of The Sith came out in 2005 and was directed by George Lucas.It was the third and final prequel trilogy . The film reviewd generally positive views from the critics.It was the third highest grossing film in the entire STar Wars franchise and the highest grossing film of the year in the US, making over more than $848 million


After which, The Force Awakens,The current Star Wars movie was released last year in 2015 and was directed by George Lucas and was highly appreciated by the critics and the fans .It became the highest ggrossing opening film of all time, as well as the third highest of all time in the history if films.

Genre:

The films main genre is Epic Space Opera,but also lies in Adventure,Action,Fantasy,Sci Fi and Thriller

Distribution Company 
The film is distributed by 20th Century Fox,as well all the previous series films as 20th Century Fox is the permanent distributor of Star Wars up until 2011, after which Walt Disney bought the rights to the production and distribution,thus , The Force Awakens is dsitributed by Disney