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STAR WARS EPISODE VII: THE FORCE AWAKENS (2015)

Tutor

Course

Date
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Introduction

This is an American epic space opera film that was produced and also written by J.J

Abrams. The Force Wakens follows Rey, Finn, Han Solo, and Poe Dameron searching for

Luke Skywalker as they struggle in the resistance Leia Organa led against Kylo Ren. This is a

film that did involve the franchise maker George Lucas. The screenplay for this film was

written by Michael Arndt, who developed the backstories elements for the returning

characters from the original trilogy. He also used something that the protagonists wanted to

locate, and it did not emerge in person until the last scene1. The first version of the movie

was produced in 1977, and despite being among the first films, it recorded outstanding

reception over the years. As a result, the elements used in this film have been adopted in

Hollywood film productions that have reported exceptional results2. The paper will discuss

the movie in the history and context of Hollywood and discuss why it is essential in the

history of Holywood movies. For years, Hollywood has remained outstanding in the film

industry, which is cited as unique in film production initiated by adopting elements as a

franchise, transmedia, and merchandise from Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens

(2015).

Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015) in Context of Hollywood History

Hollywood is one of the places that evoke similar air of show-business magic and

glamour. It started in the 10th century, and it is a mark of modern American history and

1
Seitz, Matt Zoller. 2015. "Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens." Accessed
2021. https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/star-wars-episode-vii---the-force-awakens-
2015.

2
Seitz, Matt Zoller. 2015. "Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens." Accessed
2021. https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/star-wars-episode-vii---the-force-awakens-
2015.
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innovation in the film world. Over the years, Hollywood studios made up of Universal,

Paramount, Fox, Columbia, Warner Brothers, and Disney have formulated world cinemas in

the production of movies. One of the reasons that have made Holly wood stand out in the film

world over the years is that the films and characters have unique traits that are active and

goal-oriented. The visual and sound style aspect in making motion pictures is cited as

Hollywood's outstanding performance.

Franchising is expected in Hollywood cinemas which are believed to be the extension

of the film life indefinitely. It is the chance to the economic organization and the narrative

and style during the film's production. This is the collection of related movies in succession

that have a shared fictional universe. The Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)

is one of the successful film franchises ever3. For decades, the film has remained relevant,

trading between successful film producers like Disney Walt, with the franchise accounting

for extensive bulk deals. Franchising has placed the film on the top line for many years. One

of the reasons it is popular is because of its outstanding success. It is a story with many

elements. Like any great film, a significant part of success is due to the level.

On the surface, it is a classic conflict, but as one watches the film, it reveals several

interwoven themes and subplots, for instance, the fight for power between Jedi and the

Imperial army. Luke Skywalker's relationship with the father shows a dramatic match,

including the mystique adventure of space and consumers' exploration. These are interwoven

themes within the film that remains outstanding. The most important thing is that during the

franchise, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015) was well managed during the

expansion with no spin-off content removed from the main story told through the movies.

The most crucial part is that video games and books improve films. A film franchise ale starts

3
Smith, Richard. 2021. "ARHT1001: Hollywood Cinema: Art, Industry,
Entertainment." Noted Class 1-7.
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with a committed audience, which provides the strong base for the film to be a franchise. For

Star Wars, the franchise is evident, especially with the recent changes that led to the

emergence of Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker, and Han Solo, which is the actual presentation

of the franchise.

It is also important to note that the original film makes restrictions for the filmmakers

within franchising, used in the Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015). The

technology borrowed from A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back are flexible to advance

technology. For instance, in the opening scene, when Rey is shown the scavenging parts

originating from the Warship empire and when the Millenium Falcon is chased, these scenes

present a significant change in technology in terms of advancement. It is clear that due to

Franchising, there is a substantial change in technology and that it is easy to change in action

from one place to the other4. The technology change creates the space in which they exist,

with the last battle occurring on the top of the battleships. When it comes to character

presentation, we can see the struggle of Rey and Carol, and they try to unlock the innermost

power. These are also regarded as self-actualization struggles, and despite Carol being the

superhero, she is always deemed a damaged person. This is an aspect that considers how

Hollywood presents the central characters in that there are no losers5. The title Saturday

Night May easily be changed to indicate the ways Hollywood addresses the aspect of equity.

The struggle of Carol and Rey essentially presents equitability when it comes to life struggles

4
Smith, Richard. 2021. "ARHT1001: Hollywood Cinema: Art, Industry,
Entertainment." Noted Class 1-7.

5
Rose, Alexander. 2016. "Star Wars: The Force Awakens [the Western Pleasure
Principle]." CINEJ Cinema Journal 23-89.
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as it does not differentiate the genders involved. The theme of struggle presented in Star Wars

Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015) is the familiar tone in Hollywood films6.

Further, as an American historian, Hollywood tracks the link between the Americans

with the motion picture concept. Using motion pictures in the film aims to control what

people see on the screen and narrate the stories. This is also crucial in stimulating experiences

that move images communicate ideas, feelings, opinions, and surroundings. The use of

image motion in the movie is essential in presenting the film's objective and goals to reach

the targeted market. Further, the movie's production does not guarantee a positive reception

on the market, and for this reason, after production, the producers embark on marketing the

movie.

Various marketing strategies have been used over the years, but the standard

marketing method used in Hollywood cinemas is merchandising. This is the process of

marketing the movie through themes, which is regarded as the essential part of the marketing

strategy, especially attracting viewers. In the Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens

(2015), merchandizing was used as a marketing tool. The first step was publishing the film by

Disney, and this was followed by the production of comic books titled Journey to Star Wars

Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015) under several publishers7. The series of books

included Del Rey from Marvel Comics, and all the titles were about the Stars Wars Universe.

The primary aim of publishing the books was for adaptation that was meant to alert the

audience on the existence of the books. In 2015, Disney Consumer Products, along with

Lucas Film, stated that on the 4th of September 2015, it would be deemed as Force Friday,

6
Ursell, Joe. 2016. "How Star Wars changed the world of film and beyond." Accessed
2021. https://www.intofilm.org/news-and-views/articles/the-force-awakens-feature.

7
Lubbers, Charles, and Adams Smiths. 2004. "Merchandising in the Major Motion
Picture Industry." Journal of Promotion Management 56-89.
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marking the launch of the merchandise for the Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens

(2015). The fans were given a chance to purchase the books, toys, and products from Disney

stores themed with Star Wars, a strategic step towards marketing the movie.

Transmedia storytelling is a narrative breaking through both languages, such as

semiotics and narratology. This technique is used in presenting a single story through several

formats by implementing modern technologies. Transmedia is a Holywood technique, which

according to Dr David Smith, is the future of Hollywood Cinema is excellent with the use of

transmedia. It is the process of determining the core themes, qualities of the characters, and

inspirational elements in the story8. The other elements of transmedia include stories with

several characters, rich life, among others. It is a concept that boosts storytelling as it ensures

the stories present a sense of reality regardless of the complexity and also communicates the

themes simultaneously9. Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015) comprised six

films produced between 1977 and 2007 by George Lucas, and with time, these films got the

support of novels, comic books, and cartoons. These editions were later differentiated from

the films based on the canonized positioning in Star Wars, which enabled the film to expand

to the universe.

Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)reveals its importance in

Hollywood movies. Through this, we can contend that the movie set a path by re-

emphasizing the importance of these concepts in Hollywood. The film also changed the

aesthetics and narrative of the films in Hollywood, which switched the focus on Hollywood-

made films from dramatic, conflict, and irony to the increasing effects of blockbusters and the

changing holy wood industry. Therefore, it motivated the production companies to rediscover
8
Smith, Richard. 2021. "Characterising Transmedia Storytelling." Film.

9
Lubbers, Charles, and Adams Smiths. 2004. "Merchandising in the Major Motion
Picture Industry." Journal of Promotion Management 56-89.
 7

space adventures that were important in reviving the genre10. Being an older movie and its

success, it acted as a pace

Bibliography

10

Escobedo, Joe. 2017. "Transmedia Will Shape The Future Of Hollywood And Fortune 500
Firms." Forbes. Accessed 2021.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/joeescobedo/2017/07/01/meet-the-man-behind-
hollywood-and-fortune-500-firms-transmedia-success/?sh=2edf660e33da.
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Escobedo, Joe. 2017. "Transmedia Will Shape The Future Of Hollywood And Fortune 500
Firms." Forbes. Accessed 2021.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/joeescobedo/2017/07/01/meet-the-man-behind-
hollywood-and-fortune-500-firms-transmedia-success/?sh=2edf660e33da.

Lubbers, Charles,and Adams Smiths. 2004. "Merchandising in the Major Motion Picture
Industry." Journal of Promotion Management 56-89.
Rose, Alexander. 2016. "Star Wars: The Force Awakens [the Western Pleasure Principle]."
CINEJ Cinema Journal 23-89.
Seitz, Matt Zoller. 2015. "Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens." Accessed 2021.
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/star-wars-episode-vii---the-force-awakens-2015.

Smith, Richard. 2021. "ARHT1001: Hollywood Cinema: Art, Industry, Entertainment."

Noted Class 1-7.
Smith, Richard. 2021. "Characterising Transmedia Storytelling." Film.
Ursell, Joe. 2016. "How Star Wars changed the world of film and beyond." Accessed 2021.
https://www.intofilm.org/news-and-views/articles/the-force-awakens-feature.

Reflection
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Developing a thesis of the film-based essay is not an easy step as it first needs an

understanding of the film itself, including the production elements and the plot. In this case, I

focused on first watching the film and grasping different elements discussed in different

literature reviews. After understanding the concepts, I began writing the essay as per the

instruction, and after the competition, it was easy to come up with the theme as presented in

the essay. The theme of the essay presents the main concepts discussed in the paper, and

these are the aspects I discussed in the paper. The ideas supporting the theme came after

reading different books and reviews online, and with the help of the class materials, I was

able to draw main concepts to focus on in the paper.

Researching was another critical element in the paper, and in this case, I focused on reading

the class materials first. After completing the class materials, I started searching online

related materials about the topic, which helped me strengthen the essay's focus. Going

through the existing reviews and linking them to class materials and the film itself served as

the major component of the discussion, which created a strong foundation for the thesis.

Hollywood is expansive, and analyzing the aspect of the Star film in line with the history of

Hollywood was hard. However, with the examples given in the class materials, I researched

the search engine using these terms that gave me the desired results.

In the class materials, there were aspects about Hollywood discussed, including transmedia,

franchise, character presentation, and merchandising. With these concepts in mind, I was able

to apply them to the existing literature as I searched for sources. There is, however, a

challenge when searching for articles in film reviews. This is because most of the sources are

blogs. However, academic studies require scholarly sources. In this case, I was keen on the

sources I would cite in the paper, so I searched for authentic websites and peer reviews

articles.
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The references I used in the paper have essential arguments that support the central theme.

For instance, all these sources discuss either one or two elements in the theme, and to ensure

they are credible, I included examples to make my arguments viable. The use of these sources

has also reviewed the growth and the chance in the Hollywood industry, making these

sources incredible in the argument. The credibility of the sources is also based on the fact

that they have reviewed The Star War with other films as they bring out the significant

differences. They also described this in line with the changes and progress in Hollywood over

the years. I can say that this was not easy research as it calls for a deep understanding of the

film, which calls for time and commitment.