Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

You won’t want to miss this epic ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ visual effects reel

Behind the Magic: The Visual Effects of Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Star Wars fans get a rare peek behind the magic curtain of visual effects on the recently released visual-effects reel from Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Created by LucasArts’ in-house VFX and animation studio Industrial Light & Magic, also known as ILM, this video peels back the digital layers to show fans how the final images were pieced together.

Unlike behind-the-scenes footage of days past with spaceships dangling from strings, a glimpse of how the effects were pieced together to bring Star Wars: The Force Awakens doesn’t detract from the final product or sense of awe one feels in watching the film. If anything it makes the final film much more impressive by showing just how much has to come together to create the detailed and complex visual sci-fi environment Star Wars: The Force Awakens delivers.

Industrial Light and Magic used a blend of physical sets, green-screen technology, highly detailed animation and visual effects to create what finally makes the screen. Animated characters like Jar Jar Binks, that irritated fans to no end, are thankfully a relic of the past. The animation and visual effects used now by ILM is so realistic that most cannot perceive the difference between an animatronic character and animation.

Industrial Light and Magic commented on the release of the visual reel and said, “We are pleased to share a sample of the visual effects work created for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The history of ILM leads all the way back to 1975 and origins of Star Wars and The Force Awakens gave us the opportunity to once again push the boundaries of what is possible in character animation and visual effects while combining cutting edge practical effects and physical sets.”

Industrial Light and Magic studios in San Francisco, Singapore, Vancouver, and London contributed to the film. ILM also partnered with Hybride, Base FX, and Virtuos.

Editors' Recommendations

Dave Palmer
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Dave’s technology geek-fest began with the classic Commodore 64 computer, which started a lifelong passion for all things…
SiriusXM’s Taylor Swift channel is free if your car has satellite radio
Taylor Swift on SiriusXM in a Hyundai Palisade.

It's Taylor Swift's world — we're just living in it. That was true before today, which saw the release of The Tortured Poets Department. But it's especially true given that you'll now be able to listen to all the Taylor Swift you want, for free, for the next few weeks.

Sirius XM earlier announced that the previously open Channel 13 has been transformed to Channel 13 (Taylor's Version). That is, all Taylor Swift, all the time. All you needed was a SiriusXM account. But even that minor bit of gatekeeping has been lifted a good bit. If you have a car that has the hardware for SiriusXM — and SXM believes that 50% of all cars on the road are so equipped — Channel 13 (Taylor's Version) will be available for free, through May 6.

Read more
The best movies on Amazon Prime Video (April 2024)
Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams in The Notebook.

There's only a week-and-a-half left in April, but Amazon Prime Video subscribers are still getting a steady supply of movies to watch. While there aren't any splashy Prime Video originals or prominent new additions like The Exorcist: Believer this week, Amazon is giving romance fans a chance to revisit The Notebook for its upcoming 20th anniversary, while action fans can watch Jason Statham do what he does best in Wrath of Man.

For viewers with families, perhaps Universal and Illumination's Minions: The Rise of Gru would be a better choice for your weekend movie night. Regardless of where your tastes lie, Prime Video has something for almost every movie lover. And you can find all of your top options in our roundup of the best movies on Amazon Prime Video right now.

Read more
Best new movies to stream on Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, Max (HBO), and more
A man leans on a TV camera in Late Night with the Devil.

Even in the middle of the month, new additions are still arriving to our list of the best movies to stream on Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, Max (HBO), and other services. Throughout 2024, we've added recent Oscar honorees, new originals, and much more to this list -- and not always at the beginning of the month. Each week, there's something new worth your time.

This week, we've added five films to this list, including a new horror entry to Shudder, one of 2024's most popular movies on Paramount+, the Illumination hit Migration on Peacock, and two movies on Netflix, including part two of Zack Snyder's Rebel Moon series.
We also have guides to the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, and the best movies on HBO.

Read more