American Cinematographer - February 2016 - 10

The moment we began planning this special issue on Star
Wars: The Force Awakens, I knew our readers were in good
hands.
While rounding up the editorial staff for an early brainstorming session, my first stop was managing editor Jon
Witmer's office, where visitors are greeted by a desktop display
of six (6) miniature Millennium Falcon models in various sizes.
Witmer was already clearing space for a special Force Awakens shelf, where the exhibit now includes die-cast versions of
Kylo Ren's shuttle, two TIE fighters, a pair of X-wings (one with
a white hull and one clad in black), and a First Order
snowspeeder.
My next stop was associate editor Andrew Fish's workspace, where folks can ponder a Darth Vader helmet with
built-in voice changer; a sand person straddling a Bantha; and a semicircle of figurines depicting
musician Max Rebo and his band, last seen entertaining the villainous scum aboard Jabba the
Hutt's sail barge.
I then poked my head into photo editor Kelly Brinker's office, where Yoda proffers a bowl
of candy. Beyond the Jedi Master, a lightsaber is mounted prominently on the wall.
Some time later, I stumbled upon the three of them divvying up Star Wars Lego figurines
from a winter advent calendar. Fish recalls me gazing down upon their mini-convention and
remarking, "I feel very secure that the right people are putting this issue together."
Apparently, director J.J. Abrams shares this sentiment, because he and our allies at Lucasfilm approved AC for a very confidential set visit during production of The Force Awakens at
Pinewood Studios near London. I made the pilgrimage with contributing writer Noah Kadner,
another fervent Star Wars fanatic who appeared to be levitating a foot off the ground the entire
time. By the end of our visit, when we were granted the rare privilege of piloting the Millennium
Falcon (see photo on page 49 for irrefutable proof), Noah's eyes were bugging out of his head
like Admiral Ackbar's.
A full team effort was made to bring you this collector's edition. Kadner wrote a firstperson account of our production tour (page 36) while also contributing Q&As with visual-effects
supervisor Roger Guyett (page 78) and ILM visual-effects supervisor Pat Tubach (page 82); Iain
Marcks penned our article on the first-unit cinematography of Dan Mindel, ASC, BSC (page 50);
Jay Holben wrote our piece on the show's additional cinematography (page 60); Witmer provided
detailed coverage of the production design (page 66), as well as an article on the animated spinoff
series Star Wars Rebels (page 20) and a Short Takes historical on Black Angel, a 1980 project
directed by Star Wars alumnus Roger Christian and shot by Roger Pratt, BSC (page 14). Meanwhile, Fish interviewed Abrams (page 42) and producer/Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy
(page 70). Creative director Micki Kramer (whose office is a collectible-free zone) tackled the cover
and overall design.
If I needed further proof of the staff's Star Wars bona fides, I got it after attending a press
screening of The Force Awakens on the Disney lot with Witmer, Fish and my 9-year-old son,
Nicholas. We all took a spin through the Disney Store, where I spotted a super-cool Resistance
fighter-pilot jacket for Nicholas. As he tried it on for the first time, my fellow editors broke out in
beads of excited perspiration and asked, "Do they have that jacket in adult sizes?"
I hope you enjoy reading this issue as much as our staff and writers enjoyed producing it.

Stephen Pizzello
Editor-in-Chief and Publisher

Photo by Owen Roizman, ASC.

Editor's Note

American Cinematographer - February 2016

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Cinematographer - February 2016