How Star Wars changed the landscape of special effects
The sci-fi series has brought new cameras and filming techniques to the world of cinema – and many are wondering what the next instalment will bring into being
When Star Wars audiences were blown away four decades ago by its thrilling battles in space, they were also witnessing a big bang in special effects that is still felt today, as fans await the next instalment in the blockbuster saga.
The original 1977 movie – which introduced the world to Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader and a mysterious power known as The Force – changed the way science-fiction films were made, paving the way for innovations in the field.
“It woke up the visual effects industry,” says Mike Fink, a Hollywood effects heavyweight who won an Oscar in 2008 for his work on The Golden Compass, of the first film.
“One of the things that’s always been true in films is that the story drives the technology. It took a film like Star Wars” to show that, Fink says.
“With Star Wars, I want to do an action picture. I want to do something where I can pan the space ship. I want to do quick cuts. There’s a lot of rhythm, a lot of pace,” Lucas recalled in a documentary several years ago.