Even with The Rise of Skywalker deep in our rear-view mirror, the epic saga isn't going anywhere. Patty Jenkins has already announced Rogue Squadron for Christmas 2023, and The Mandalorian on Disney+ has been answering questions fans have had since New Hope.
With Star Wars Day upon us, we've put together a collection of our favorite stories for you to sink your teeth into and learn a few things you may not already know about the iconic franchise.
Let's jump into hyperspace.
Credit: Lucasfilm
News
If you haven't heard by now, George Lucas is returning to Star Wars to draft episodes of Andor. Speaking of, here's one lesson Lucas wants every filmmaker to know. Want to know more about the Star Wars that could have been with Leia and Darth Maul? Jump here. And here's an interesting tidbit on why 20th Century Fox thought Star Wars would fail.
- Leaked Duel of Fates Concept Art
- Someone Animated the Duel of Fates Script
- How Did Star Wars Inspire Your Favorite Filmmakers
- Read the Secrets to the Scrapped 2005 Star Wars Show
- Why the Ending of the Star Wars Saga Was so Hard
Credit: Lucasfilm
Take a journey into the world of Star Wars by downloading some of the original screenplays below. Or jump to this link to find out what the leaked Colin Trevorrow's Star Wars: Episode IX script says about the movie industry.
Ever wonder how a franchise like Star Wars even started? No Film School has that answer too.
How about understanding the seven basic questions every screenplay should answer, and how Last Jedi answered three of them? Head on over here.
Speaking of writing a screenplay... did you know No Film School has a free eBook on the subject? Get your copy here.
- Read the 1977 Star Wars Script And Build Your Own World
- How to Write a Sequel: The Empire Strikes Back Script
- Download The Force Awakens Script
Credit: Lucasfilm
You can learn a lot from the techniques of other filmmakers. And it's the very reason why No Film School exists. It's a place where filmmakers learn from each other and “no film school” is required.
Want to recreate the look of The Rise of Skywalker or find out how the sound design impacted the original movie? Check out how some of your favorite Star Wars movies were made below.
- Scroll Through 1,000+ Behind the Scenes Photos of A New Hope: Vol 1, Vol 2, Vol 3, Vol 4
- Find Out What it's Like on a Star Wars Set
- See How the Millennium Falcon Was Made
- One Lesson George Lucas Wants to Teach Storytellers
- 15 Secrets from Behind the Scenes of Force Awakens
- How Force Awakens Pulled Off a Pivotal Scene On a Remote Island
- Watch Behind The Scenes Footage of Last Jedi
- You Can Learn A Lot From J.J. Abrams' Star Wars Movies
- Recreate the Look of Rise of Skywalker
- How Rise of Skywalker Pulled Off That Surprise Cameo
- J.J. Abrams Reveals Why Ending the Star Wars Saga Was So Damn Hard
Credit: Lucasfilm
Final Cut
Some of filmmaking's most memorable sounds and visual effects come from the Star Wars franchise. Just thinking about it, you can probably hum the notes to the opening title sequence of John Williams' unwavering score.
Others include Ben Burtt's sound design of the lightsaber, the zip of TIE fighters, the Wilhelm scream, and let's not forget about the menacing voice of Darth Vader from James Earl Jones.
The visual effects have come a long way since the original film which masterfully blended miniature sets, matte painting, and handmade creatures controlled by puppeteers. Many of the techniques used on the first film continued to be used on the sequels, but with refined techniques and new technology. Want to learn how some of it was created?
Check out the links below.
- Original Star Wars Footage Reveals Sound Design's Impact
- Learn 3 Editing Techniques Star Wars Uses to Communicate Emotions
- Here's Where the Wilhelm Scream Came From
- Watch John Williams Score This Empire Strikes Back Scene
- How J.J. Abrams Fixed Rise of Skywalker In Post
- Create a Star Wars-Inspired Hologram in After Effects
- Watch What Modern VFX Does to Vintage Star Wars
- How Aggressive Schedules Affected Rise of Skywalker Editing
Credit: Lucasfilm
The Mandalorian is a massive success, not only winning Emmys but pushing the boundaries of virtual production. Find out how the show was made at the jumps below.
- Watch How The Mandalorian Moved Mountains
- The Crazy Cool Tech Behind The Mandalorian
- Is The Mandalorian a Western or a Samurai Show
Do you have a favorite Star Wars movie or moment? Tell us about it in the comments below.
