
In February 2019, director J.J. Abrams called Cut! for the last time during principal photography of the ninth chapter of the long-running Star Wars saga. Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker concludes the third trilogy in the series the trilogy that began with the Abrams-directed Episode VII The Force Awakens, released in December 2015. That film continued the story of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) and Han Solo (Harrison Ford) while also introducing a new generation of heroes and villains, including Rey (Daisy Ridley) and Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), respectively.
Cinematographer Dan Mindel, ASC, BSC, SASC was behind the camera for both The Force Awakens and The Rise of Skywalker. Speaking with Panavision from his home on Kauai, Mindel clearly recalls Episode IX's last day, which took place on Stage 4 at Pinewood Studios, outside of London. Among other setups, the day's work included shots of Finn (John Boyega) as well as portions of a flashback involving Rey and her parents (Jodie Comer and Billy Howle).
No one wanted the day to end, Mindel recounts. It was an exciting day, but it was a sad day it was genuinely really emotional. Working on a couple of these movies with the same crew and cast made for a very cohesive family experience. Everyone was very close.
The conclusion of principal photography also brought one last gate check for the production's Panaflex Millennium XL2 cameras. The nine-film saga finished as it began, with 35mm film rolling through a Panavision camera fitted with Panavision anamorphic glass.
Production on the original Star Wars released in 1977 and subsequently given the longer title of Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope commenced on the salt flats at Nefta, Tunisia. On Monday, March 22, 1976, writer-director George Lucas called Action! for the first time on Star Wars, and a Panaflex camera rolled to speed for a scene outside of Luke Skywalker's home on the desert planet Tatooine.
Cinematographer Gil Taylor, BSC had been tapped to shoot the original Star Wars. His camera package for the film included Panaflex No. 21, which had previously been used on such features as The Wind and the Lion, French Connection II, The Man Who Would Be King and The Secret Life of Plants. The filmmakers paired the cameras with C Series anamorphics.
After wrapping in Tunisia, the Star Wars production moved to the stages at EMI Studios-Elstree in Borehamwood, England, near London. That facility would also house the stages for the first sequel in the franchise, Episode V The Empire Strikes Back, for which Lucas handed the directing reins to Irvin Kershner, with cinematographer Peter Suschitzky later to join the ranks of the ASC behind the camera.
Suschitzky had interviewed for the original Star Wars, so he joined the sequel already knowing producers George Lucas and Gary Kurtz. They were very keen that we should get the best possible result on the screen, the cinematographer shared. They said, What do you want to test? Which cameras do you want to test?' So I had total freedom to bring in any anamorphic system I wanted.
Suschitzky's final choice echoed Taylor's, giving Episode IV and V a continuity of Panavision C Series anamorphic glass. We used a combination of the PSR and Panaflex-X cameras, Suschitzky explained. Toward the end of the filming for the last two or three months we switched over to a normal Panaflex. We then used the Panaflex-X as a second camera.
The original trilogy concluded in 1983 with the release of Episode VI Return of the Jedi, which saw Richard Marquand assume the director's chair, with Alan Hume, BSC serving as cinematographer. Following that film's release, the movie saga was widely considered to be complete, but that changed in 1997, when Lucas released Special Edition versions of each film in the original trilogy, with updated effects, new shots and even new scenes.
The Special Editions served as a technological testing ground for the long-rumored prequel trilogy, which jumped back in time to tell the story of Luke Skywalker's father, Anakin. Episode I The Phantom Menace premiered in 1999, Episode II Attack of the Clones followed in 2002, and Episode III Revenge of the Sith concluded the trilogy in 2005. Behind the scenes, all three movies saw Lucas resume his place in the director's chair, with David Tattersall, BSC serving as cinematographer.
Lucas initially hoped to be able to shoot all three prequel features digitally, but the production schedule for The Phantom Menace proved to be just ahead of the technological curve. The movie went into production with a traditional photochemical process, but behind the scenes, the race was on to make Lucas' digitally captured dream a reality in time for Attack of the Clones.
Panavision said they were interested in making the lenses, Lucas explained. So we got them together with Sony and said, We want to be able to shoot Episode II with this [digital system]. That gives you about two and a half years. Can you get it done in time?' And they replied, Yup, we'll do it.' And they did.
Panavision's involvement in the project included Panavising Sony's nascent HDW-F900 2/3 high-definition digital video camera, developing a new range of cine-style accessories for the camera, and designing and building the Primo Digital series of lenses, which were specifically conceived to offer double the resolving power of 35mm-format optics so that the 2/3 HD image would hold up on cinema screens. This was a giant experiment for everybody, and nobody knew if it was going to work, Lucas reflected. Both companies really went out on a limb.
The risk brought reward, and Attack of the Clones became the first major theatrical release to have been captured entirely digitally with 24p HD cam
Most recent headlines
13/03/2025
WASHINGTON FCC Chairman Brendan Carr announced that the agency has launched a massive, new deregulatory initiative that could potentially subject virtually all ...
13/03/2025
SUNNYVALE, Calif. SDVI has announced that it has integrated its Rally media supply chain management platform with the Spectra Vail multi-cloud data management s...
13/03/2025
ATLANTA Gray Media has announced that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has granted a waiver of its local ownership rules to permit Gray Media to acqu...
13/03/2025
TV Tech: What do you anticipate will be the most significant technology trends at the 2025 NAB Show?...
13/03/2025
Watch Student Naomi Soleils Folk Pop Performance on The Voice The songwriting major sang Stars by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals during the blind auditions.
...
12/03/2025
O Spotify acaba de lan ar o relat rio Loud & Clear deste ano, uma vis o transpar...
12/03/2025
Spotify acaba de presentar el informe Loud & Clear de este a o, una mirada trans...
12/03/2025
Ramadan, a period of profound spiritual significance for Muslims worldwide, is a time for fasting, prayer, reflection, and community. Enrich your experience thi...
12/03/2025
Spotify has just unveiled this year's Loud & Clear report, a transparent loo...
12/03/2025
More than 70% of FAST programming has been produced since 2010, according to new Gracenote report
NEW YORK March 12, 2025 Gracenote, the content data busin...
12/03/2025
GEONA, Nev. Independent digital and linear advertising rep firm Viamedia will adopt cloud-based ShowSeeker Pilot as its primary ad campaign and order management...
12/03/2025
BRUSSELS Mediagenix has announced that Wael Yasin has joined the company as sales director Central Europe....
12/03/2025
LONDON A new study highlights opportunities for shoppable TV and the massive impact online consumer spending is having on the economy, with Omdia predicting tha...
12/03/2025
CUPERTINO, Calif. Interra Systems has announced that Comcast Technology Solutions has integrated recent updates to BATON Version 9 into its operations....
12/03/2025
Nevion announces new 400G addition to its eMerge SDN media fabric offering
Brie Clayton March 12, 2025
0 Comments
High-capacity switch enhances existi...
12/03/2025
DaVinci Resolve Studio Delivers Cinematic Sound for Adam Bol
Brie Clayton March 12, 2025
0 Comments
Feature film relies on DaVinci Resolve Studio for ...
12/03/2025
SVT Leverages Ateliere Live to Pioneer 100% Software-Defined Production at Rally...
12/03/2025
Berklee Awards Fenway Neighborhood Improvement Grant to Four Organizations A total of $17,000 will be distributed among the Boston-based nonprofits.
By
Madd...
12/03/2025
TVBEuropes Jenny Priestley sits down with new SMPTE president Richard Welsh to discuss his aims for the organisation going forward, its efforts to attract a you...
12/03/2025
The new process has significantly enhanced operational efficiencies, with automation freeing up creators to concentrate on higher value tasks
By Matthew Corrig...
12/03/2025
Jellyfish Pictures, which has offices in London and Sheffield, said it has been battling hard in the face of strong headwinds over the last 12 months
By Jenny ...
12/03/2025
Visit Booth #W2213 to Experience the Latest in AI-Driven Content Discovery and Workflow Automation
Bitcentral, a leader in media workflow solutions, is set to ...
12/03/2025
CHICAGO Jeff Lilly has been named WGN-TV director of technology effective March 17, 2025, according to Ric Harris, WGN-TV vice president and general manager....
12/03/2025
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. A new study from LG Ad Solutions indicates that consumers want more features that would allow them to shop for products on the connected T...
12/03/2025
BOTHELL, Wash. The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS), Advanced Media Workflow Association (AMWA) and the Video Services Forum (VSF) will once again present...
12/03/2025
PHILADELPHIA Comcast announced that it has upgraded Xfinity Internet speeds for more than 20 million customers for no additional cost....
12/03/2025
Create with Maxon: Cinema 4D Fundamentals Workshop - March 12-14
Brie Clayton March 11, 2025
0 Comments
Makin' Waffles with Elly Wade
During Marc...
12/03/2025
Ottawa, Canada - March 12, 2025 - Ross Video is pleased to announce the appointment of Aaron Tunnell as Business Development Director, Cloud Solutions, reinforc...
12/03/2025
12 Mar 2025
VEON to release 4Q 2024 trading update on 20 March 2025 Dubai, 12 March 2025 - VEON Ltd. (NASDAQ: VEON), a global digital operator, today confirms ...
12/03/2025
Getting set for the Winter Olympics: Inside SVT's ongoing software-based pro...
12/03/2025
THE PLAYERS Championship 2025: AI Commentary, Shared-Reality Viewing at COSM, La...
12/03/2025
Seamless SMPTE 2110: A Discussion on Making the Move to IP Less Painful Leaders from Netflix, Monumental Sports & Entertainment, LinkedI, and Megapixel address ...
12/03/2025
Opening Doors of Perception: Meta's Ajit Ninan on Rethinking AR/MR Perceptua...
12/03/2025
With the 2025 Formula 1 season set to begin in Melbourne on March 16, Sky Sports is gearing up to deliver its most comprehensive F1 coverage yet. Following a th...
12/03/2025
Unicanal and Trece TV revolutionize Digital TV in Paraguay with Rohde & Schwarz ...
12/03/2025
Honoring Service, Celebrating Sport: Rohde & Schwarz UK Sponsors NavyFit Rugby D...
12/03/2025
New HVS-Q12 Represents a Quantum Leap in Switcher Design...
12/03/2025
Telespazio and ABS Expand Partnership to Deliver Tailored C-Band Connectivity So...
12/03/2025
ABC conducts independent audits across the TAG programs. In the March 2025 TAG s...
12/03/2025
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Moonlight: ESA program to create a satellite con...
12/03/2025
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
In 2025, Thales ranks among the top 0.01% of the...
12/03/2025
Consumer show back following hugely successful first series
10 March 2025 Following a hugely successful first series, The Complaints Bureau returns to RT ...
11/03/2025
By Lucy Spicer
One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festival...
11/03/2025
Salsa is making a comeback, captivating new listeners with its infectious energy...
11/03/2025
For many people, music can serve as a reflection of their roots and upbringing. ...
11/03/2025
The solution delivers reliable, scalable and secure connectivity for critical pu...
11/03/2025
SAN JOSE, Calif. Harmonic has announced that Weigel Broadcasting has deployed Harmonics VOS Media Software, which offers playout-to-delivery capabilities, inclu...
11/03/2025
NEW BERN, N.C. Wheatstone will introduce a Linux audio driver for its WheatNet IP audio network during the 2025 NAB Show, April 5-9, at the Las Vegas Convention...
11/03/2025
NEW YORK A new study finds that as TV viewership for women's sports surged by 131% in 2024, the programming also saw a 56% year-over-year increase in ad im...
11/03/2025
Powerful switcher for news studio
FOR-A, a cutting-edge video broadcast technology company backed by more than 50 years experience, has installed its HVS-1200 ...