Publisher's Synopsis
Bachelor Thesis from the year 2019 in the subject Film, grade: 2:1/62%, University of Portsmouth (Bachelors of Fine Art), course: Film Industries, language: English, abstract: The main purpose of this dissertation is to discuss all of the working elements of the long lasting appeal of the "Star Wars" franchise. The elements of its appeal will be discussed through its story, characters and themes, and how the franchise has transformed itself from a single multi genre yet experimental film, to a contemporary Hollywood franchise. This will be discussed through sources such as "Star Wars" and the history of transmedia storytelling (Guynes & Hassler‐Forest, 2018), which will be used as a dissection of the transmedia terminology that this franchise has utilized. I will use the book George Lucas (Smith, 2003), which is an insightful look at George Lucas's interviews. The book covers important ground regarding the way he went about directing and producing the films. In terms of academic scholars, Henry Jenkins will be a primary figure in the discussion of the significance of "Star Wars" transmedia texts. Key examples of these texts will include "Star Wars" Darth Maul (Bunn, Ross & Woodward, 2017), which will be a focal character analysis and as a media output. The role of comic books in expanding the "Star Wars" universe and characters has been a pivotal one. Comic books allows for both story and visuals to co‐exist. Therefore, it's one of the best formats to expand a specific character and tell a backstory, which then ties into the motion pictures. The whole transmedia aspect is about expansion and enriching the overall fan experience. "Star Wars" is a contemporary Hollywood franchise and has cemented itself to be one of the most successful and long lasting Hollywood franchises and transmedia narratives of all time.
