With the digital release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens just around the corner, the film’s director has issued a plea to fans not to watch the movie on their smartphones.
Speaking at South by Southwest, JJ Abrams said the thought of viewers experiencing Episode VII on 5-inch handsets was a “nightmare.”
“Anyone who makes movies will say: ‘Please don’t watch my movies on that,’” he said.
“It is the nightmare of every storyteller that people are going to watch something you made on something so small.”
Unfortunately for JJ, whose latest release 10 Cloverfield Lane is tearing it up at the box office in the US, his pleas are likely to fall on deaf ears.
The film is available on iTunes and the Google Play Store next month and buyers are extremely likely to enjoy the newest installment from the galaxy far, far away on their mobile devices.
Abrams’ comments are reminiscent of those made by Twin Peaks director David Lynch when the iPhone was first launched in 2008.
Lynch famously said: “It’s such a sadness that you think you’ve seen a film on your fucking telephone. Get real”
However, don’t think Abrams is completely down on the smartphone. He also praised the miniaturisation of smartphone tech for making it possible for filmmakers to have cameras everywhere.
He also said the presence of HD video cameras and easy to use editing and sharing apps apps have made it possible for more people to become filmmakers.
“Everyone in this room has in their pockets a movie studio and a distribution studio,” he said. “There’s no excuse to not tell the story we want to tell, and that’s unbelievable.”
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
