ST Interviews: Making of the desert sequence

Great reads:

Exclusive: Helidubai pilot says working on Star Wars was ‘the most exciting experience’ of his life


http://www.thenational.ae/arts-life...alcon-x-wings-and-tie-fighters-over-abu-dhabi

and

http://www.thenational.ae/arts-life...-was-the-most-exciting-experience-of-his-life

 

"The Star Wars crew were all super. I didn’t get to meet Harrison Ford because he was in a different area. I met (director) JJ Abrams, most of the producers and the cameraman, a guy called Adam Dale, who has also done most of the Harry Potter films, and I also worked with him on Mission Impossible 4 [in Dubai]. A good mix."​

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This suggests Harrison was in Dubai.

 

I thought Han doesn't have any desert sequences.

 

X-wings on Abu-Dhabi, so my guess is both the Alliance and The Empire are hunting Finn (or something he has). I think Han is on Tatooine with the rebel alliance, and at the end barely escapes with Finn and Rey, making it not a coincidence that our new heroes encounter him.

 

So Ford. Was in Abu Dhabi.

 

I thought we first meet Han/Chewie at this freighter?

 

the rumor is that Han does not appear on the desert planet at all.

 

Not necassarily.

 

The rumor is that it seems Han and Chewie may not be introduced until the Giant Freighter scene, but that it's unclear. I always thought it seemed strange that the new gang would somehow bump into Han off-planet.

 

How does the falcon get there then? Seems too random if there are also X-wings. Also the barrel-roll in the teaser seems like a manoeuvre only Han can do.

 

I think it's Finn/Rey supposedly flying it after stealing the Falcon, according to rumors.

 

yeah, but initially the Falcon must somehow and by someone been parked there.

 

That's strange, I remember Harrison being picture in the US when the Dubai shoot was happening, wasn't he pictured with his plane. Wonder if he flew himself to Dubai to avoid the paparazzi?

 

Idd, its possible that it is randomly parked. But that's to big of a coincidence, like stupid even.

 

''These two interviews revealed more official information about the movie, than Lucasfilm did in the last few months. From the above we can conclude that:

Starwars7news:
The desert planet sequence (presumably Tatooine) will be in the beginning of the movie
Simon Pegg do have a role in the movie (we heard he is an alien in a Cantina scene)
Harrison Ford was present at Abu Dhabi during the filming (first rumored HERE)
Apart from The Falcon and the Tie Fighters we also have X-Wings in the desert chase sequence
Chewbacca and other dwarf – like creatures were on set (probably Jawas?)'' star wars7news

 

they shoot in Dhabi from May 13-Jun 1 2014, so it is possible.
http://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/film/star-wars-filming-to-start-on-may-13-in-abu-dhabi-desert
http://www.starwarsunderworld.com/2014/06/report-episode-vii-finished-filming-in.html

 

He was at the Cannes film festival right when TFA started filming.

 

He probably only had a few scenes to shoot in Dhabi I guess.

 

True. I think it's open to interpretation. It raised a eyebrow for me though.

 

maybe he went and shot one quick scene and then left.

 

Let's say that is true, what are the X-wings doing at Abu-Dhabi?

 

Its a mess, all these rumors are contradicting. But we will see......

 

but they filmed for 3 weeks in Abu-Dhabi, so it is possible.