Star Wars: The Force Awakens is a film.
Creative consultant is a credit that has - particularly in the past - been given to screenwriters who have consulted on a movie screenplay . Principal photography . Principal photography is the phase of film production in which the movie is filmed , with actors on set and cameras rolling , as distinct from pre-production and post-production . Star Wars : The Force Awakens ( also known as Star Wars : Episode VII -- The Force Awakens ) is a 2015 American epic space opera film directed , co-produced , and co-written by J. J. Abrams . The Star Wars sequel trilogy is the third film trilogy in the Star Wars American space opera franchise , created by George Lucas .