Super 8 takes place in 1979 in a small Ohio town. From the get go, every effort was made to transport the audience back to the '70s.

Cinematographer Larry Fong (Watchmen/300), a longtime friend of Abrams going back to his 8mm films, and production designer Martin Whist (Cloverfield) were charged with creating the feel of a film made at the end of the '70s.

For his young stars, Abrams was instrumental in helping transport them back in time.

"None of us knew what a Super 8 camera was," says Elle Fanning. "So he came in and showed us the camera, and said, 'This is how I used to make films.'

"When you see the movie and you see all the kids' bedrooms, there's so much detail, with the posters and everything. That's how JJ's room was. The face that he grew up in that time helped make it all authentic.

"JJ is like a big kid as well. He's really cool, but he's always thinking. You can see in his eyes that he's always thinking about the details."

"Whatever film you're doing", says JJ, "Whether it's Star Trek or Super 8, you're serving the master of the story. 

"Every part of a film needs to be realised as it requires, not as I require it."

And for a story with this much adventure and magic, the film required a set to match...