Support UNICEF for chance to appear in next 'Star Wars'

Director J.J. Abrams announces Star Wars: Force For Change. Video screengrab by Bonnie Burton/CNET

Director J.J. Abrams announced Wednesday in a video message from the set of "Star Wars Episode VII," that Disney, Lucasfilm, and his company Bad Robot have created Star Wars: Force for Change. The campaign will raise funds and awareness for UNICEF's Innovation Labs, the research arm of the UN children's charity.

"We're so grateful to all the Star Wars fans out there for their support and their patience that we would like to invite you to be part of the fun here," Abrams said in the video, on location in Abu Dhabi. "We want to put you in the movie, in Star Wars. So starting today, we're gonna give you a chance to win a trip to be in the movie.

"That means you get to come to London, where we're shooting the movie, mostly at Pinewood Studios, and you get to meet the cast, go behind the scenes and see the whole movie-making process. But more than that we'll put you in hair and makeup and wardrobe and you'll actually get to be in the movie. You'll be in Star Wars."

To support the launch of the initiative, fans can donate directly at Omaze.com/starwars for a chance to appear in "Star Wars: Episode VII." Any eligible supporter will be automatically entered to win this once-in-a-lifetime "Star Wars" experience.

The Star Wars: Force for Change Grand Prize includes:

• Airfare and accommodations to London for one winner and a guest.
• Behind-the-scenes access on the closed set of "Star Wars: Episode VII" as VIP guests of J.J. Abrams.
• The opportunity to meet members of the cast.
• The winner and their guest will be transformed by the makeup and costume teams into a Star Wars character and filmed for a scene in "Star Wars: Episode VII."

"The greatest part is that by entering your chance to join us you'll get to help us launch something else -- Star Wars: Force For Change," Abrams explains in the video. "It's a brand-new initiative dedicated to finding creative solutions to some of the world's biggest problems. It's about helping kids all around the world by supporting UNICEF's Innovation Labs and programs."

You can learn more about this new charitable initiative from Disney and Lucasfilm, as well as the work of UNICEF, at StarWars.com/ForceForChange. You enter through contributing or via free entry at Omaze.com/starwars.