- Title: USA: Stars step out for "Step Up 3D" premiere in Hollywood
- Date: 3rd August 2010
- Summary: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (AUGUST 2, 2010) (REUTERS) PAN AND WIDE SHOT OF RED CARPET ACTRESS SHARNI VINSON TALKING TO MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (English) SHARNI VINSON, ON LANDING A LEAD ROLE IN THE FILM, SAYING: "Wow. It was pretty well a stroke of luck. I feel like I won the lottery on this film. It was an audition, you know. Just like every other audition. Except this was the one. I felt like it was my calling from the beginning. When I received the audition I had the script in my hands. And, I grew up a dancer. It was a very huge passion of mine that I gave away a few years ago just to concentrate on the acting. And, I'm so honored and blessed to have it back in my life and to be dancing again. And, to show the world that 'Yes, I'm an actress. But dancing is such a huge passion as well." SHARNI VINSON DOING A FASHION TWIRL (SOUNDBITE) (English) SHARNI VINSON, ON HER DANCE TRAINING AND HOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED SINCE SHE STARTED, SAYING: "I came through the very classical training. Ballet. Modern contemporary. And, back then it was sort of like if you weren't a trained dancer, then you weren't a dancer. You weren't considered a dancer. And the dancers in this movie are showing everybody that dancing really is about freedom of expression. It's about how you move when you naturally just feel the music. And whatever you come up with. And that can be named almost a style after yourself these days, you know. So, anybody can do it. And I think that's why it's so popular. It's just, it's just becoming more and more broad, you know?" ACTOR CHAD SMITH DEMONSTRATING HIS "ROBOT" STYLE OF DANCE ACTOR RICK MALAMBRI TALKING TO REPORTER (SOUNDBITE) (English) RICK MALAMBRI, ON IF HE IDENTIFIES WITH HIS CHARACTER IN THE FILM, SAYING: "Definitely. Definitely. Luke is very-- he loves to love. And I think that's a big, and you got to have a big heart to play that character. And I feel like I do have that trait in myself." "STEP UP 3D" MOVIE POSTER (SOUNDBITE) (English) RICK MALAMBRI, ON HIS DANCE TRAINING, SAYING: "My dance background is break-dancing. I grew up break-dancing around the age of 13. Just kind of as a hobby, and teaching myself how to do the moves." ACTRESS ALYSON STONER POSING FOR PHOTOS (SOUNDBITE) (English) ALYSON STONER, ON WHY AUDIENCES WILL LIKE THIS FILM, SAYING: "These movies are transformative. They're so powerful, and so inspirational. And they really capture the message that everyone needs to hear. It's a cliche, but to follow your dreams and believe in yourself and go against the grain. Don't follow the standard and the formulas. Risk it all because you're doing what you love, and you're sharing your gift with the rest of the world." ALYSON STONER DOING A FASHION TWIRL ACTRESSES SHARNI VINSON AND KENDRA ANDREWS HUG AND TALK (SOUNDBITE) (English) KENDRA ANDREWS, ON THE WIDE RANGE OF DANCE STYLES FEATURED IN THE FILM, SAYING: "Oh, we do, we do so much. It's, it's very hip-hop heavy. But this film showcases so many genres of dance. B-boying. Popping. Tap. Tango. I mean, it's such a broad spectrum." ACTOR OREN MICHAELI DEMONSTRATING HIS DANCE MOVES (SOUNDBITE) (English) DIRECTOR JON M. CHU, ON THE CHALLENGES OF MAKING A 3D DANCE FILM WITH SUCH A LARGE NUMBER OF DANCERS, SAYING: "Not just dozens. Hundreds of dancers. We have over 250 dancers in this one. Thousands of extras. And these cameras, these finicky 3D cameras. They're huge. You know, there's two lenses, one for each of the eye. They're heavy. The rigs haven't been built for them yet. And, so, everyone's inventing things as you go. But at the same time, it makes it really exciting." FILM POSTER AND PULL WIDE TO RED CARPET (SOUNDBITE) (English) PRODUCER ADAM SHANKMAN, ON HOW HE GOT INVOLVED WITH PRODUCING ALL THREE "STEP UP" DANCE FILMS, SAYING: "The movie got made. At Disney. She slipped it to Disney. And suddenly, it was a reality. And then, the success was so wild, that Disney said 'Why don't we do another one?' We did it. And then I think this one turned out to be a joke. It just kept going. The head of Disney at the time said, 'This could be our 'Saw' franchise.' So, everyone's like crazy. But the whole 3D thing was this crazy wonderful accident that just seemed like the thing to do. And, we think it's really special."
- Embargoed: 18th August 2010 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Usa
- Country: USA
- Reuters ID: LVA74Z82VGBPFR2PUOSPKLPXOMZ6
- Story Text: The cast of dancers-turned-actors starring in the new "Step Up 3D" movie hit the red carpet at the Hollywood premiere.
The cast of the new "Step Up 3D" movie hit the red carpet at the Hollywood premiere on Monday night (August 2).
The movie tells the story of competitive street dancers living and training in New York City who find they must face the best hip hop dancers in the world in a high-stakes showdown.
It is the third instalment in the "Step Up" franchise.
Australian dancer-turned-actress Sharni Vinson talked about landing one of the lead roles in the film and returning to her performing roots.
"Wow. It was pretty well a stroke of luck. I feel like I won the lottery on this film. It was an audition, you know. Just like every other audition. Except this was the one. I felt like it was my calling from the beginning. When I received the audition I had the script in my hands. And, I grew up a dancer. It was a very huge passion of mine that I gave away a few years ago just to concentrate on the acting. And, I'm so honored and blessed to have it back in my life and to be dancing again. And, to show the world that 'Yes, I'm an actress. But dancing is such a huge passion as well."
Vinson, 27, also talked about her dance background and how things have changed in the world of dance since she started her career.
"I came through the very classical training. Ballet. Modern contemporary. And, back then it was sort of like if you weren't a trained dancer, then you weren't a dancer. You weren't considered a dancer. And the dancers in this movie are showing everybody that dancing really is about freedom of expression. It's about how you move when you naturally just feel the music. And whatever you come up with. And that can be named almost a style after yourself these days, you know. So, anybody can do it. And I think that's why it's so popular. It's just, it's just becoming more and more broad, you know?"
Actor and model Rick Malambri stars opposite Vinson as her on-screen love interest. He plays the charismatic breakdancer who runs the underground dance scene.
Malambri confided that he sees himself in the character.
"Definitely. Definitely. Luke is very-- he loves to love. And I think that's a big, and you got to have a big heart to play that character. And I feel like I do have that trait in myself."
The 27-year-old started his career in front of the camera as an Abercrombie and Fitch model.
Actress and dancer Alyson Stoner shared why she thinks audiences will enjoy the movie.
"These movies are transformative," explained Stoner, 16. "They're so powerful, and so inspirational. And they really capture the message that everyone needs to hear. It's a cliche, but to follow your dreams and believe in yourself and go against the grain. Don't follow the standard and the formulas. Risk it all because you're doing what you love, and you're sharing your gift with the rest of the world."
In addition to acting, Stoner has also performed as a background dancer for stars including Missy Elliott, Eminem, Outkast, and Will Smith.
Actress Kendra Andrews said she is pleased the movie included several different types of dance.
"It's very hip-hop heavy. But this film showcases so many genres of dance. B-boying. Popping. Tap. Tango. I mean, it's such a broad spectrum."
Andrews' sister, Erin, is a well-known sports reporter for ESPN.
Director Jon M. Chu commented on the challenges of both working with such a large number of dancers and also dealing with the relatively new 3D film cameras.
"Not just dozens. Hundreds of dancers," smiled Chu, 30. "We have over 250 dancers in this one. Thousands of extras. And these cameras, these finicky 3D cameras. They're huge. You know, there's two lenses, one for each of the eye. They're heavy. The rigs haven't been built for them yet. And, so, everyone's inventing things as you go. But at the same time, it makes it really exciting."
Adam Shankman and his sister Jennifer Gibgot have worked as a producing team on all three of the "Step Up" films.
Shankman shared how the trio of films became a reality.
"The movie got made. At Disney. She slipped it to Disney. And suddenly, it was a reality. And then, the success was so wild, that Disney said 'Why don't we do another one?' We did it. And then I think this one turned out to be a joke. It just kept going. The head of Disney at the time said, 'This could be our 'Saw' franchise.' So, everyone's like crazy. But the whole 3D thing was this crazy wonderful accident that just seemed like the thing to do. And, we think it's really special."
Shankman began his career as a dancer, and appeared in music videos for Paula Abdul and Janet Jackson. He later became a choreographer, and then a film director and producer. Last year, Shankman was one of the two show producers for the 82nd Annual Academy Awards.
"Step Up 3D" will be released in theatres across North America on Friday, August 6, 2010. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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