The ‘Step Up’ franchise has launched the careers of two highly successful movie directors, Anne Fletcher (who went on to helm ‘27 Dresses’ and ‘The Proposal’) and John M. Chu (director of the upcoming ‘GI Joe: Retaliation’ and creator of the successful web series, “The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers” or The LXD).

To meet that innovative, highly energetic and creative standard, the producers of new ‘Step Up Revolution’ recruited Scott Speer, an award‐winning director who has collaborated with Cho on ‘The LXD’, and directed videos for Blake Shelton, Ashley Tisdale, Jordin Sparks and Mexican pop sensation Belinda. “Scott understood what this movie needed to be,” says producer Jennifer Gibgot.

“He was constantly working to make each number bigger than the one before and give this movie greater scope than any previous Step Up has had. He was always trying to outdo himself, which was really inspiring to the cast and crew.”

The energy and audacity needed to create a flash mob drove his vision, says Speer. “The Mob completely takes over the world for a moment. It’s an aggressive and liberating form of expression, which is a relatable concept for a lot of young people. You just go into a place, and while everyone else is concerned with their lunch or their work or getting where they are going, you remind them that they could break into dance at any time. And dance is about joy. Life is about joy.”

The filmmaker’s passion for dance was another factor that made him the ideal director for this film, say the producers. “Scott is a lover of dance, as John Chu was,” says Gibgot. “He is Jon’s protégé, but when he came in, he was clear about wanting to make his own movie, while still paying homage to the earlier films. That was important to us.”

Speer stages each of the film’s dazzling productions numbers with the precision and scope of an adrenaline‐charged battle scene. “He has the potential to be a great action director,” says executive producer Matt Smith. “He envisioned the dance numbers like action set pieces. It felt like he came in every day with something to prove.”

But he also excelled at finding the humanity and romance that are the hallmarks of the ‘Step Up’ franchise. “Scott cared deeply about the actors and the characters they play,” Gibgot says. “He said from the beginning that he wanted to keep what made the last three movies special, which was the love story and the chemistry, as well as the great dance.”

To build camaraderie within the cast, the director encouraged them to spend time together on set and off. “One thing that is special about a dance movie is that you don’t meet at the table read and then go your separate ways until you get to the set,” he explains. “We had a lengthy rehearsal process. The cast was hanging out after work, eating together every day. By the first day of production, everyone had bonded through that months’ worth of rehearsing and training. It began as a mandate that they spend time together. Eventually it took on a life of its own. They formed a little family.”

The way the company came together was a new experience for producer Smith. “This is my first Step Up,” he says. “I couldn’t have asked anything more. There were no egos. Everybody just wanted to make this the best Step Up film there could be.”

Even producer Adam Shankman stepped in to help, volunteering to run the second unit for Speer. “Adam just brings such enormous spirit to everything he does,” says Smith. “Whether it’s directing ‘Rock Of Ages’ and ‘Hairspray’ or producing the ‘Step Up’ movies, Adam’s energy is off the charts and it’s infectious. To have someone with his experience on second unit was invaluable.”

The finished film depicts the world of the flash mob in a way that has never been seen before, says the producer. “You will be going on a ride during which you’ll see some of the best dancing and the most amazing dance sequences in the world. And in addition to that, you will see a great young love story in the Step Up tradition. You’re going to have a great time!”

Image Courtesy of  Step Up Movie

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About the author

Claudia Sondergaard
Specialised in American foreign policy media discourse, I have a real passion for media and writing and feel comfortable in subjects such as human rights, politics, environment, social issues, movies, TV and books. Reporting from Denmark. Follow me @swirlgirlversus

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