Final Project-Assignment 3-Fan culture

Step up

Step up 2 the street

Step up 3 (in 3D)

With stylish and fresh romance parts, shocking and exciting music, unique and gorgeous dancing, STEP UP is really an attracting movie. The series of movie Step Up earned great support from the dancing groups of course, and also attracted those teenagers (like me) who don’t dance.

Step up is produced in 2006, Step up 2 the street is produced in 2008, and the latest one Step up 3 is produced this year (2010). The actors and actresses are somehow new faces, but with great talents in dancing. After shooing Step up, I know quite many of them gained more chance in acting other movies or other performances. I think that the movies and the reality and competitive shows like The American Idols and The Talents show have effect on both parties–the participants of these shows might be stirred and encouraged to show what they got to the public after watching the movies, or vice versa, these shows stimulate the production of those movies.

For example, this is the link where a Hong Kong dancing competitions(舞動奇跡), the Hong Kong artists mimic the last part of dancing of Step up in their final round.http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XODUxNzM2MTI=.html (the last 5 minutes of the clip is the mimic part I am talking about)

I think the movies have another appreciating point, other than those cool and fabulous outlook and dancing techniques, there is also TEAM SPIRIT and full of education meaning. They tell the teenagers’ determination to achieve what they want, and contain the meaning of teaching people to turn over a new leaf also–“Don’t miss any chances you’ve ever got.” and “Dance can keep people closer.” I think that the movies are actually helping dancing group to gain more support and popularity in reality, so that more people love dancing and especially treat street dance in a positive attitude. In addition, there is a mixed dancing culture in Step up and Step up 2, which is the part of elegant modern classical dancing mixed with the hip-pop and street dance. I personally love this very much because it is always the fusion part giving people a feeling of freshness.

There are particular fans group of a particular artist, but there is not one for the movie. Only those people who really love dancing (Hip pop, Street dance, Classical dance etc)might be attracted by Step up, a very fascinating romance and dancing movie. Teenagers who love music and art may also have watched these movies. For me, I don’t dance. However, I have watched the first two series and am looking forward to the third one, the 3D one. I don’t know why but I just enjoyed the movies and love the passion they (the movies and the characters) brought me. In Macau, you can find a group of dance lovers in the outer area of Forum de Macau.

Talking about the technology, once the movies are out. They were shown in the cinema of course. Then later, they would be made into DVDs, so that people can buy one and save it (i will do this ;))Besides, before the movies were on, there must be official trailers uploaded on Youtube (like the one I shown above), the movie critics might have opinions on them and posted in newspapers’ entertainment part, thus the audience will have a concept first before watching the movies. Furthermore, because of the popularity of 3D, Step Up 3 will be shown in 3D. This is the greatest thing for me and others to looking forward, because how to be 3D? Like 3 or 4 people dancing exactly in front of you and very close to you, and they will grab you to join them?Funny…^^

This is it

Step up movies remind me of a pop star, the king of the world-Michael Jackson, who is influential to the singing, dancing and fashion world. That is why he gained a lot of fans from all over the world and many people try to mimic him. Just like the following two clips, one is a little kid mimic the dancing part of MJ, and the other one is a group of men using beatbox, singing and dancing to mimic MJ.

MJ is different. He has a large and particular fans group, wherever in the world. Take Macau as an example, after he was dead, there are a lot of books published to memory and remember him; because I work in a bookshop, I can see that there are really fans crazy about him–they will buy hundreds of books that are talking about MJ, no matter they are in English or Chinese, the fans only care where there are enough and beautiful pictures.