Step Up, Step Up 2 The Streets... now Step Up 3-D?

This post is going to focus on Disney's dance feature film franchise, Step Up, and how Disney is going to utilize new technology to draw a crowd for the final installation of the trilogy, which is now being called Step Up 3-D. First I'm going to talk about the original Step Up, then Step Up 2 The Streets, which came out about a month ago, and finally I will talk about the upcoming Step Up 3-D.

Variety has announced and it has become apparent in the dance world that the dance film series Step Up is planning a final installment of the trilogy after an impressive opening weekend for the second movie in the series, Step Up 2 the Streets. The movie made nearly $19 million at the box office opening weekend alone, which is great considering the film's budget was $20 million. As of today, the total domestic gross at the box office is nearly $50 million!

Step Up was very good from a dancer's perspective. Okay, it was not an amazing film. I wouldn't consider it equal to a comparable dance movie, Stomp the Yard that had all the components of a great film, such as dramatic characters, a compelling plot, a deeper theoretical concept, AND uberly amazing choreography and dancing. Regardless... Step Up held its own in the box office and offered something valuable to consumers: great choreography and dancing (especially in the movie's closing performance, attractive actors, and an acceptable story/plot/character development, etc. Here's a YouTube clip of the end sequence if you'd like to see what I mean:

This movie, the first Step Up, had to be good because it was an original screenplay and a fresh story coming the the market. Accordingly, the film had a great team of directors, producers, and a big name actor with lead Channing Tatum. On the other hand, Step Up 2 the Streets could ride the wave of a successful prequel. This resulting in the movie being a bit of a disaster in every sense BUT the box office figures... and that's coming from a dancer who endlessly roots for any film promoting dance and employing choreographers and dancers. This sequel didn't indulge by any means. Disney opted for a cheaper directing team, production process, and non-famous talent. Step Up 2  was basically an unoriginal cookie-cutter sequel to make money. The dancing in the movie didn't even look impressive because the less expensive director didn't seem to have prior knowledge about filming dance... For example, one sequence featured various jumps that should look very impressive, however, the director shot the scene from above the dancer instead of from below them, which made the jump look low and anticlimactic.

Granted, studios (Disney in this case) need to make this type of financially stabling movie to make up for other losses. I understand the necessity to create a sequel... However I'm hesitant to promote the creation of such an uncreative/disappointing sequel because it can oversaturate the market and cheapen the future of dance movies in general.

So... TECHNOLOGY...

Thankfully, Step Up 3-D has a new twist. It will be shot with live-action 3D cameras... you know, the ones where you get to wear those dorky red and blue lense goggle glasses? The movie will debut in IMAX-like movie theaters with 3D technology enabled. This should bring great promise and profits to Disney, so long as the lack-luster Step Up 2 The Streets doesn't too negatively affect the Step Up brand name.

The fact that 3D live action has already proven to be very profitable. This new technology is a great advancement in cinema, especially in a digital age where many movie goers are now opting to stay in and rent new releases from Netflix or ON Demand versus making the trek to the movie theaters. This new technology is pulling people back into the cinemas for huge opening weekends. Take a look at projects that are planned to release or re-release in 3D between now and 2011 and beyond: List of 3D Movies.

If normal feature films are impressive in 3D, just imagine how great the dance sequences of Step Up 3-D will be... or how impressive they SHOULD be. I'm excited just thinking about how the choreographer is going to utilize this new technology. The director, who as of now will be Jon Chu, the same director as Step Up 2 The Streets, better know what he's doing. This technological advancement could prove to be a huge opportunity for the dance world... If the film is impressive it could become a way to distribute other types of dance concert and theater besides feature films to a mass audience.

My next post will discuss the success of 3D music concerts, in particular those of U2 and Hannah Montana, and how the dance industry can similarly use this new 3D technology to expand the distribution of their performance art to millions around the US.

Want a different perspective on this topic? Check out a blog I stumbled upon from someone without the bias of a dance background: The Movie Blog.