If you haven’t heard about the LXD, from the brilliant mind of John M. Chu, you should be highly ashamed of yourself. Fear not, for I am here to educate you. Legion of Extraordinary Dancers, or LXD for short, is a web series about two rival dance groups. Now, for the first time, the LXD has created a short film that is currently being shown in front of the Justin Bieber: Never Say Never 3D Director’s cut. The film is currently in America Cinemas. It stars Harry Shum JR. of Glee and Step Up fame.
Thanks, again, to John M. Chu, we don’t have to wait for the film to arrive in SA to see the short. Here it is thanks to the wonders of YouTube:
The first videos I ever shot were of my dogs. I would mess around with some of the first photo cameras that were capable of recording video, the first of which was my dad’s fancy work camera. One of those dog videos would become my first art final, a video of my dog running around a building site to the music from Chariots of Fire.
Whenever I take my dog, Rex, for a walk he becomes ridiculously excited. However, there’s no place he gets more excited about than the nature reserve near our home. I can let him run free and do whatever he wants, which dogs stuck at the end of leashes everywhere dream of. Seeing that pure energy and joy always brings a smile to my face, and I wanted to capture it in a video.
Although it’s difficult to put Srizzil into any particular category, because the videos I do are so eclectic, most have had comedic sides. This video is more artistic than anything, capturing energy and fun.
If there had to be a lesson to learn from this, perhaps it’s that we should find joy in even the smallest things in life. Dogs are such positive animals. I leave you with a joke that expresses just that.
Dog Diary vs. Cat Diary
The Dog’s Diary
8:00 am – Dog food! My favourite thing! 9:30 am – A car ride! My favourite thing! 9:40 am – A walk in the park! My favourite thing! 10:30 am – Got rubbed and petted! My favourite thing! 12:00 pm – Milk bones! My favourite thing! 1:00 pm – Played in the yard! My favourite thing! 3:00 pm – Wagged my tail! My favourite thing! 5:00 pm – Dinner! My favourite thing! 7:00 pm – Got to play ball! My favourite thing! 8:00 pm – Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favourite thing! 11:00 pm – Sleeping on the bed! My favourite thing!
The Cat’s Diary
Day 983 of My Captivity
My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength.
The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape. In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet. Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates my capabilities. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a “good little hunter” I am.
There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of “allergies.” I must learn what this means, and how to use it to my advantage.
Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow, but at the top of the stairs.
I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released, and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded. The bird must be an informant. I observe him communicate with the guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move. My captors have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is safe. For now…
When I heard John van de Ruit and Ross Garland were writing a book about The Making of Spud the Movie I was sceptical. Could they just be jumping on the financial bandwagon? Although financial success is the drive behind every product, this book is a real page turner for fans of film.
It illustrates the epic journey from book to screen, throwing in funny moments and great struggles. Van de Ruit and Garland take turns in telling the story, formatted in a similar style to the best selling Spud series.
From finding out what Spud was really about, to finding key players, everything you need to know is in this book. One of the most interesting aspects for me was reading about the struggle to find an international actor to play the Guv and all the different possibilities they considered.
Filled with stunning high quality behind the scenes pictures, quotes and stories, this is a must read for any movie buff or Spud obsessed nut. Get your copy at leading retailers today.
Side note: This book must have one of the longest full titles ever: The Making of Spud The Movie and how a wickedly splendid plan came together.
John talks about the book in my interview with him:
There’s something thrilling about being able to take awesome pictures. It’s a chance to be creative in a very different way then with video. Sometimes, and in my favourite kind of films, each frame is a masterpiece. If you can stop a movie at any point and it looks like an amazing photo, that’s magic. It’s also highly unlikely. As much as the cinematographer will try to create beautiful imagery, the story should be more important. With photography the picture is the only thing telling the story, and attention to detail is a must.
As a first attempt I grabbed two friends and went to a rundown area of the city. We had no real plan, but sometimes the best art happens by accident. I took all the photos below and my friends took the ones of me. Together, I reckon we made an awesome crew. Sharing ideas of what would make a great shot and making it happen.
I think we captured the beauty of the old and broken, along with some cool poses. What do you think?
Look out for more photography as we continue to experiment with this fantastic art form.
I couldn’t let the opportunity to be a part of one of the biggest movie collaborations of all time go by, without throwing in something of my own. The following video was filmed on the 24th of July 2010 for YouTube’s Life in a Day project. Be warned, this is completely unedited footage, which covers 10 minutes and includes the following shots:
Food Market
- Breakfeast (Cooking Egg)
South African Flag
Cash Withdrawal
House and Garden Show
Helicopter training
I’ll let you know if any of it gets included in the final film
When I heard John van de Ruit and Ross Garland were writing a book about The Making of Spud the Movie I was sceptical. Could they just be jumping on the financial bandwagon? Although financial success is the drive behind every product, this book is a real page turner for fans of film.
