By Graham Cook
Project films main shoot after two years of thought and $25,000 worth of fundraising efforts
SFU’s version of the popular LipDub video trend was filmed last Wednesday and drew the participation of up to 700 students. The video, which features the music of Panic! at the Disco and These Kids Wear Crowns, is the product of two years of thought and planning, according to producer Arry Dhillon.
Dhillon, who spoke with The Peak on the night of the filming, said that the main reason for making the LipDub was to build a sense of community on campus. He added that UBC’s version increased the motivation to get the project moved along.
Lorenz Yeung, another producer, also added that this video is “history in the making for SFU. I am really excited that this day is finally here.”
Among the participants were various departmental student unions, athletics teams and clubs such as SASS, LASSU, the lacrosse team, the Magic Club, and the Chamber Orchestra, among others. The theme of the video was ‘end of the world’ and saw students decorated in zombie make-up and terrorizing the Burnaby campus set to music. The LipDub proceeded throughout the school, ending in Convocation Mall at just after midnight Thursday morning where pyrotechnic explosions highlighted the finale.
Despite setbacks, including camera troubles and a student who was reportedly not a part of the video requiring an ambulance on the set, around 200 of the original volunteers were still present when filming wrapped up. These delays led to visible frustration on the part of organizers and participants, which in some cases resulted in verbal confrontation.
However, participants Amanda Smith and Ruth Clemens told The Peak that they felt that, while the project could have been organized better, it was an overall positive experience. Clemens added that what set SFU’s take on the LipDub apart from others is the fact that it contains a storyline.
“The final project is going to be the determinant, but I think whereas all the other LipDubs are happy . . . ours is like zombies. It’s a little bit more morbid and more exciting and it has a theme to it.”
The production did not come free of charge however. Arry Dhillon estimated that it cost approximately $25,000 for the filming. $6,000 of this came from the profits of pub nights while the other $19,000 came from departments within the university. While corporate sponsors did contribute donations, the LipDub crew did not accept monetary support from external sources in order to maintain creative control.
The video is also acting as a fundraising effort for the food bank, with the group running a can drive. In addition, they have set-up a ‘click sponsorship’ deal where every view the video receives will result in a penny donation.
