Courtesy Of Light It Up! At: www.foxmovies.com/lightitup
A neglected high school in Queens, New York. A favorite teacher is suspended. Suddenly, six disparate students – a student council member, a punk-rocker, a hustler, a star basketball player, a gangbanger and a gifted artist – are bound together in a battle none of them ever imagined they would fight.
The students barricade themselves inside the school. As the police, media and eyes of the country zero in on the sensational crisis, the students realize for the first time in their young lives that their voices might actually be heard. The question then becomes, What do they have to say?
What quickly escalated from a simple protest to a hostage situation takes a startling turn as the students stand their ground and make a statement. After a lifetime of injustice over which they’ve had no control, the students use their negotiating power to ask not for money, nor to gain immunity, but to demand their right to receive a decent education.
Even the police officer they reluctantly take hostage is compelled to empathize with the students as he learns what brought them here and supports their need to be heard. Ultimately the officer puts his life in jeopardy to help them.
R&B singing phenomenon Usher Raymond, who made his big screen debut in Robert Rodriguez’s "The Faculty," has his first motion picture starring role as the group’s unlikely leader, Lester, the school’s star basketball player. Joining the Grammy nominee are Rosario Dawson ("He Got Game," "Kids") as Stephanie, the brainy beauty who tries to rationalize and diminish the impending chaos while helping the wounded cop; film newcomer Robert Ri’chard (Nickelodeon’s "Cousin Skeeter") as the sensitive artist, Ziggy, who unwittingly causes the accidental shooting; Clifton Collins, Jr. ("187," "The Replacement Killers") as Rivers, the hip, wheeler-dealer who sides with Lester; Rap musician Fredro Starr ("Sunset Park," "Clockers") as Rodney, the gang member with a lengthy rap sheet and an itchy trigger finger; and Sara Gilbert ("Poison Ivy," TV’s "Roseanne") as Lynn, the pregnant teen who inadvertently becomes part of the crisis.
Forest Whitaker ("Bird," "The Crying Game," "Platoon") stars as Officer Dante Jackson, the veteran N.Y.P.D. police officer who becomes the pawn in the students’ negotiations. Judd Nelson ("The Breakfast Club," "St. Elmo’s Fire," TV’s "Suddenly Susan") plays the dedicated teacher, Mr. Knowles, whose firing incites the hostage drama. Vanessa L. Williams ("Dance with Me," "Eraser," "Soul Food") takes on the crucial role of hostage negotiator Audrey McDonald. Veteran actor Glynn Turman plays the school’s beleaguered principal, Armstrong.
"Light It Up" is directed by Craig Bolotin from his own original screenplay. The husband-wife team of Grammy winner Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and Tracey E. Edmonds reunite for their third film, following "Hav Plenty" and Fox’s 1997 award-winning motion picture drama, "Soul Food." The director of photography is Elliot Davis ("Out of Sight"), the production is designed by Lawrence G. Paull ("Blade Runner") and the film editor is Wendy Greene Bricmont, A.C.E. ("Six Days Seven Nights"). The co-executive producer is former film executive David Starke, and the co-producers are Bridget D. Davis ("Hav Plenty") and Helena Echegoyen ("Friday"). Music is by Harry Gregson-Williams ("Enemy of the State"), and the music supervisor is Michael McQuarn ("Hav Plenty").
Writer-director Bolotin’s numerous screenwriting credits include "Black Rain." He previously directed the teen romantic drama "That Night," and explores another facet of the teenage experience in "Light It Up." Producer Tracey E. Edmonds spearheaded the project’s rapid development after reading Bolotin’s script. Tracey and her company, Yab Yum Records, have put together a soundtrack featuring today’s hottest young artists, including ‘N Sync, DMX, Master P featuring The No Limit All Stars, Ja Rule, 112, OutKast featuring Slimm Cutta-Calhoun, Jack Herrera, Jon B., Amil & Solé, AZ & Beanie Sigel, Blaze and Firestarr (Fredro Starr), BEVERLY, and Shya.
"I thought it would be interesting to make a film about inner-city high school students from their point of view," comments "Light It Up" writer-director Craig Bolotin. "In most films set in a high school, the adult is the protagonist – a principal or teacher would come into a troubled school and change the students’ lives. In ‘Light It Up’ the students take responsibility for their actions, and I thought that would make an interesting story."
Bolotin was also inspired by his research, which took him to high schools throughout the country. "I spent a lot of time in classrooms, just sitting in the back, talking to teachers and interviewing students," he recalls. A friend of Bolotin’s was yet another influence on the story, particularly on the character of Ziggy, the young artist whose troubled home life leads him to take refuge in the school’s attic. "My friend had a difficult time with his parents, and he actually lived for a few weeks in a high school before he was discovered," remembers the director. For producer Tracey E. Edmonds and executive producer Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, the story’s themes were a major draw. "The script covers a lot of important issues," states Tracey. "It deals with the importance of education, the disparity of the educational system, and says that kids should not have to fight to get a decent education." STORY A neglected high school in Queens, New York. A favorite teacher is suspended. Suddenly, six disparate students – a student council member, a punk-rocker, a hustler, a star basketball player, a gangbanger and a gifted artist – are bound together in a battle none of them ever imagined they would fight. The students barricade themselves inside the school. As the police, media and eyes of the country zero in on the sensational crisis, the students realize for the first time in their young lives that their voices might actually be heard. The question then becomes, What do they have to say? What quickly escalated from a simple protest to a hostage situation takes a startling turn as the students stand their ground and make a statement. After a lifetime of injustice over which they’ve had no control, the students use their negotiating power to ask not for money, nor to gain immunity, but to demand their right to receive a decent education. Even the police officer they reluctantly take hostage is compelled to empathize with the students as he learns what brought them here and supports their need to be heard. Ultimately the officer puts his life in jeopardy to help them. R&B singing phenomenon Usher Raymond, who made his big screen debut in Robert Rodriguez’s "The Faculty," has his first motion picture starring role as the group’s unlikely leader, Lester, the school’s star basketball player. Joining the Grammy nominee are Rosario Dawson ("He Got Game," "Kids") as Stephanie, the brainy beauty who tries to rationalize and diminish the impending chaos while helping the wounded cop; film newcomer Robert Ri’chard (Nickelodeon’s "Cousin Skeeter") as the sensitive artist, Ziggy, who unwittingly causes the accidental shooting; Clifton Collins, Jr. ("187," "The Replacement Killers") as Rivers, the hip, wheeler-dealer who sides with Lester; Rap musician Fredro Starr ("Sunset Park," "Clockers") as Rodney, the gang member with a lengthy rap sheet and an itchy trigger finger; and Sara Gilbert ("Poison Ivy," TV’s "Roseanne") as Lynn, the pregnant teen who inadvertently becomes part of the crisis. Forest Whitaker ("Bird," "The Crying Game," "Platoon") stars as Officer Dante Jackson, the veteran N.Y.P.D. police officer who becomes the pawn in the students’ negotiations. Judd Nelson ("The Breakfast Club," "St. Elmo’s Fire," TV’s "Suddenly Susan") plays the dedicated teacher, Mr. Knowles, whose firing incites the hostage drama. Vanessa L. Williams ("Dance with Me," "Eraser," "Soul Food") takes on the crucial role of hostage negotiator Audrey McDonald. Veteran actor Glynn Turman plays the school’s beleaguered principal, Armstrong. "Light It Up" is directed by Craig Bolotin from his own original screenplay. The husband-wife team of Grammy winner Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and Tracey E. Edmonds reunite for their third film, following "Hav Plenty" and Fox’s 1997 award-winning motion picture drama, "Soul Food." The director of photography is Elliot Davis ("Out of Sight"), the production is designed by Lawrence G. Paull ("Blade Runner") and the film editor is Wendy Greene Bricmont, A.C.E. ("Six Days Seven Nights"). The co-executive producer is former film executive David Starke, and the co-producers are Bridget D. Davis ("Hav Plenty") and Helena Echegoyen ("Friday"). Music is by Harry Gregson-Williams ("Enemy of the State"), and the music supervisor is Michael McQuarn ("Hav Plenty"). Writer-director Bolotin’s numerous screenwriting credits include "Black Rain." He previously directed the teen romantic drama "That Night," and explores another facet of the teenage experience in "Light It Up." Producer Tracey E. Edmonds spearheaded the project’s rapid development after reading Bolotin’s script. Tracey and her company, Yab Yum Records, have put together a soundtrack featuring today’s hottest young artists, including ‘N Sync, DMX, Master P featuring The No Limit All Stars, Ja Rule, 112, OutKast featuring Slimm Cutta-Calhoun, Jack Herrera, Jon B., Amil & Solé, AZ & Beanie Sigel, Blaze and Firestarr (Fredro Starr), BEVERLY, and Shya. "I thought it would be interesting to make a film about inner-city high school students from their point of view," comments "Light It Up" writer-director Craig Bolotin. "In most films set in a high school, the adult is the protagonist – a principal or teacher would come into a troubled school and change the students’ lives. In ‘Light It Up’ the students take responsibility for their actions, and I thought that would make an interesting story." Bolotin was also inspired by his research, which took him to high schools throughout the country. "I spent a lot of time in classrooms, just sitting in the back, talking to teachers and interviewing students," he recalls. A friend of Bolotin’s was yet another influence on the story, particularly on the character of Ziggy, the young artist whose troubled home life leads him to take refuge in the school’s attic. "My friend had a difficult time with his parents, and he actually lived for a few weeks in a high school before he was discovered," remembers the director. For producer Tracey E. Edmonds and executive producer Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, the story’s themes were a major draw. "The script covers a lot of important issues," states Tracey. "It deals with the importance of education, the disparity of the educational system, and says that kids should not have to fight to get a decent education." The Edmondses also appreciated the story’s fast-paced action and vivid characters. Their and Bolotin’s casting vision came from a surprising source: John Hughes’ popular 1985 teen drama "The Breakfast Club," an ensemble piece which depicted the interactions among a disparate group of suburban high school students. Says Tracey, "We saw ‘Light It Up’ as an urban ‘Breakfast Club’, so we wanted to put together the right combination of actors, making sure that their chemistry was going to work." (Adding to the "Breakfast Club"-"Light It Up" connection, the Edmondses and Bolotin cast "Breakfast Club" alumnus Judd Nelson as the compassionate teacher, Mr. Knowles. "We thought that would be a nice little twist," notes Tracey.) The filmmakers were convinced that Usher Raymond could handle the acting rigors required by what would be his first starring role in a motion picture. "Usher just explodes with charisma," observes Kenny Edmonds, who has been working on music projects with the young star for several years. "He has such confidence in everything he does. Usher is a very hard worker; he gives everything 200 percent as a singer. So I expected nothing less from him as an actor." Craig Bolotin concurs. "Usher turned out to be a real actor and not a singer who’s moonlighting as an actor," he notes. "He was very committed to the film and to understanding his role. Lester is a difficult part, but Usher really got the character and played it beautifully." Raymond embraced the opportunities afforded by the role. "I’ve always loved music," he says, "but there’s so much more to being an entertainer than singing and dancing. To be a triple threat you have to have the acting. So I figured I’ll take the step. And ‘Light It Up’ gave me the chance to really get into it." Raymond sees the character of Lester as a complex and sympathetic figure. "For someone so young, Lester is carrying an awful lot," he says. "He’s had a difficult and challenging life, dealing with family issues or the problems of his friends at school. Lester has a very open heart; he’s very caring and giving." Up-and-coming actress Rosario Dawson has a number of film credits to her name. After reading the script, the native New Yorker jumped at the chance to play Stephanie. "The script caught my interest because it spoke about things I very much cared about, like the problems of our inner-city schools and the fact that not nearly enough money is put into them," she shares. Dawson believes that Stephanie’s experience during the crisis lead to the character growing and changing. "Stephanie initially is seen as being very practical," she explains. "She wants to become a doctor and help people, but she really doesn’t see people because she is so focused on her goals. When she unexpectedly becomes a part of this event, it actually ends up being good for her because she finally begins to see the people around her." Providing inspiration to Dawson, Raymond and the other young cast members is Forest Whitaker, who plays Jackson, the police officer. "Forest brought the kids up to another level of acting," says Tracey Edmonds, "because they were thrilled to be working with someone of his caliber." Whitaker, an acclaimed director ("Waiting to Exhale," "Hope Floats") in his own right, was pleased to return to acting chores in "Light It Up." "It seemed like a film that could really have some impact," he states. "It deals with the lives, dreams, points of view, struggles and pressures teens go through on a daily basis." Having worked with Kenny Edmonds on the "Waiting to Exhale" soundtrack, Whitaker also was eager to reunite with the famed singer/songwriter/producer and his wife, Tracey. "The fact that ‘Light It Up’ was their project was definitely a motivating factor in my taking the role," he points out. "Kenny and Tracey make important movies; their projects always have something important and relevant to say." While Bolotin was pleased to have the chance to work with Whitaker, Vanessa L. Williams and Judd Nelson – all "real pros who are extremely accomplished artists with strong points of view," he says – he was particularly eager to work with and rehearse the talented ensemble of younger actors. "We rehearsed almost two solid weeks," he comments. "It was a great process because it gave me the chance to discover new things and make refinements in my script. It also let the kids bond as a group and hear each other’s comments and suggestions."
To add to the impact of the performances and bringing audiences further into the students’ world, Bolotin and director of photography Elliot Davis frequently employed a combination of handheld camera movements and wide lenses. "It was a conscious effort," Bolotin notes, "to give audiences the feeling that they were in the school with these young people.
"We shot almost documentary style," Bolotin continues, "with a lot of wide lenses very close to their faces. We called this movement a ‘breathing camera’. It provides a more subtle addition of movement than traditional handheld, and lends more emotion to the character."
While casting, rehearsing and mapping out the camera movements provided their own unique challenges, finding the right location to stage the action proved to be a particularly formidable task. Although the story is set in Queens, New York, Bolotin and the Edmondses scouted working schools in Philadelphia, Boston and Toronto, as well as the Big Apple, before deciding on the Calumet Career Academy, located in Chicago’s southside.
Like many of the Windy City’s public schools, Calumet Academy had undergone extensive renovations. Veteran production designer Lawrence G. Paull had to "age down" the huge structure (which runs the length of a football field) to replicate the crumbling facade as scripted by Bolotin. In addition to the two-month period of distressing the school while it was in session, Paull also built another key set, the school’s choir room, where Ziggy takes refuge and makes a home for himself.
The school’s size, while a challenge to Paull, was otherwise advantageous to the production. "We were fortunate that Calumet was only sixty percent occupied, so we had a whole wing of the school to ourselves and we didn’t interrupt, and weren’t interrupted by their schedules," explains Tracey Edmonds.
The location, design and, most importantly, the casting and story, all come together to create a film with action, strong characters and what Bolotin and the Edmondses believes to be important issues. "In my research and in writing ‘Light It Up’ I was moved by the terrible plight of today’s inner-city schools," Bolotin explains. "It is really troubling to live in a wealthy country yet have so many children attend public schools that lack enough books, supplies, good teachers – even heat and roofs that don’t leak."
The Edmondses also appreciated the story’s fast-paced action and vivid characters. Their and Bolotin’s casting vision came from a surprising source: John Hughes’ popular 1985 teen drama "The Breakfast Club," an ensemble piece which depicted the interactions among a disparate group of suburban high school students. Says Tracey, "We saw ‘Light It Up’ as an urban ‘Breakfast Club’, so we wanted to put together the right combination of actors, making sure that their chemistry was going to work." (Adding to the "Breakfast Club"-"Light It Up" connection, the Edmondses and Bolotin cast "Breakfast Club" alumnus Judd Nelson as the compassionate teacher, Mr. Knowles. "We thought that would be a nice little twist," notes Tracey).
The filmmakers were convinced that Usher Raymond could handle the acting rigors required by what would be his first starring role in a motion picture. "Usher just explodes with charisma," observes Kenny Edmonds, who has been working on music projects with the young star for several years. "He has such confidence in everything he does. Usher is a very hard worker; he gives everything 200 percent as a singer. So I expected nothing less from him as an actor."
Craig Bolotin concurs. "Usher turned out to be a real actor and not a singer who’s moonlighting as an actor," he notes. "He was very committed to the film and to understanding his role. Lester is a difficult part, but Usher really got the character and played it beautifully."
Raymond embraced the opportunities afforded by the role. "I’ve always loved music," he says, "but there’s so much more to being an entertainer than singing and dancing. To be a triple threat you have to have the acting. So I figured I’ll take the step. And ‘Light It Up’ gave me the chance to really get into it."
Raymond sees the character of Lester as a complex and sympathetic figure. "For someone so young, Lester is carrying an awful lot," he says. "He’s had a difficult and challenging life, dealing with family issues or the problems of his friends at school. Lester has a very open heart; he’s very caring and giving."
Up-and-coming actress Rosario Dawson has a number of film credits to her name. After reading the script, the native New Yorker jumped at the chance to play Stephanie. "The script caught my interest because it spoke about things I very much cared about, like the problems of our inner-city schools and the fact that not nearly enough money is put into them," she shares.
Dawson believes that Stephanie’s experience during the crisis lead to the character growing and changing. "Stephanie initially is seen as being very practical," she explains. "She wants to become a doctor and help people, but she really doesn’t see people because she is so focused on her goals. When she unexpectedly becomes a part of this event, it actually ends up being good for her because she finally begins to see the people around her."
Providing inspiration to Dawson, Raymond and the other young cast members is Forest Whitaker, who plays Jackson, the police officer. "Forest brought the kids up to another level of acting," says Tracey Edmonds, "because they were thrilled to be working with someone of his caliber."
Whitaker, an acclaimed director ("Waiting to Exhale," "Hope Floats") in his own right, was pleased to return to acting chores in "Light It Up." "It seemed like a film that could really have some impact," he states. "It deals with the lives, dreams, points of view, struggles and pressures teens go through on a daily basis."
Having worked with Kenny Edmonds on the "Waiting to Exhale" soundtrack, Whitaker also was eager to reunite with the famed singer/songwriter/producer and his wife, Tracey. "The fact that ‘Light It Up’ was their project was definitely a motivating factor in my taking the role," he points out. "Kenny and Tracey make important movies; their projects always have something important and relevant to say."
While Bolotin was pleased to have the chance to work with Whitaker, Vanessa L. Williams and Judd Nelson – all "real pros who are extremely accomplished artists with strong points of view," he says – he was particularly eager to work with and rehearse the talented ensemble of younger actors. "We rehearsed almost two solid weeks," he comments. "It was a great process because it gave me the chance to discover new things and make refinements in my script. It also let the kids bond as a group and hear each other’s comments and suggestions."
To add to the impact of the performances and bringing audiences further into the students’ world, Bolotin and director of photography Elliot Davis frequently employed a combination of handheld camera movements and wide lenses. "It was a conscious effort," Bolotin notes, "to give audiences the feeling that they were in the school with these young people.
"We shot almost documentary style," Bolotin continues, "with a lot of wide lenses very close to their faces. We called this movement a ‘breathing camera’. It provides a more subtle addition of movement than traditional handheld, and lends more emotion to the character."
While casting, rehearsing and mapping out the camera movements provided their own unique challenges, finding the right location to stage the action proved to be a particularly formidable task. Although the story is set in Queens, New York, Bolotin and the Edmondses scouted working schools in Philadelphia, Boston and Toronto, as well as the Big Apple, before deciding on the Calumet Career Academy, located in Chicago’s southside.
Like many of the Windy City’s public schools, Calumet Academy had undergone extensive renovations. Veteran production designer Lawrence G. Paull had to "age down" the huge structure (which runs the length of a football field) to replicate the crumbling facade as scripted by Bolotin. In addition to the two-month period of distressing the school while it was in session, Paull also built another key set, the school’s choir room, where Ziggy takes refuge and makes a home for himself.
The school’s size, while a challenge to Paull, was otherwise advantageous to the production. "We were fortunate that Calumet was only sixty percent occupied, so we had a whole wing of the school to ourselves and we didn’t interrupt, and weren’t interrupted by their schedules," explains Tracey Edmonds.
The location, design and, most importantly, the casting and story, all come together to create a film with action, strong characters and what Bolotin and the Edmondses believes to be important issues. "In my research and in writing ‘Light It Up’ I was moved by the terrible plight of today’s inner-city schools," Bolotin explains. "It is really troubling to live in a wealthy country yet have so many children attend public schools that lack enough books, supplies, good teachers – even heat and roofs that don’t leak."
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