Thursday, April 11, 2019

Steadicam Veteran Jun Li Joins 'His Only Son'


LOS ANGELES – Veteran Steadicam operator Jun Li has joined the production of the upcoming biblical drama “His Only Son.”


“I am pleased to work with David and help share his vision for this engaging biblical story,” Li said.

Written and directed by David Helling, “His Only Son” follows the Old Testament story of Abraham who, after being called on by the Lord, finds his faith is tested on his three-day journey to sacrifice his son. The film, which is now in pre production, is set for release sometime next year.

“Feature films require a camera operator with a lot more involvement, better preparation and stronger commitment than a short-term job because you could be involved in the production in a very early stage,” Li said. “First, it’s a physical challenge to work on set on a regular base, so that you’ll need to adjust and prepare your body for a better daily routine. Second, it requires a stronger commitment when it comes down to a two-month project.”

Renowned for his work on the Steadicam, Li understands the uniqueness of the technology behind it, allowing for seamless shots while moving and greater versatility for filmmakers.


“Since the camera is directly connected to my body, my breath, steps, and tiny movement on my fingers are attached to composition, framing and pace of the shot. I feel my whole body and free will is controlling the shot, which is a fantastic experience,” he said. “Steadicam requires a lot of knowledge, skills and training to be controlled. As a Steadicam operator, your visual sensitivity and physical responses will directly affect your shot. My goal is to bury that reaction to my sub-consciousness so that I can truly unite with camera as one therefore I spent ton of time to practice.

Li comes to the film following his work on the upcoming film comedy “Good Friend from the West” from director Shuaiyu ‘Lance’ Liu (“Underground”) and after having previously completed work on the television series “Seven Days.” His past work includes such films as “Way Out,” “All That Glitters,” “Abandon,” “Dog Tag,” “No Deer for Dinner,” “Patrick,” “Son of the Wanderer,” and many others. 

“His Only Son” is produced by Mike Kaney II (“Bar America”) and Roman Medjanov (“Break”) for RockBridge Productions.

Monday, April 8, 2019

Cedric the Entertainer to Host 'Lip Sync to the Rescue' Special on CBS



LOS ANGELES – Inspired by the recent viral video phenomenon #LipSyncChallenge, CBS has announced a new one-hour entertainment special, LIP SYNC TO THE RESCUE, hosted by Cedric the Entertainer, star of CBS’ hit comedy THE NEIGHBORHOOD, to be broadcast later this year on the CBS Television Network.



LIP SYNC TO THE RESCUE is an interactive countdown special where viewers vote for their favorite video of performances featuring first responders channeling their inner pop stars and lip-syncing to hit music, a trend that began with the #LipSyncChallenge. The winner will be announced LIVE during the broadcast.#LipSyncChallenge began as a fun way for police, sheriff, fire department and EMTs to engage with their communities by creating lip sync music videos and challenging other departments to do the same. Now, on LIP SYNC TO THE RESCUE, fans can rally around their favorite videos when the first round of voting begins on CBS.com this month. The top 10 videos selected will be revealed during the show, which will film in front of an audience of first responders, family and friends.

Two videos will advance to the LIVE vote during the broadcast to crown a winner.To submit a video for consideration, first responder departments are encouraged to email the video to LS2Rescue@gmail.com. Deadline for entries is Friday, April 12.

“When CBS first approached us with the idea for a special, we had no idea how deep the vault was of Lip Sync Challenge videos,” said Robert Horowitz, President, Juma Entertainment. “Soon, we uncovered video after video, quickly realizing this phenomenon spread to First Responder Departments in all 50 states. What made me believe we had a hit on our hands was the incredible performances and production value each video seemed to have.”