Jon M. Chu
Jon M. Chu
Jonathan Murray "Jon" Chuis an American filmmaker, best known for directing the movies Step Up 2: The Streets, Step Up 3D, Justin Bieber: Never Say Never and G.I. Joe: Retaliation. Chu is an alumnus of the University of Southern California School of Cinema-Television. There, he won the Princess Grace Award, the Dore Schary Award presented by the Anti-Defamation League, the Jack Nicholson directing award, and was recognized as an honoree for the IFP/West program Project: Involve...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionDirector
Date of Birth2 November 1979
CountryUnited States of America
When I was in Boy Scouts, back in the day, we'd tell stories around the campfire. That's why I love movies. It's literally you and your friends, telling stories around a campfire, whatever they may be.
It's weird because movie-making, and especially movie theaters, have always been so old-school, and it wasn't until 3-D that a lot of them were forced to have digital projectors and even digital distribution.
I love the adventure of telling all types of stories and trying to conquer each one.
Each movie is different because each audience is different. You're not dictated by what they tell you to do. You're more dictated by seeing symptoms of things you didn't intend, and how you can fix those symptoms.
I don't feel like I need to be on an island to be enjoying myself and relaxing.
I always loved action adventure. It is something I always wanted to do.
Going after any movie there is a lot of competition to try and get it.
I was never crying and shaking like the Beliebers do, but I understand the idolizing of a hero.
I love pop culture. I love gossiping about all the different stars.
What keeps me motivated is that I'm going to do a bunch of projects with dancers, and the people who compel me and make me love dance again are the ones I want to hire because they'll do that for others who are watching the thing. So yeah, it is difficult to crush dream sometimes, but they're all professional and they know what the deal is.
When I'm doing more than one movie because it makes one not the end of the world. It makes me feel like, "Okay, I won. I had a victory on this one, today. And I lost on this one, today." I can keep going back-and-forth.
When I'm doing something, it's something that I had a perspective on in my childhood, or now, but it may be different. I always can go back to what I love, but if somebody has a better idea, then I'm all for it.
In all my work, I try to tell great stories that people want to go to the movie theater to watch, or want to turn on, and are compelled to watch it, over and over and over again, and will make a mark when they grow up.
I'm not the most sophisticated person. I'm not the smartest person in the world. But, I know what makes me excited about life, from Spielberg movies to Michael Jackson music videos to cartoons on Saturday mornings, which made my childhood.