Livingston high school showed off its diverse offerings - and a whole lot of school spirit - in the student-produced video. Watch video
LIVINGSTON -- What started as two teens' idea for a school project has turned into a viral video featuring their entire high school's student body, the principal, teachers, and coaches.
In the day since its been posted on YouTube, "Livingston High School Lip Dub" - a video featuring the building's 1,800 pupils lip syncing to pop songs while representing the sports they play, clubs they are in, and an enthused sense of school spirit - has gotten more than 14,500 views.
"We wanted a sense of unity," said Abby Hauptman, one of the two LHS students who wrote and produced the video.
"Even though everybody plays different sports, or is in different clubs or groups, we just wanted to show everyone together, having a great time."
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The video follows a new student at LHS, played by Zachary Minion, as he is dropped off by his parents, played by teachers Amy Roter and Charles Raphael. He is bombarded by students suggesting he join different activities at the school, and then is shocked when the student council president and Principal Mark Stern start a lip-syncing party that stretches the entire school's campus.
Abby Hauptman and Jenna Weiss, who share writing and producing credits, with TV production teacher Jason Daily. (Courtesy Livingston High School) "What I fell in love with was the idea that everyone was going to be a part of this," Stern said. He and other administrators had to approve the project before Hauptman and co-creator Jenna Weiss could plan and execute it.
"We didn't even think about how great an experience (filming) it would be. It was really meaningful."
The two students, who are in one of the school's three TV production classes, took about 21 weeks to plan out every aspect of the video, rehearse, plot out filming locations across the school, and edit the final product.
The video, which was shot on March 4, was done in a single take.
"It feels amazing," Weiss said of the reaction the video has garnered from classmates, alum, and community members. And though she said it took a lot of work to get everything coordinated just right, "we just had so much fun with it."
The duo recruited a bunch of other students in their TV class to help out with production. Ethan Ramer and Adia Dauti helped write the script; Frank Sheehan filmed; and the crew included students Molly Greenstone, Justin Stevens, Ethan Ramer, Daniel Berger, Ronan Tattersall, Emily Waldenberg, Lauren Critelli, Sam Sternstein, Lindsay Kantor, Daniella Terry, Emma Giulianti, and Jayne Winner.
The team effort to pull of the video, TV teacher Jason Daily said, was an extraordinary feat.
"They just took this idea and brought it to a professional level," he said.
"I am so proud of what they've done."
Jessica Mazzola may be reached at jmazzola@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessMazzola. Find NJ.com on Facebook.