CTU NEWS: And the Winner of the Autographed Magazine Is…

I want to thank all of Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan’s Fabulous Fans that entered our most recent contest and have added Rock4Change as a friend on MySpace.

The lucky winner is…

Melanie from UCLA
(via Edgewater, New Jersey)

Melanie has won a rare, autographed April 2006 issue of Interview Magazine which features an article on Channing Tatum where he was interviewed by his ‘A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints‘ co-star Shia LaBeouf. As the winner, she has also nabbed a prime Top Friends spot on Channing Tatum’s official and only Myspace profile.

Didn’t win this particular contest? No worries. Stay tuned to CTU, because we will continue to have lots more contests on CTU each month.

Although I’m happy to let Melanie know that she is our latest lucky winner here at CTU, I was sad when I learned earlier this week that Rock4Change.org was forced to postpone the Fall 2008 benefit concert, because ticket sales did not reach the goals that they had originally set. The concert will now occur at the Gibson Amphitheatre on a new date between the end of October and early November.

Sadly, ticket sales to date would not have enabled them to reach their important goal of fully funding the Reforestation Project in Darfur (through Aid Still Required) and the Clean Springs Campaign in Uganda (through Hands Across Nations) so our collective efforts can help save millions of lives.

They want to affect positive change on a grand scale and are beyond committed and determined to reach their goal. They know that with more press and promotion the concert will be even bigger and better, and they already have some exciting offers from potential TV partners who want to broadcast the Rock4Change.org Benefit Concert to millions of people around the world, enabling them to raise even more money and awareness for the two chosen charities.

I’ve had a lot of people ask, so if you are not able to attend the concert, but would like to donate to Rock4Change, you can CLICK HERE and then click on the “PAYPAL DONATE” button on the left side of the page to do so.

Channing, Jenna, and I are very committed to this cause and are planning on attending the concert a month or so from now, so I hope to see some of you there and thanks again for adding Rock4Change as a top friend on MySpace! Keep up the good work and thanks for your support!!!

In case you haven’t seen them, feel free to check out the various PSA’s that have been created for the event…

Jenna Dewan’s New ‘Magdalena’ Interviews from MTV’s Splash Page

One of the things that Channing Tatum’s longtime girlfriend Jenna Dewan and I talked about when I saw her last was how excited she is about her newly announced role of comic book heroin Magdalena.

It’s a dream project for the humble actress who fell in love with the idea of the film quickly and is very hopeful that fans will respond to it well.

To get fans familiar with ‘Magdalena‘ way ahead of time, the film’s production team is doing a lot of pre-promotion, even before the script is done. I was excited to see that MTV’s Spash Page now has a week long series on Jenna’s new film.

Fans can read the first two articles and watch the video interviews below:

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This week is “Magdalena Week” here at Splash Page. Each day we’ll be giving you an exclusive look at “Magdalena,” the upcoming big-budget adaptation of the Top Cow comic book starring Jenna Dewan and Luke Goss. Today, learn about the character and where the film will diverge from its source material.

Before Wonder Woman, or Red Sonja, before She-Ra or She-Hulk, one female comic book super hero is going to make it to the big-screen to kick butt and take names, to thwart evil and kill the wicked.

And she’s gonna do it all in Jesus’s name (Amen).

Well, sort of, laughed recently cast Jenna Dewan, the actress set to fill the giant shoes — and monster lineage — of Patience, the holy warrior protagonist of the upcoming comic flick “Magdalena.”

Wait, who?

Wielder of the mighty Spear of Destiny, the Magdalena refers to any of a number of distant descendents of Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene who fight on behalf of the church. Thanks to her bloodline, she possesses preternatural fighting abilities and (quite literally) sacred blood – think “The Da Vinci Code” crossed with “X-Men.”

In the comics, several Magdalenas throughout history are given stories. Conversations between Dewan and producer Gale Anne Hurd, however, have made it clear to the actress that the movie will more or less follow the comic origin of one Magdalena, Patience, the last in the long line of warriors and the current champion of the world.

“They’re going to follow that comic pretty closely,” Dewan said of the planned plotline.

In the comic story, Patience grows up in a nunnery before becoming a homeless runaway on the streets of NYC. When presented with her destiny, she’s initially hesitant, circumspect, rebellious. “She has this streak in her, a free spirit,” Dewan explained. All of which makes her the perfect fit for the film version of Magdalena, the 27-year-old former “Step-Up” star said.

“What’s interesting in the comic is that Patience is the only one that they mention who questions. She doesn’t just instantly go into ‘Oh, the Catholic Church is right and I know what I’m doing.’ She says I’m very strong in what I believe in, I believe people are doing bad things,” Dewan told MTV News. “I want to fight that because I feel like inside of me that’s what I want to do. But she doesn’t attach herself to any symbols or labels or anything like that.”

Avoiding labels is actually a big challenge for the filmmakers, Dewan confessed, given the heavily sacrilegious nature of the character. Solution? While the recently announced movie version of the heroine will certainly honor her heritage, it won’t necessarily focus as much on the religious aspects of the character, Dewan insisted.

“When I started this I said I didn’t want it to be a religious movie - the Catholic Church versus everyone else. I wanted it to be somebody who knows she has something inside bigger [than herself], this spiritual want to help people,” Dewan said. “That’s really what we’re focusing on - fighting the darkness for the light, rather than the Catholic Church and religion. There is that element of it but it’s more about fighting people who are evil in this world.”

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Yesterday, Jenna Dewan gave us the scoop on her upcoming comic book adaptation of “Magdalena,” the story of the butt-kicking last scion of Jesus, put on Earth to fight crime and preserve the innocent.

Maybe you hadn’t heard of “Magdalena” before this. Maybe that caused you to look her up elsewhere. Maybe that caused you to find this. It’s a costume that’ll send a million mouths a’drooling. So is the trashy, vampy, very revealing costume going to make its way to the film? Settle down, boys. The answer, unfortunately, is no.

“I think the goal of this movie – we don’t want to do ‘Catwoman.’ I don’t think I’ll be walking the street in a thong and leather chaps,” Dewan said, laughing. “That’s not gonna happen.”

It’s as if millions of fans cried out in horror, and were suddenly silenced.

But all is not lost, Dewan said. While she won’t be wearing a thong and leather chaps, the costume WILL still be quite sexy, she insisted, telling MTV News that the ultimate version will be some kind of compromise.

“We’ll be making a sort of blend. We want it to be more based in reality, more ‘Matrix’-y. Not necessarily superhero,” Dewan said. “[But] I probably will have a flavor of the comic counterpart. In my personal opinion I like movies that touch on that.”

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Congrats again to Jenna on this awesome new role! This world can definitely use another heroine, and I can’t wait to see her kicking butt and taking names. Stay tuned to Channing Tatum Unwrapped, and I’ll make sure to post the rest of the MTV Splash Page interviews later this week.

New Photos of Channing Tatum and Girlfriend Jenna Dewan at the Opening of ROK Vegas

Thanks to Fabulous Chenna Fan Sonia for letting me know that new photos had been posted of Channing Tatum and girlfriend Jenna Dewan from this past Saturday’s MySpace Celebrity Presents Katy Perry at the opening of ROK Vegas at the New York, New York Hotel And Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

In addition to Chan and Jenna, the star-studded event was also attended by celebs like Haylie Duff, Nick Zano, ‘Prom Night’ stars Brittany Snow and Jessica Stroup; One Tree Hill actor Michael Copon; Desperate Housewives actor and Jenna’s ‘The Jerk Theory‘ co-star Josh Henderson; John Wilkes, from Red Jumpsuit Apparatus; Sean Huze and Jamie Chung from MTV’s The Real World: San Diego.

TheVegasEye.com also says that later in the night, partiers at PURE Nightclub inside Caesars Palace were in for a treat as Haylie Duff, Nick Zano, Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan swung by to soak in the scene at Sin City’s sexiest spot. The couples had a table on the main stage of the club where they danced and mingled with nearby fans for the majority of the night.

You all can check out more photos of Channing, Jenna, Haylie, and Nick arriving on the ROK Vegas event’s pink carpet and inside the event below:

CHANNING TATUM VIDEO OF THE WEEK: New Channing Tatum PSA for Rock4Change.org

Join Channing Tatum, Jenna Dewan, and many other celebrities at the upcoming benefit concert that is being held to help to put an end to the genocide, suffering and atrocities in Darfur & Uganda. Fans can show their support by attending the benefit concert and by helping us spread the word about it.

Even if you can’t attend the event, showing your support is really easy. In our latest CTU contest, fans can get a chance at winning Channing Tatum’s autograph if you go to Rock4Change.org’s MySpace profile and add them as a top friend. CLICK HERE to get all of the contest details before the quickly approaching September 1st entry deadline. I would also like to thank fans that are sending out bulletins to your friends on MySpace to help promote the event and the cause.

Another PSA has been released and fans can now check out Channing Tatum in the newest Rock4Change.org public service announcement that also features Randy Couture, Flea, Ludacris and James Denton. Enjoy!!!

If you haven’t seen the other video’s that also feature Jenna Dewan, you can CLICK HERE to watch all of the PSA’s that have been released by Rock4Change.org.

The goal of the Rock4Change benefit concert on Thursday, September 4th at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Los Angeles, California is to fund the Reforestation Project in Darfur via the work of “Aid Still Required” and to also fund the Clean Springs Campaign in Uganda through the work of “Hands Across Nations”. These projects provide life saving and life changing solutions for the people of Darfur & Uganda. You can CLICK HERE to learn even more about the event and to read a really good article on how and why the organizers created Rock4Change.

Rock4Change empowers & inspires a new generation of activism through the entertainment industry, and in doing so will raise funds and awareness for important social issues that need our attention. Each one of us has the opportunity and the responsibility to use our voice to make a difference. Partnering with the biggest names in music, film, television, and sports, they shine a spotlight on worthwhile causes to motivate people across the globe to do their part to affect positive change. They invite all of us to be a part of the worldwide movement.

Fans can CLICK HERE to get your tickets and join Chan, Jenna, and I at the star-studded event!!!

Channing Tatum and Girlfriend Jenna Dewan Featured on People.com

Fans always love candid photos of our favorite couple Chenna, and I’m sure today’s cute pic of longtime couple Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan will be not different.

The happy couple was snapped by photogs out and about in Beverly Hills on Sunday, and People.com has decided to feature them in their Star Tracks article today.

Fans can click on the image to check it out for yourself at People.com and you can CLICK HERE to see and/or download the photo.

Thanks to my best friend Lis and CTU readers Jan and Brandi for the heads up on People’s post.

CHANNING TATUM VIDEO AND PICTURE OF THE WEEK: Thanks for the Happy Birthday Wishes!!!

Each week Channing Tatum Unwrapped will post one or more of our favorite pictures and videos of the uber hot Channing Tatum.

Today’s Video of the Week was submitted by Fabulous Channing Tatum Fans and longtime CTU readers Naz, Marlie, Kerline, Brad, Brandi, Alex, Jan, Vienna, Allison, Liz, Faith, Anita, Ayshi, and Erin and the Picture of the Week was submitted by Fabulous Channing Tatum Fan and resident CTU artist Brad as a birthday gift to me.

I really want to thank everyone mentioned above for the awesome drawing and video you see below and I’d also like to thank everyone who has taken the time to wish me happy birthday today. It really means a lot to me!!!

Before I go on, I would like to clear up one thing. Ever since I made my annual birthday/contest post earlier today, there has been some confusion. Some fans are thinking that today is Channing’s birthday. Just to make sure we’re all on the same page…Channing Tatum’s birthday is April 26th. The birthday we’re celebrating today is my birthday. In case you’re new to CTU, I am Q (aka CTU’s webmaster) and the girl on the left in the picture with Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan and in Brad’s awesome drawing below.

Fans can also check out the incredible video that readers created for me below:

Thanks again to everyone for your wonderful gifts!! They mean the world to me!!!

CHANNING TATUM PICTURES OF THE WEEK: Chenna at the 2008 Teen Choice Awards

Each week Channing Tatum Unwrapped will post one or more of our favorite pictures of the uber hot Channing Tatum.

Today’s Picture of the Week was submitted by Fabulous Channing Tatum Fan Angie and is one of the many photos taken of Channing Tatum and his beautiful girlfriend Jenna Dewan (aka our favorite couple Chenna) on the blue carpet at the 2008 Teen Choice Awards a few weeks ago.

Here’s why Angie chose this photo as her favorite pic:

“Well…when I found that picture on Irresistible Jenna Dewan, I felt that I must share it with you and with all of Chenna’s fans.

I love that picture so much because it’s so beautiful the way they look at each other. You can feel their love for each other in that picture - it pictures what you said about them during your dinner together ‘they would just look at each other and it was like there was no one else in the room.’ And, the way they are holding hands is so cute…awwww… They’re so lucky to have each other. Thanks for the good work Q.”

- Angie

Big thanks to Angie for submitting the great photo! Fans can CLICK HERE to see tons more photos of the couple at the 2008 Teen Choice Awards.

If you have a favorite picture from this blog, our photo gallery, a picture you have made or a picture that you have found on the net that you would like me to consider, send the picture or a link to the picture to potw@channingtatumunwrapped.com and tell me why you like it. I will post it and your explanation on the blog. If you like or don’t like today’s picture (for some completely insane reason), let everyone know that too by clicking on the comments link below.

CTU NEWS: And the Lucky Winner of the Rock4Change Concert Tickets Is…

Thanks to everyone who took the time to enter CTU’s latest contest where one lucky fan will win two FREE tickets to the star-studded Rock4Change benefit concert where both Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan will be presenters.

The lucky winner is…

Belinda T.
from Westwood, California

Unlike Belinda, you may not have won the free tickets, but you can and should still attend the event if you are able to.

Make sure to buy your tickets today so you can see both Chan and Jenna as they introduce a very special African dance presentation created by EMMY nominated choreographer Shane Sparks (MTV’s hit show “Randy Jackson Presents: America’s Best Dance Crew”) especially for the Rock4Change Benefit Concert and more importantly, so you can help a great cause!

I just learned that Dane Cook has agreed to host the event, and they keep adding performers on a daily basis. Fans can CLICK HERE to see the growing line up of performers and presenters.

My inside sources have also told me that they will be releasing six new videos over the next few days leading up to the concert. Fans will be glad to know that at least one of the videos will feature Channing and numerous other well-known celebrity hotties. I’ll post the video as soon as they send it to me.

Until then, fans can watch all of the PSA’s that have been released so far where Channing Tatum, Jenna Dewan, and other celebrities speak out against the atrocities in Darfur & Uganda in hopes of inspiring their millions of fans to join The Rock4Change Movement.

You can click on the flyer at the top of this post and go to Rock4Change.org to get more details on the event. I hope to see you at the Rock4Change benefit concert on Thursday, September 4, 2008 at the Gibson Amphitheatre at Universal CityWalk.

Finally, fans stay tuned to Channing Tatum Unwrapped. In addition to keeping you updated on Rock4Change, I will be holding another contest very soon that relates to the event.

New Photos of Jenna Dewan at ‘The House Bunny’ Premiere

Honestly, I think it’s impossible for Channing Tatum’s girlfriend Jenna Dewan to look anything but gorgeous, and her appearance at last night’s premiere of Anna Faris and Katharine McPhee’s new comedy ‘The House Bunny’ (which hits theaters this weekend) didn’t show anything to the contrary.

Since he has not shown up in any photos that I can find, it seems that Channing was not able to attend this particular premiere that was held at the Mann’s Village Theater in Westwood, California with Jenna, but we have tons of new ultra high quality pictures of his adorable girlfriend and her equally flawless best friend, ‘Entourage’ starlet Emmanuelle Chriqui, on the event’s pink carpet. Enjoy!!!

Fans can CLICK HERE to see a slideshow with a lot more gorgeous photos of Jenna Dewan from the premiere in the ever-growing Channing Tatum Unwrapped Photo Gallery.

CHANNING TATUM VIDEO OF THE WEEK: New Channing Tatum & Jenna Dewan PSA for Rock4Change.org

Check out Channing Tatum and his girlfriend Jenna Dewan in the new Rock4Change public service announcement that also features EMMY nominated choreographer Shane Sparks from MTV’s “America’s Best Dance Crew” & FOX’s “So You Think You Can Dance”, Layla Kayleigh from “ABDC” and Danielle Savre from “Bring It On 2″. Enjoy!!!

Here’s how you can help…

Fans can show their support by attending the benefit concert and by helping us spread the word about it. Go to Rock4Change.org’s MySpace profile to add them as a top friend and to see how you can join Channing, Jenna and many other celebrities at the upcoming benefit concert that is being held to help to put an end to the genocide, suffering and atrocities in Darfur & Uganda.

The goal of the Rock4Change Benefit Concert on Thursday, September 4th at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Los Angeles, is to fund the Reforestation Project in Darfur via the work of “Aid Still Required” and to also fund the Clean Springs Campaign in Uganda through the work of “Hands Across Nations”. These projects provide life saving and life changing solutions for the people of Darfur & Uganda.

Rock4Change empowers & inspires a new generation of activism through the entertainment industry, and in doing so will raise funds and awareness for important social issues that need our attention. Each one of us has the opportunity and the responsibility to use our voice to make a difference. Partnering with the biggest names in music, film, television, and sports, they shine a spotlight on worthwhile causes to motivate people across the globe to do their part to affect positive change. They invite all of us to be a part of the worldwide movement.

And don’t forget that you can still win a FREE pair of tickets to the event from Channing Tatum’s official site ChanningTatumUnwrapped.com. The deadline is less than 2 days away, so CLICK HERE to learn how you can quickly enter!!

CHANNING TATUM PICTURES OF THE WEEK: Chan and Jenna on Vacation in Mexico

Each week Channing Tatum Unwrapped will post one or more of our favorite pictures of the uber hot Channing Tatum.

Today’s Picture of the Week is a beautiful photo of vacationing Channing Tatum and girlfriend Jenna Dewan as they pose for a promotional photo at the LG Villa in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico this past weekend.

Since both of them are scheduled to start filming their next projects in September (’Dear John‘ and then ‘Parkour‘ after that for Chan and ‘Virgin on Bourbon Street‘ for Jenna), it’s good to see that they had a chance to get away for a little while before things get really hectic next month.

If you have a favorite picture from this blog, our photo gallery, a picture you have made or a picture that you have found on the net that you would like me to consider, send the picture or a link to the picture to potw@channingtatumunwrapped.com and tell me why you like it. I will post it and your explanation on the blog. If you like or don’t like today’s picture (for some completely insane reason), let everyone know that too by clicking on the comments link below.

ACDC’s Final Challenge to Channing Tatum & Jenna Dewan’s M&M Cru

‘Step Up 2‘ and ‘Step Up 3-D‘ director and ACDC leader Jon M. Chu has one final message for the M&M Cru that he would like to share with world. Although his dance crew may have surprisingly lost the dance battle he started with Adam Sevani last April against Miley Cyrus’ M&M Cru at the 2008 Teen Choice Awards, he’s still fighting the war to help children in need around the world.

Watch the video and read his message below to see how you too can help…

Here’s the message that accompanied the video on YouTube:

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One last challenge to Miley and Mandy Cru!!! oh and Adam and I are in Norway…come say hello!!ACDC and Invisible Children have been paired up from the beginning to help raise awareness and money for the forgotten kids of Northern Uganda. So far, through the ACDC TShirt sales, we have made over $50,000 dollars for the charity. Now it’s Miley and Mandy’s turn!

We CHALLENGE Miley and Mandy to put their M&M Cru tshirts on sale online and throw 100% of the profits to whatever charity they choose.

We believe dance can change the world. And since this battle has begun, and the tshirts started to sell, we are proving that it is true. More kids are getting educated, more kids have books, dorms, clean water because of YOU guys and girls!! Thank you for all your support.

The battle is over, but the war wages on.

Stay tuned in the coming weeks for ACDC updates….

Visit invisiblechildren.com to get tShirts and learn more…

and SUBSCRIBE to CHU PICTURES to stay in touch with the ACDC videos!!

-Chu

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I also found a really great interview that M&M Cru director Cole Walliser did with Wired prior to the final battle at the 2008 Teen Choice Awards a few weeks ago. It explains how Cole (who also happens to be friends with Jenna Dewan and Channing Tatum) and the M&M Cru were able to recruit Chenna to their side of the dance battle. Enjoy!!!

M&M Cru, ACDC Take YouTube Dance Battle to Prime Time

By Angela Watercutter August 04, 2008
When the Teen Choice Awards air Monday night, the show will feature the final showdown of the “biggest online dance battle in YouTube history.”

That’s right. The online clash between director Jon Chu and Adam Sevani’s ACDC dance troupe and Miley Cyrus and Mandy Jiroux’s M&M Cru will finally be decided in prime time based on the decibels of ear-bleeding screams at the awards show, which Cyrus is hosting. (The show was taped Sunday and, for those who don’t mind spoilers, MTV.com reported the winner.)

It’s taken a lot of trash-talking, celebrity cameos and ice cream shenanigans to get to this point. But in the last few weeks, both sides have remained fairly quiet as they meticulously prepared for the face-off — except for the video tease (embedded) from the ACDC team showing aspiring member (and premier danseur) Little Demon.

In an attempt to get up to speed — and get a few details about what’s in store for the show — Wired.com asked M&M Cru members Cole Walliser (the director and an M&M dancer) and Teresa Espinosa (the choreographer) for a quick oral history of the throw-down.

“We’re really excited this thing has exploded,” says Walliser. “We obviously knew that people would watch these videos because Miley has a fan base and Jon has a fan base, but this has really helped both groups grow [beyond that]. Now people see these videos and say, ‘Miley’s kind of cool, look at this stuff that she’s a part of.’”

After the jump get the skinny on being friends with the competition, making dance videos on a shoestring and what surprises are in store for the final battle. (Hint: There is more than just fancy footwork involved.)

Wired.com: So how did it all get started?

Cole Walliser: Teresa has been Miley’s choreographer since Day One. Her and Alison Faulk [the producer and also one of the dancers] are good friends, so for bigger projects Alison was brought on as assistant choreographer. I’ve known Teresa for a number of years and Alison is actually my roommate. We’re all good friends in that circle. Then how the whole battle came about was Alison actually worked on Step Up 2 — she was in the 410 crew — so she got to know Jon and Adam last summer. It got to the point, I think, where Miley saw Step Up 2 and was like, “Oh Adam’s cool, Adam’s cute” or whatever. Alison said that she knew them and then word got back to Jon and Adam. So Adam obviously thought that Miley was cute and Jon started thinking, “Oh I’ve got to start getting some action going between these guys.” Just lighthearted stuff.

So Jon had the idea to use his YouTube blog to be like, “Hey, I’m going to call you guys out to an online dance battle.” He was talking to Alison at the Idol Gives Back thing that Miley performed at. And Alison was like, “This doesn’t exist, what are you talking about?” Then Miley grabbed the phone or maybe they were texting or whatever then they just started trash-talking just for fun like, “We’re going to smoke you” and “We’re going to get these dancers from this crew” and stuff. Basically, at first, we didn’t know what they were doing, we just knew they were going to call us out (video embedded). Then when Alison and Teresa knew they had to make a video, they called me. To be honest, I think we kind of impressed them with our production value and finesse on our first video (embedded below). It sort of jumped up from video to video from there.

Teresa Espinosa: I’ve been Miley’s choreographer since 2006. We did her concert choreography for the first Hannah Montana season. It’s a totally different ballgame working with her for this kind of thing. When I work with her, she’s the artist, so she can never do wrong. She can do the routine or she can go off and ad lib. But this is a dance-off — if she’s not involved in it she’s not really part of the crew. She’s never done a two-and-a-half-minute dance number [like the one for the Teen Choice Awards]. She’s had dance sections in her songs, but not a number where she has to do all the choreography.

Wired.com: How did both sides assemble their crews?

Walliser: The professional dance community is pretty small — especially street dancers. It’s kind of funny because half of our close friends are in ACDC. It was really a matter of who called who first. There were a couple of people that we called first and ACDC called them after and they were like, “Sorry guys, we’re already signed up for this Miley Cyrus thing.” For the other side, we called some of our close friends, who we thought were totally going to be down, and their response was, “Oh, Jon and Adam called me already.” It’s a favor, but this also what we love to do.

That was one of the reasons we put names on the videos, just to give everyone a shout-out. Because normally, as a dancer, you’re just dancing behind an artist. You’re behind Mariah Carey. You’re behind Janet Jackson. That’s why everyone jumped on board without asking for any money. It’s exciting that now that all these dancers have donated their time and energy to make these videos we can actually give a job back to them and it’s cool for us, because everyone’s getting paid [for doing the awards show].

Wired.com: What’s with all the one-upping each other?

Walliser: I think it’s always in the mix with dancers. It’s a part of the culture. So if some dancer has a move, you’re going to want to do it cooler. You always have to be like, “I’m going to top you.” So, we brought in a celebrity, we brought in Channing Tatum. Alison is good friends with him and Jenna Dewan because they were on a Janet Jackson tour together back in the day. So we called them because we thought it would be fun opportunity because they were the stars of the first Step Up. Jon thought it was pretty funny. Then, of course, he’s thinking, “If you’re bringing people in, I’m bringing people in hard-core.” So they had tons of [famous] people in their second video (embedded below). No matter what the other person does, be it cameos or production or music or anything, as dancers you try to one-up them on every single level you can.

Wired.com: Yeah, like helicopters.

Walliser: You know, a lot of the things that we did just came about from us sitting around saying, “What do we have access to?” People talk online saying, “Oh, well, Miley can just buy this or buy that,” but in terms of production funding we had zero dollars. We had money to cover insurance and we gave the location crews a little money so they could be there and pay for some lights. But other than that we had no money and were basically just pulling in favors from everywhere.

What happened with the helicopter was that Mandy’s dad owns a helicopter school. So when we were talking about what we could do for that next video, Mandy said, “Well my dad owns helicopters.” We were like, “Are you serious?!” But that was also a huge logistical problem, too. It was a pretty big thing to work around. We were just a bunch of friends with a camera trying to make a video destined for YouTube. So we just took all precautions necessary. We basically shot it in a way that they were actually 30 feet away. It wasn’t running when they were near it.

Wired.com: How did you pick your locations?

Espinosa: Actually, some of our rehearsals right now are at a studio in Silver Lake [in Los Angeles], which is the same location we used for our first video, the place that has the giant radio as the backdrop that says “Respect” on it.

Walliser: Actually, that club in the last video (embedded right), Boulevard3, actually hires a bunch of dancers every weekend. I’ve performed there a couple of times and so have some of our other dancers. We just called them and said, “Hey, we’re doing this thing, it’s guaranteed millions of views on YouTube.” They were supercool about it; eventually they started kicking us ideas and saying, “We could do this or we could do that.” They didn’t charge us for the venue at all. We basically just had to pay someone to run their lighting system for the day.

Wired.com: How do you go from YouTube to live?

Walliser: It’s definitely tricky, because we still want to have interesting components. It’s way more complicated and there are way more logistics to get it all to happen in the time allotted. Basically, each crew is getting two minutes and 30 seconds. But we had free reign. We just had to come up with a concept that would allow us to do interesting gags and tricks, back to back to back. With the videos, there was some stuff we shot in New York, there was some stuff we shot in L.A., but we shot it over a couple weeks and were able to edit together. This all has to be organized and choreographed in time to happen right after each other. Teresa has a lot of experience choreographing for stage so she’s planned this really well, Alison too. So, we have an edge. We’re really excited about this, but it is a little different. It’s all new choreography, all new music, so we’re also not interpreting something that’s been performed before.

Espinosa: We have to create transitions. It has to flow together, whereas with a video you can cut and paste. You have to make things stand out. With a video, the camera creates the focus for you, but on a stage you don’t have that. We’re going to have to be really organized and focused.

Wired.com: What are the surprises going to be?

Walliser: So our opening song is Chromeo’s “Fancy Footwork.” All I can say about the performance is that there are going to be some celebrity guests involved in the musical aspects of our performance. The whole thing about it is that, even though we hear things through the grapevine from the other dancers, we have no idea what ACDC is doing and they have no idea what we’re doing. We’re going to see it live for the first time. So it’s important to keep things under wraps.

Wired.com: Will this really be the end?

Walliser: Jon’s in preproduction for Step Up 3, and I have other projects to work on too. I don’t feel like it can get any bigger either. We already had a helicopter, what are we going to have a spaceship next time? [Laughs] I think it’s sort of capped itself. I don’t think that’s the end of what you’ll see of us, but the big production dance videos will probably come to an end.

Wired.com: Any final words?

Walliser: People are under the impression that these crews already existed and that we hate each other, and that’s totally not true. It’s a battle, we are out for blood. But it’s all for fun.

Espinosa: We have the solid core group from the first core group from the first couple videos will be there at the battle. We have the best people so it’s not hard to pick. We have amazing dancers — I’m not even worried about the competition.

Happy First OFFICIAL Anniversary to Channing Tatum Unwrapped!!!

First of all, I want to thank Fabulous Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan Fan Naz from London for the awesome graphic at the top of this post!!!

Although I started this site on January 1, 2007, one year ago Channing Tatum sent me one of the most amazing emails I have ever gotten asking me if CTU could be his official site. The email included the adorable new photo on the right as proof that he was actually the real deal. Fans can CLICK HERE to get all of the juicy details on the seemly fairytale story that really did happen to this unsuspecting blogger.

In that article, I promised fans that the best was yet to come; not knowing how accurate that statement would end up being…

Countless incredible things have happened here at CTU during our first official year. My list of favorites would have to include (but is not limited to) the following:

• Meeting Chan for the first time and spending the day on the set of his upcoming film ‘Fighting’,
• Being contacted by his girlfriend Jenna Dewan for the first time to thank me for writing about her on the site too,
• Attending an early, private screening of ‘Stop-Loss’ and getting invited to hang out with director Kim Peirce at a Houston press junket and at her home in LA months later,
• Being contacted by ‘Step Up 2: The Streets’ director Jon M. Chu and learning that he had been reading the site for months,
• Having the MySpace profile I created and maintain for Chan get nominated for Choice MySpacer at the 2008 Teen Choice Awards and having Chan and Jenna send me a really sweet congratulatory photo,
• Getting a VIP pass to the attend the 2008 Teen Choice Awards and meeting Jenna for the first time in person,
• Spending the Day with Chan’s mom Kay, and (last, but not least)
• Having dinner with Chan and Jenna and becoming friends with two people I admire on a personal level.

It truly has been an incredible year, and I’m just getting started as far as I’m concerned!!! I can say with all certainty that the coming year will be full of more surprises and cool opportunities for Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan’s Fabulous fans all over the world to learn more about them and their projects.

To get the ball rolling, I want to announce the winner of the 2008 Teen Choice Awards Goody Bag and Channing Tatum Autographed VIP Pass. The lucky winner is soon-to-be birthday girl…

Jenna W.
from Jacksonville, Florida

Jenna will be 16 on August 19th, so happy early birthday to you!!! Thanks to all of the fans who entered the contest and don’t worry if you did not win this time. We will continue to have lots more contests on CTU each month.

NEW CHANNING TATUM UNWRAPPED BIRTHDAY PROGRAM

Since it’s CTU official birthday, I also think this is the perfect time to announce the new Channing Tatum Unwrapped Birthday Program for fans around the world. The previous birthday shout outs on CTU were graciously created by Fabulous Channing Tatum Fan Naz from London for the friends she has made on this site. Each time I send one out, fans ask me to announce their birthdays too, but with the large amount of readers and birthdays we have, it’s difficult to do that. I have now created a new birthday program that can include all fans around the world who would like to get a birthday shout out too. If you would like to get a birthday shout out from CTU or you would like CTU to give a birthday shout out to a friend of yours, please send an email to fanbirthdays@channingtatumunwrapped.com with “BIRTHDAY” in the Subject and the birthday person’s name, mailing address, and birth date in the body of the email. Each month, I will make a post recognizing all of the fan birthdays for that month, and one lucky fan on the list will win an autographed picture of Channing Tatum. The new program is starting as of today, so anyone with an August birthday (or a birthday in the future) can start sending in your