By Cooper Nelson
GCU News Bureau
This isn’t Arizona State University, so keep your pitchforks to yourself.
While ASU students and alumni have the three-fingered hand symbol to show their school pride, Grand Canyon University’s Antelope faithful have their own way to show school spirit: with a ’Lopes Up.
The ’Lopes Up symbol has become more popular in recent years, prompting GCU digital film and production students David Doane and Jake Jackson to create a music video trilogy to document the trend. The students are wrapping production on their third episode, which will be released on GCU’s YouTube channel the week of commencement. They hope the videos will represent school spirit for current and future students.
“We wanted to make something that involved students as much as we could, so they can have as much memory as possible (of their time at GCU) and something to look back at and be proud of,” said Jackson, who produced and starred in the videos along with Doane. The duo wrote and recorded their original lyrics.
Each video in the trilogy is filmed like a hip-hop or rap music video, with shots of energetic dance-like movement and boisterous crowds of students along with rapid-fire beat patterns playing in the background.
Put Your 'Lopes Up
Check out the first and second episodes of Doane and Jackson's 'Lopes Up YouTube videos. The third episode will be released during commencement week.GCU Today Magazine has the history of how 'Lopes Up started. Click here for the story.
Doane and Jackson said their favorite GCU memories inspired the lyrics. The final video addresses the major events of the 2012-13 school year, beginning with an audio segment of GCU President and CEO Brian Mueller’s speech to announce the transition into the Division I Western Athletic Conference.
“I wanted to give a lot of credit to the GCU that I used to know and mix it with the up-and-coming GCU,” said Doane, 22, who will graduate in May with a bachelor’s degree in digital film with an emphasis in production along with Jackson, who is also 22. They are part of the second class of graduates from GCU’s digital film and production program.
The first ’Lopes Up video began in 2010, when the University admissions department approached assistant film professor Gregg Elder’s production class about creating a video to show to prospective GCU students.
Doane and Jackson filmed the second video in the trilogy titled “Hear the Thunder,” as a promotion for the men’s basketball game against ASU in the first game at GCU Arena. Jackson said the quality of the videos has improved each time, as the University obtained more advanced film equipment and their skills increased. He said they plan to use the latest aerial campus footage along with footage of the WAC announcement and new locations on campus, like the College of Arts and Sciences building, in the newest episode.
GCU videographer David Guerrero helped film scenes and manage equipment like lasers and fog machines for the final ’Lopes Up video.
“We’re really going all out on this one,” Guerrero said. “From the production value to the school spirit this video exudes, it really shows GCU has it all.”
“I see it as a kind of going away/graduation gift for David and Jake,” Guerrero added.
Contact Cooper Nelson at 639.7511 or [email protected].
