Rebel Wilson has shared the sign that’s opened up our eyes to just how much work went into rehearsing for the Pitch Perfect franchise.
OK, OK, that might be a bit dramatic, but still—Wilson’s latest YouTube upload of the cast’s first time rehearsing for the fictional a cappella competition semifinals in the first Pitch Perfect film really puts things into perspective. And with Pitch Perfect 3 just having opened on Dec. 22, Wilson’s timing could not be more … perfect.
In the clip, the cast gets into formations to the sound of a backing track, pointing toes and signing with arms in sync. The cast had been rehearsing the semifinal performance of the “Barden Bellas” team, set to “I Saw The Sign” by Ace of Base, “Eternal Flame” by the Bangles, and “Turn The Beat Around” by Gloria Estefan.
“Back in 2011, we were just getting to know each other and work together as a team. This is the first rehearsal of our Bella’s semifinal performance for the ICCA’s,” Wilson wrote in the video description of the YouTube clip. “Our choreographer AJ would record us so we could learn the routines and get better. #Bellas4Life.”
A look at the actual scene from the film shows that a lot changed between the first rehearsal and the final take. For starters, Brittany Snow sings the entire first number in the rehearsal, instead of switching with Anna Camp as part of a redemption move for Camp’s character, Aubrey, halfway through “I Saw The Sign.” (In the film, the first time Aubrey attempts to perform “I Saw The Sign,” she throws up—pretty dramatic for college-level a cappella, huh?)
Additionally, Wilson seems to walk through the general path of her choreography instead of sprinkling in the pizzaz that makes her character Fat Amy the breakout star of the team. It’s understandable, though, for a first-time rehearsal—she had to save the scene’s shirt-ripping for the real deal, obviously.
Watch the original rehearsal footage and the actual Pitch Perfect scene in the clips below: