Memes dictionary
Just Do It
or Shia LaBeouf’s Intense Motivational Speech or Shia LaBeouf Just Do It
What does Just Do It mean?
Just Do It refers to a meme based on a video that features an intense motivational speech by actor Shia LaBeouf.
Where does Just Do It come from?
The Just Do It video, also known as Shia LaBeouf鈥檚 Intense Motivational Speech, was released in 2015. It shows actor Shia LaBeouf, of Nymphomaniac and Transformers fame, giving what is supposedly a motivational speech in front of a green screen. In it, LaBeouf repeatedly roars 鈥�Just do it!鈥� at the camera while making wildly over-the-top, furious expressions and gestures. He also growls such lines as: 鈥�Don鈥檛 let your dreams be dreams, yesterday you said tomorrow, so just do it!鈥�
This video exploded in popularity almost as soon as it was released. There was some misconception that LaBeouf made the video as an earnest motivational speech, particularly given Shia LaBeouf鈥檚 eccentric public persona. But, in actuality, LaBeouf鈥檚 zealous performance was part of an art project.
The Just Do It video has its origins in Central Saint Martins, the London arts college, where LaBeouf joined in on a project called #Introductions. This project had each student in class write a short script for LaBeouf to perform, lasting no more than 100 words, with an emphasis on strong emotion. LaBeouf actually did thirty of these performances, some involving different stunts or props. Other pieces from the same set can be found online. The Just Do It segment that went viral was written by student Joshua Parker, who intended it as a mockery of the corporate health and fitness industry, specifically targeting one of its most famous slogans, Nike鈥檚 Just Do It.
The green background is no accident; as many film students know, a green screen is used to superimposes backgrounds, special effects, props, and so on. Here, it allowed the London film students to edit in their own footage and use it as an introductory video for their projects. When the Just Do It clip went online, it was released under a Creative Commons license, specifically so that viewers could rework it however they pleased鈥攚hich millions of people did do, and quite rapidly so.
Examples of Just Do It
Who uses Just Do It?
Though the Intense Motivational Speech spread virally in its original form, it became even more intense when internet users began taking advantage of the green screen provided.
Because a green screen allows editors to replace the background with anything they want, the original Just Do It clip has been reworked to depict Shia LaBeouf鈥檚 speech in countless different scenarios. Videos have shown him giving the speech before massive crowds from archival film footage (e.g., Hitler鈥檚 rallies), delivering it as a TED talk, or superimposed onto the Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice trailer. There鈥檚 even one version where he replaces Yoda in The Empire Strikes Back, with Shia telling a distressed Luke Skywalker to 鈥�Just do it!鈥� and use the force.
There are also parody videos that show other people giving the same exaggerated speech in front of a green screen.
Note
This is not meant to be a formal definition of Just Do It like most terms we define on 亚洲网紅露点, but is rather an informal word summary that hopefully touches upon the key aspects of the meaning and usage of Just Do It that will help our users expand their word mastery.