High School Musical 3: Senior Year 歌舞青春3：畢業季

So although no one seems nervous exactly, the terms “high energy” and “110 percent” are used a lot. Even Efron, who expressed impatience with his Disney fetters during the filming of “HSM2,” has, as one insider puts it, put his game face on.

“Let’s do it again, just better,” he says at one point after Ortega has pointed out a few ways in which he could improve a scene.

Gracious and friendly, Efron, who stretched his wings last year in “Hairspray,” seemed clearly in his element here. Yes, there were problems with the paparazzi earlier on, but now it’s all about the work. And as with many young men, home always seems sweeter after you’ve been away for a bit.

“You definitely appreciate it more,” he says between takes. “I feel lucky to come back. With other projects it was just scene work. Here it’s more like fun and music.”

Says Bleu: “Everyone came egos checked at the door. We were all ready to work, even more so than on the other films. We know this is it, so we have to enjoy the moment.”

“I really do love these guys,” Hudgens adds.

The scene being shot on this night is a much-anticipated dance number featuring Efron, Bleu and a coterie of male dancers tricked out in junkyard chic. By the time the sun goes down and the lights go up, a crowd of nonparticipatory cast and crew are huddled together in jackets and sweaters.

As artistically ambitious as the previous two films were, the transition from television to feature film has meant many changes — a larger budget, for example, that no one will discuss in detail, although Ortega says it is half that of most musical features.

Laying the groundwork for at least the possibility of a “High School Musical 4,” new and younger characters will be introduced, including a Sharpay protege named Tiara (Jemma McKenzie-Brown) and two Chad devotees: Jimmie “the Rocket” Zara (Matt Prokop) and Donny (Justin Martin), while some established characters, like composer Kelsi (Olesya Rulin) and uber-thespian Ryan (Lucas Grabeel) will be given new chances to shine.

But the most noticeable and most remarked-upon difference is the dancing. There’s more of it, 17 numbers compared with 10 in the first “HSM,” and it’s more complicated. So complicated that the cast had a five-week rehearsal just for the choreography.

“The numbers are harder and more intricate,” Hudgens says. “We’ve definitely had to step it up. In a way, it feels like the other two movies were all a run-up to this one.”

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