American Cinematographer - October 2021 - 34

EVERYTHING SHE WANTED
Tech Specs:
1.78:1
Cameras: Arri Alexa Mini, Amira; Canon EOS C300 Mark II; iPhone 11
Pro; Sony CineAlta Venice
Lenses: Canon L-series prime and zoom, CN-E prime and zoom; Arri
Signature Prime; Angénieux Optimo Ultra zoom
Rosher backstage with (from left) producer Trevor Smith, Cutler and sound recordist Jae Kim.
anticipate what she's going to do. Like, I know she's going to do one of
those cool moves with her body when she's dancing, and I know I need
to be wider so people can see that. Then I know when she's going to have
her moment at the microphone and not do anything, so I'd go tighter.
It was a great direction for me, because it took a lot of the weight off of
feeling like I need to supply an editor along with what they need photographically.
Instead, you're supplying a beautiful, intimate moment with
Billie Eilish. "
On the half-dozen multi-camera performances, Rosher says, " I was
always with Billie, from backstage leading right up to when she walks
onstage. Then I would transition to a stage-side camera. " The cinematographer
swapped her Canon C300, used on all the solo shoots at concerts,
for an Arri Alexa Amira or Alexa Mini. Multi-cam concerts at times
also included a Sony Venice. All cameras were equipped with Arri Signature
Primes or the Angenieux Optimo Ultra 12X 24-290mm T2.8 zoom.
" We needed a camera in the crowd to capture all of Billie's amazing fans,
who are so affected by everything she does, " says Rosher. At New York's
South Street Seaport - one of the only multi-camera concerts that ultimately
made it into the film - cinematographer Jessica Young focused
on the crowds while Kenny Stoff was in the front pit. Both played key
roles at other times, too, with Young shooting an early performance in
Salt Lake City, and Stoff supervising the official cameras at the Coachella
music festival.
34 / OCTOBER 2021
Of this latter performance, Cutler says, " Coachella had 14 cameras
shooting performances. You can't bring your own - they're very restrictive.
Kenny Stoff was leading the camera team, and we had faith in the
operators he brought onboard. They were kind enough to share their
footage with us. "
A priceless moment at Coachella - when Eilish meets her childhood
heartthrob, Justin Bieber - was captured by Eilish's mother on a cellphone.
But Rosher got her own moment, backstage at the Grammys,
when Bieber called to congratulate Eilish on her success. This, too, was
captured on an iPhone. " The Grammy folks didn't mind if a member of
Billie's entourage had an iPhone, but they controlled the camera crews,
[who were] cordoned off, " Cutler says. " Well, we didn't want to be cordoned
off in the press areas. We wanted to be with Billie backstage, both
before and after the show. The only way to get that was for Jenna to be
part of her entourage, shooting with an iPhone [11 Pro]. "
Cutler adds, " Jenna was in the moment when Justin Bieber called, and
it was perhaps as critical a moment as any that night. "
Looking back, Cutler likens that year to riding a wave. " And the waves
were very high, " he says. Rosher agrees, adding, " We felt blessed. Billie
was so willing to show everything. Her openness and her raw, real character
were so fun to film. It was just a joyful experience to be there. "

American Cinematographer - October 2021

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