NEW YORK—To capture Billy Joel’s 100th consecutive performance of his residency at Madison Square Garden, show producers turned to ARRI’s ALEXA 35 and Mini LF cameras.
The event, aired in primetime March 28 on CBS broadcast, required the highest quality imaging technology. The live concert broadcast earned multiple Emmy nominations and impressed Billy Joel.
“I’m never comfortable how I look on camera, but this is the best our show has ever looked on film,” said Joel.
Producers realized the visual presentation needed to match the magnitude of the moment. “We knew this wasn’t just another show,” said Barry Ehrmann, executive producer at Enliven Entertainment. “Billy’s 100th concert at The Garden was a historic milestone. We needed cameras that could deliver an unparalleled visual experience to viewers at home, preserving the energy and intimacy of this landmark performance for posterity.”
The decision to use ARRI’s ALEXA 35 and Mini LF cameras proved pivotal in achieving the production’s vivid look. The robust cameras are known for their reliability in a live multi-cam workflow, ARRI said.
“ARRI cameras are always my first choice for multi-cam concert productions. The ALEXA 35 and Mini LF models are unsurpassed, standing far beyond any other offerings in the market,” said Ehrmann. “They made Billy and Madison Square Garden come alive for this production.”
Noting a history of using a range of ARRI cameras for concerts, show director Paul Dugdale praised them for their quality and performance in shooting concert movies.
“I love the look of ARRI cameras, and we have used the full range in our concert films, from ALEXAs, Minis, to multiple ALEXA 65s,” said Dugdale. “I particularly love the way that they handle shooting into light, which is obviously so frequent in concert movies. 2011 was the first time we integrated ARRI cameras into a large multi-camera shoot, and since then ARRI has been my go-to camera whenever the opportunity has presented itself.”
The cameras’ well-regarded performance in varied lighting conditions enabled the production team to capture both the intimacy of Joel’s performance and the grandeur of Madison Square Garden, resulting in a viewing experience that blurred the lines between live concert and emotional feature.
Steve Cohen, Billy Joel’s lighting designer, creative director, and executive producer was impressed with the cameras’ ability to capture his vision. “The incredible depth and clarity from these cameras made my lighting design so effective and realistic. It literally looked the same on film as it did to the naked eye—which is unheard of. ARRI’s technology allowed us to create a dramatic look that’s rarely seen in live concert broadcasts.”
The resulting CBS special aired on April 14. It drew an audience of more than 23 million viewers and garnered nominations in several Emmy categories, including: Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded), Outstanding Technical Direction and Camerawork for a Special, Outstanding Lighting Design/Direction for a Variety Special and Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special.
Funicular Goats provided state-of-the-art equipment, workflow and technical management for the production. By providing comprehensive technical management and multicamera solutions, Funicular Goats enabled the creative team to focus on crafting an exceptional visual experience for Billy Joel’s worldwide fanbase, the company said.
More information is available at billyjoel.com
