In the hours after Taylor Swift announced the release of her concert film “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour,” fans rushed to buy tickets and broke the ticket presales record.. the film, released on Oct. 13, broke records for AMC by surpassing $100 million in presales globally along with collecting the highest revenue from ticket sales in a single day.
The film follows the Eras Tour at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, which marked the end of the North American leg of Swift’s world tour. The documentary was shot over three days in concert and was almost an exact replica of the show itself.
The film features a majority of the songs that were performed and only cut five tracks from the setlist. “The Eras Tour” encompasses Swift’s 17-year career and features material from all 10 of her studio albums. It runs for two hours and 48 minutes, making it slightly shorter than the length of Swift’s live concerts.
Concert films have consistently proven to be a great success because they showcase the experience of the performance from an audience member’s perspective. “The Eras Tour” creates an opportunity for fans who could not attend to experience the thrill of a Swift concert.
This isn’t uncharted territory for the singer-songwriter. She has previously released concert films for past albums. However, this film differs slightly from the others and even from the industry standard. A typical concert film features a balance between footage of the concert itself and the audience’s experience, which is markedly different from the direction of the “Eras Tour” film.
Director Sam Wrench is a veteran in filming live events and has worked with artists like Billie Eilish, Mumford & Sons and BTS. The Eras film features a variety of shots that cover the entirety of the stage, keeping Swift as the primary focus.
Despite having a variety of camera angles, there is not a single camera seen in the film, illustrating the mastery at play. The hyper-focus on Swift further highlights the film’s mission to create a viewing experience that is almost identical to attending the concert in person. The intimate nature of the film allows viewers to notice the little things.
There was a lot of elaborate effort put into the production of the Eras Tour, which sometimes got overlooked at the live concerts. The intricately choreographed dance numbers, various costume changes and complex set designs were all noticeable and highlighted in the film.
The theater experience was unlike any other. Before the premiere, AMC released guidelines outlining theater etiquette for the screening and the allowances for Swift’s film.
AMC said viewers could dance and sing throughout the movie without obstructing the view of others, a perk that many Swifties appreciated. It also strongly encouraged viewers to dress up for the screening and trade friendship bracelets, similar to the intricate outfits and traditions that could be seen at the Eras Tour.
The North American leg of the Eras Tour was a grandiose experience that spanned the course of a few months but left a lasting impact on history, fans, pop culture and even the economy.
Swift has truly created a unique experience for all to enjoy that captures the dazzling and entrancing atmosphere that was present at the Eras Tour.
