The ranks of young fans spread across Broadway. Many selfies have been taken in a crowded lobby. Wild cheers as anticipation rose inside, followed by intermittent shouts during an opening speech by Tribeca Film Festival co-founder Jane Rosenthal. A screening of a short film that was transformed into a pop concert, with singing.
It is safe to say that this was not your standard film festival event. But what are you waiting for when the festival, now in its twentieth year, decided to trot out the newly coined Dr. Taylor Swift to reflect on the making of films in honor of her music video short, aptly named All Too Well: The Short Film? Released in November and directed by Swift herself, it fitted like a glove at the festival, as production was done in part in the Tribeca neighborhood of New York.
Swift herself chose the moderator: Mike Mills, a director close to the collaborators of Swift The National, including his short film, I Am Easy to Find from 2019. “I’ve seen it so many times, but every time I look at it I go through all sorts of more intense emotions, “Swift said of his reasoning, proving that even for events like this, the artist is plotting with everyone. detail.
After the screening of the 15-minute short starring Stranger Things actor Sadie Sink, during which the audience sang the key lyrics (“Fuck the patriarchy!”) And applauded every single frame of the credits, Swift and Mills talked about his approach vividly. detail; one artist makes the other, and vice versa.
Taylor Swift performs her song ‘All Too Well’ after talking about her short film All Too Well: The Short Film at the Tribeca Festival on Saturday. Photography: Elise Ryan / AP
“(That’s me) I got out of what I usually do, which is writing songs and singing them,” said Swift, who noted that she decided to direct for the first time after trying to find a director for her 2020 music video. for The Man, except. because all his best options were reserved. So Swift directed it herself.
“It was a vulnerable time when you were about to find something new and you really expect to do it all to perfection,” said Swift, who approached the ship with trepidation and drew up such a detailed plan for the his video that Mills said he had never seen anything like it. “It’s also important to remember that you shouldn’t do everything perfectly because you need to learn and grow.”
Swift’s initial hesitation to wear the director’s hat became a recurring theme. “I had this impostor syndrome in my head and I was saying,‘ No, don’t do it. Other people who went to school do it, “Mills said,” I didn’t go to school because of that. “” Oh, it’s great to hear that, “Swift replied. “Swift also noted that a set life pushed her to try her hand in the direction.” In my head I would say, ‘I love that they did this’ or ‘. So the list of things I was absorbing was so long that I finally thought, ‘I really want to do this.’ “
However, Swift’s inherent power to make and execute this decision is not lost. “I’m very aware of my privilege when it comes to being a filmmaker, because I was able to fund this film myself,” she noted. “I have to be constantly aware that, no matter how exciting it is to do this, I also understand that it is extremely difficult for women to make films and to always be aware of this reality, it is my luck to approach them. . a camera. “
Meanwhile, the story of the song itself is a legend that is often repeated, supposedly ripped from the real-life story of her and actor Jake Gyllenhaal, the tumultuous old romance, the red scarf and all. Would Swift show the reality behind what he invented? “The kind of journey Sadie’s character makes in the video is very reminiscent of some of the experiences I’ve had,” she said with a wink. “I think one of the things I’ve learned throughout this process is to really rely on support people who believe in you.” Meanwhile, it was All Too Well star Dylan O’Brien, who surprised the audience by asking a few questions alongside his co-star Sink, who may have had the most effort in Gyllenhal, whose character is believed to be interpreted: “My character (in the video).) is not a monster. He is a narcissistic and self-centered child.”
Of course, there was a look at another Swift villain, Scooter Braun, who sold Swift’s catalog, which led Swift to re-record it in its entirety. Swift considered it a devastating blow, explaining the brouhaha: “I lost all my work … It was a very hard time for me,” he told a silent crowd as he chose his words carefully. “Many of my most difficult moments, or moments of extreme pain or loss, were transformed into what my life looks like now and I am very happy where my life is now.”
As for where the music industry is now, Swift hailed the resurgence of vinyl and the democratizing effect that applications like TikTok have on the industry. “Fans have subverted the label model a bit: ‘We sit in a conference room and pick the songs you like.’ And you’re like, ‘Um, no!’ I find it so radical and wonderful. “
When the conversation was over, before Swift found herself alone on stage playing a red guitar why more than a live performance of All Too Well, she reflected on the longevity of what has become a career of 16 years.
“I’m just trying to hear the heartbeat of what the fans want,” he said. “It’s very exciting to have been doing this for so long and to have so many memories. I’m just listening, having fun and doing things. It’s great that they want me to keep doing it.”