The Listen Up musical - Live at Shelburne Museum

Produced by Bess O'Brien

USA | 2021 | Musical Feaure | 90min

The Listen Up Project - an ambitious original musical based on eight months of interviews, workshops, conversations and listening sessions with more than 800 teens across Vermont. From the vast and diverse stories gathered over this time, a script was written. Youth were engaged in the song-writing process and the musical was created. In August 2021, the show toured across the state with nine live outdoor performances.

Armed with a fleet of two Ursa Broadcast cameras, two Black Magic Pocket 4k's, a Canon C300, a drone, a roving gimbal, and three Panasonic GH5's, the Listen Up musical was recorded live at Shelburne Museum over the course of two nights with a live audiences. Cameras were outfitted with Teradek Serv Pros which enabled a wireless video feed to a remote control station. As an ensamble-based performance, the dialog bounced around and off stage at breakneck speed. To not miss a line, constant alternating play calls were required to permit the two close up cameras to move and land in a staggered fashion. Add in some mosquittos, a thunderstorm, and a setting sun... and the seemless edit is a testiment to the crew and ample preproduction.