How a concert film director deals with the pressure and precision it takes to work with the world’s biggest artists.

Everything will go wrong because of the weather. Or at least that was Paul Dugdale’s first thought when he was told the filming for Adele had to be moved back a day because of rain… in LA. 

Paul Dugdale is a three time Grammy nominated and recent Emmy, Bafta, and DGA award winning director. He has worked with a range of household names including Taylor Swift, Coldplay and The Rolling Stones. He’s worked with Adele on different occasions, but he directed her live film at the Griffith Observatory, and that stuck out to him. It captured the chaos that can happen when directing huge projects live. 

Overcoming unpredictability

“When we did it, you normally had a certain amount of time to turn up, wriggle the camera, rehearse and do the show,” he says. “So we were shooting Friday, and they said, listen, there’s really bad weather forecast for the weekend, we want to do it Thursday. Can you do that? 

“And so you have a choice in that moment of panicking and going no, we won’t be ready or you say ok, let’s do it.

“I have to weigh up, am I ready? Have I done the prep? Do I know what hand she holds the microphone with the most? Have I listened to her songs? Yes I have, I’m always ready. So I feel quite confident because I work hard and work with amazing people, but I always relish those moments when you have to be brave,” he said

In that moment he truly embodied Adele, and wanted to set fire to the rain, but him taking that risk made the reward worth it. 

He said, “after the day we shot it, I opened the curtains in the morning, and I couldn’t even see the hills. It was torrential rain and it would have been a disaster, it probably wouldn’t have even happened. So it was an amazing call, to grasp a moment like that, it’s like bottling lightning, you get one chance, one location and that’s what makes it so special.”

His ability to overcome difficult situations like this, is key for live shows. Last minute cancellations and schedule setbacks are normal. Despite this, his work continues to pioneer an ever-growing industry.  

The beginnings

Dugdale is best known for his visionary expertise in live concert film and documentaries, but his dad began his journey. His dad, who was a cameraman, took him to work at The Brits when he was just 16-years-old. 

“I was a runner, basically making tea. But I was doing it for the camera department, which meant I had to hold the camera cables and lug boxes. But I thought, oh my god, I love doing this.

“My dad told me people want to be around people with good energy, so they will want to work with you again and I wanted to adopt those things.”

“It meant I got to spend a lot of time with him, and I’m really grateful for that. He died in 2020, but he’s definitely still with me. I remember his values and tastes and so often I’m doing something and I’ll be like, oh I know who would really love that.”  

His dad introducing him to the world of music and production, is what makes him passionate about directing concert films. He said, “it’s all about the music, and that’s what I love most. I love being able to be a conduit, a sort of translator and to show the person at home what I think they should be looking at, and what I think makes the music punch the hardest.” 

The details

Working on concert films creates a unique environment, because it’s live and sometimes unexpected. Dugdale breaks any misconception that being a director is easy. Preparation and planning is so important to be able to create something that stands out in an industry full of competition. During his time filming Coldplay live, he even became attuned to where Chris Martin will move on stage. Yet, in a production so massive, you still have to do your homework. 

He said, “I make a big book of notes and I give those to the camera team, every camera operator, so they know what their role is in each song. The weird thing about it is that every tour and every show is different. But it evolves, and show one might be different from show 20, and all the timings slightly change. So their creative team is going, hey, why don’t we do this? And it gets better and better and more refined, it’s such a great show.”

Awards

Dugdale’s inspiring career has led to him winning multiple awards, but for him, that does not define success. The thrill of accepting the wins also comes with accepting the losses. 

His film for Adele at the Griffith Observatory in LA won five Emmys in 2022, including one for outstanding directing. He said, “it was like a dream come true when you go for dinner after the Emmys and there’s loads of awards on the table. It felt like I was in a movie. 

“But winning them is a strange thing because I’ve lost or not even been nominated for a lot more Emmy’s than I’ve won. You can enjoy them, but you can only be truly comfortable with those things if you accept that the ones you lost have been justified correctly,” he admitted.

“As an author of these things, you have to keep in check when you’re happy about awards and how much it means to you. Because actually, you need to be happy with what you make, and ask yourself are you really proud of this film? Is it the best it can possibly be? And if the answer is yes, then you’ve already won.”

Advice to the next generation

For those who want to break into an industry notoriously hard to conquer, Dugdale says, “just keep making stuff, make your own things. If you don’t have a camera, shoot it on your phone, your vision is what’s important, everything you make will be a stepping stone to the next thing.” Which is exactly how he achieved his first major opportunity with The Prodigy. 

In the early 2000s, he and his friends were at a club in London and Dugdale decided to film. “It was just people throwing up backstage, all of my friends getting drunk, smoking and crowd surfing. I told The Prodigy I have something, but this isn’t my work. It’s just something I filmed for my friends,” he says. 

This film, a one off piece of footage, is what landed Dugdale’s first professional job in the industry. He added, “it was natural, like a home movie, but you never know where those things will lead.” With passion and determination, aspiring TV professionals can create their own path to opportunity. Dugdale’s journey to success offers inspiration to the next generation of directors. By following his advice, you can be a step closer to a career in TV and film.