The Ask
Apple Music needed a Toronto-based studio and production team to capture a live, acoustic session with Tate McRae. The project had a fast turnaround and a clear objective: produce an intimate, broadcast-quality performance video. The content was destined for their platform as part of a feature on the artist, meaning the production value had to be high, but the feeling had to be genuine. They handed us the artist; we handled the rest.
The Setup
To create that sense of intimacy, we kept the footprint small. We staged the performance in a corner of our studio, rigging a simple but moody lighting plot that focused all attention on Tate and her guitarist. We used a three-camera setup—two on dollies for subtle, flowing movement and one locked off for a steady wide shot. More importantly, our audio team worked with Tate's engineer to mic everything perfectly. In a stripped-down session like this, pristine audio isn't just a technical requirement; it's the entire point. A bad hum or a poorly mixed vocal would ruin the authenticity.
The Session
The day of the shoot was about quiet professionalism. We kept the set closed to essential crew only. This wasn’t a spectacle; it was a recording session. Our job was to be invisible and let the musicians work. We ran through each song a few times, making minor adjustments to camera moves and lighting between takes. Tate was a pro, nailing the performance repeatedly. The calm atmosphere allowed her to focus on the music, not the production happening around her. The result was a set of takes that felt authentic and emotionally present, which was the whole goal. The final edits were clean and straightforward, respecting the integrity of the single-take performances.