Original-Cin Q&A: Shawn Mendes doc director Grant Singer talks 109-show shoot, voice crises and T.O. homecoming
It speaks to the star-power of singer, songwriter, musician and heart-throb Shawn Mendes that he has his own documentary at age 22. The Pickering, Ontario native bares all in Shawn Mendes: In Wonder, now streaming on Netflix.
Mendes spent 2019 on his 109-show, 9 month world arena tour which grossed close to 100 million dollars. The documentary shows the highs, lows, mental pressure and physical demands that the tour put on Mendes.
And to capture his story, Mendes enlisted A-list music video director Grant Singer (The Weeknd, Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande). Our Bonnie Laufer spoke with Singer about shooting the documentary and about getting to know the phenomenon that is Shawn Mendes.
ORIGINAL-CIN: You come from a music video background, but directing a documentary of this magnitude had to be no easy feat. What was your initial reaction when Shawn approached you to embark on this journey with him?
GRANT SINGER: “I'd never made a feature documentary before, so I was learning as I was going. But the intent was always just to make a sincere and honest portrait of him and the world in which he lives. The first thing I did was that I developed a trust where I could really feel comfortable with me being around him for that much time. He had to feel comfortable with me around. so that would allow me to be almost over his shoulder so the audience could see the world through his eyes.”
O.C: It looked to me like nothing was off-limits. Did you and Shawn initially discuss what was going to be shown and what wasn’t?
SINGER: “We never actually had that discussion. The only thing, before it began, Shawn told me to shoot everything even if it looked like I should stop shooting because it was too personal or it didn’t feel comfortable. So once we had that understanding there was really nothing off-limits.”
O.C: You all embark on this 109-show world tour for nine months. That alone is pressure, never mind having a documentary crew following you. Of course you can never anticipate what is going to happen. And then, almost near the end of the tour, Sean loses his voice and is forced to cancel a sold-out show in Brazil. It's devastating to watch that whole process. What was that like for you watching him go through it?
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SINGER: “It was a startling experience because, up until that point in the filming of the documentary, things were happening, but nothing that traumatic, really.
“So that was a very interesting experience for me, because the part of me that cares for Shawn and is friends with Shawn wants to say, ‘Cut!’ and give him some space or say, ‘Hey man, if he's gonna be okay…’
“But I remembered what Shawn and I discussed about filming everything. And the part of me that has to be an objective filmmaker kicked in.
“Having this happen was just another way to show the audience a very dramatic and climactic thing in the movie. We really just had to remove ourselves from the room and almost be invisible while Shawn was going through this devastating setback.
“It was certainly intense that day to watch, because we're not speaking. We're just witnessing this unfold to get the most authentic, genuine and truthful reaction to what occurred.”
Grant Singer
O.C It still boggles my mind that Shawn just turned 22. He just seems like an old soul, and it floors me to think how much responsibility and pressure is on his shoulders. Not just to his fans but all the people around him who rely on a paycheck.
SINGER: “You mentioned how he seems so wise. When I first met Shawn, I was struck by how articulate he is. He is so eloquent in the way he speaks and how he conveys his emotions. For a young person, it's inspiring.
“But you're right. When Shawn cancels a show, It's not just about him. It affects hundreds of people - not just the fans, but it's people who work for the tour, and there's so much responsibility every night he goes on that stage.
“I feel like there's a weight on his shoulders and he takes that very seriously. Hopefully that sequence illuminates or illustrates some of the some of the weight that he undergoes on a daily basis.”
O.C: “It's also fascinating to watch Shawn’s relationship with his girlfriend Camila Cabello in this documentary. She is a huge star in her own right, who is allowing us into her world as well. The two of them are making music together and have a very intense relationship. Was she at all reticent regarding what you could shoot of her?
SINGER: “You know, it's funny. We never had any conversations about what was on or off-limits when it came to Camila. She happened to be at one of his shows on the tour. We started shooting and we went from there. She was very gracious to us and the film crew.
“Look, if we're making a Shawn Mendes documentary and she is a huge part of his life, she's going to be in the movie and that was how we approached it.”
O.C. You also give us a glimpse of his fans and how devoted and appreciative he is of them.
SINGER: “We've seen a lot of docs where you see the mania of fans. And yes, we do see some of this.
“But I was more interested in the notion of his fans. We do see them crying, but what I saw was a real connection. Instead of focusing on more of the emotion, I thought his relationship and intense devotion to his fans was unique and I hopefully captured some of that.”
O.C: I also loved that the venue he was most excited about playing on this tour was the Rogers Centre in Toronto. He’s performed in some of the biggest cities in the world, but bringing it all home was most important to him. It’s very touching to watch and very emotional.
SINGER: “I loved that too, and I felt privileged to watch someone realize their dreams in real time. It was a really rewarding experience for me, because you see how much it means to him and how hard he’s worked.
“Right before that Rogers Centre sequence in the film, you see everything he’s worked so hard to get to this moment. So I was very grateful to be able to include that in the movie.”
O.C. What was it like to follow Shawn on that stage and see a stadium of about 50-thousand people in that audience. You certainly see how overcome with gratitude and emotion he was when he first walks out.
SINGER: “Overwhelming doesn’t even begin to explain it. Sometimes it was me out there, sometimes it was the cinematographer or my producer. We had a few different people be on stage with him, and we all felt the same way.
“When I was on stage, it's crazy, because I know I'm not going to have that opportunity many times in my life. To be on stage and seeing all those people is a euphoric feeling in that moment.”
“Shawn’s gratitude was never lost during this entire process. He's not pompous. He doesn't take anything for granted and he's very appreciative and present. I think that when you're on stage with him, it's just amazing. It's like a high and it’s something I will never forget.”
O.C What a great family he has too. When we see that whole sequence, when he goes home and he's just lying in the field, and how appreciative and relaxed he is during those moments, it is very special. I’m guessing that his mom and his dad and sister are the major factors that contribute to his being so grounded.
SINGER: “I completely agree. One of the first things that I talked about with Shawn was that we know he is a pop star, but I didn’t want this to be a film about a pop star.
“I also didn't want this to be a film about a kid growing up. So we focused on all the stuff that I think is relatable to everyone. Stories about his family, seeing his childhood bedroom and where he composed many of his songs, and spending some time at home was imperative.
“When I met him, he was 20 years old, which is pretty young when you think about it. So, seeing his family and witnessing their interactions, or watching him in the field that he played in as a kid really brings something special to the story. There's a sweetness, a sincerity and authenticity to the way the film feels because it should feel the way Shawn’s music makes you feel.”
O.C: What was Shawn’s reaction after you finished this and he watched it for the first time?
SINGER: “We finished filming before the pandemic. But we weren't able to be in the same room when it was finished. I sent him a cut and then he called me or Face-timed me. So I wasn't able to see his reaction in person. But he was really pleased.
“I think that he felt that there's a lot of responsibility when you're making a portrait of someone. You want to do him justice, you want the fans to be happy, you want people who aren't fans to learn something. But at the same time, he's just at the beginning of his career so there's a lot of weight.
“I wanted to make sure that he felt like he could be safe with me. I wasn't trying to be vindictive or anything like that because I'm not that kind of a person. So I was grateful that he responded well to the film and he felt like I did a good job.”
O.C: So, from that very first meeting with Shawn, then spending all that time with him up until now, what's your opinion of him? Did anything change, and what ultimately impressed you most about this kid?
SINGER: “I think that musicians and pop stars live so much in the span of two to three weeks, if you know what I mean. Sometimes you don't see them for a month and they'll look different. Not that they act different, but they live so much life compared to most people because of the experiences that they have every single day.
“When I first met Shawn, the thing that struck me was, ‘Oh wow, this guy's got character. He’s a decent good guy, he's got integrity. And that's one of the reasons why I was interested in the movies, because I could see myself spending a year of my life with him.
“What I learned about him now is that he really is genuinely a good person, straight-up and true good-guy.
“It's not necessarily something I learned because I felt it the moment we met. But after spending all this time with him, I really do feel that way. He's a great person. He's so incredibly talented and I'm just excited for all the things he's going to do with his career.”