your friendly film person :)

I am a big, big fan of behind-the-scenes documentaries. Anything that shows all of the people, the meticulous planning and labor it takes to create big-scale events gets me so inspired. During my festive bed-rotting, my social feed was full of clips from Taylor Swift’s docuseries “The End Of An Era”. The more I saw, the more I got curious, so I ended up watching all six, hour-long episodes.

Regardless of how you feel about Ms. Swift, her Eras Tour took over the world. Literally. Entire cities changed street names and threw parties in celebration of the cultural giant that became this 3-hour(!) performance. Economies were shook, enough people danced to cause an earthquake tremor, it was incredible. I’m kind of annoyed I missed it.

What better way to vicariously experience the Swifty magic by peaking behind the sequin-clad curtain!

One major takeaway from “The End Of An Era” that makes it worth seeing is that a team thrives when the leading act is acutely aware of how integral everybody is to creating a good show. From truck drivers to backup dancers, everybody matters. I urge you to watch the series and observe the dynamics between Taylor and the crew, because personally I’ve never seen anything like it.

After the tour concluded in December of 2024, it was revealed that Taylor handed out extravagant bonuses and of course that garnered a lot of media buzz. It was beautiful to watch that moment in the docuseries because it wasn’t just cheques that were passed around at the end of the show. The global pop icon hand wrote every single person a note and wax-sealed each envelope herself. I’m surprised this wasn’t focused on as much when the docuseries released! This approach is what has made Swift different since day 1, and it is further explored when the crew talks to the cameras about their experiences working on the Eras Tour.

One interview I distinctly remember was that of guitarist Michael Meadows, who during a 2-month break that the tour took before heading to Europe, allowed the docuseries cameras inside his family home. He showcased memorabilia from the previous tours he had joined Taylor on since they started working together in 2009. Meadows also shared a rather personal gift Taylor handmade for his daughter: a guitar with pictures of him, his wife, and one of Taylor herself holding his daughter as a baby.

In fact, every single performer has a similar story to tell. Dancer Kameron Saunders, seen in a clip from the series talking to his mother, was in tears over how much becoming a part of Swift’s team on the Eras Tour changed his life. Backup singer Jeslyn Gorman during one of many pre-show huddles talked about how Taylor would introduce her: “She said ‘This is Jeslyn, we sing together!’ I thought ‘yeah, that’s a way to put it’ ” She then went on to thank Taylor for being humble and always kind.

If you’ve ever needed an example of how mutual respect and admiration between artists can create a monumental project, this is a great series for that. It is the biggest, most resounding proof that a production is only as strong as the bond of the team behind it — and the energy the team of the Eras Tour emitted was felt worldwide.

All of that made me wonder: why is Taylor Swift always portrayed as this blonde bimbo when it is pretty clear she is simply… a great musician and show-woman? How come we so easily commend other pop girls for their achievements, but when it comes to Ms. Swift there is this bitterness surrounding her wins? She goes above and beyond to create once-in-a-lifetime experiences for her fans, not just in terms of putting on a show but in crafting a universe. Creating something that is bigger than her, bigger than “Taylor the person” but still human. Relatable yet aspirational.

She takes her job incredibly seriously and never fails to recognize how rare this kind of success is. During the creation of this tour, being aware of the physical and emotional strain it requires from everyone involved, she describes to the cameras that she made a pact with herself that nothing was going to stop her from performing. Rain, injuries, illnesses, it didn’t matter because as she said herself “people have flown across countries, booked accommodations, paid for plane tickets on top of everything… I’m not going to let them down”. The 2+ months of physical training, adding a whole new era to the tour mid-way and creating new acoustic mashups each night are only a few of the ways in which she kept that promise.

Here are some of my favorite Taylor Swift quotes from “The End Of An Era”:

“I want to keep all the nerves I have away from the crowd. Because when you’re sort of the ringleader of this show, they can sense any kind of shift energetically in you, and you have to really focus on that in, that, ‘you’re at The Eras Tour. Nothing’s wrong.’ “
Taylor Swift on playing The Eras Tour

“It’s our job to make this look accidental, and it is our job to make this look effortless. But I just want every single one of you to know that in no way, shape or form look at this as pieces just falling into place. You put the pieces where they are.”
Taylor Swift to the Eras Tour performers in a pre-show huddle

“Men will let you down, The Eras Tour never will.”
Taylor Swift on going through two breakups during The Eras Tour

“We’re doing theatre!”
Taylor Swift rehearsing choreography for ‘I Can Do It With A Broken Heart’

“I mean, dancing all night yeah my feet ache, but I’m wearing Louboutins. Like, it’s a privilege for these feet to ache like this.”
Taylor Swift on Eras Tour outfits

“You have to just take life, you know, one era at a time. See what happens.”
Taylor Swift on what comes after the Eras Tour

“I love being challenged to come up with different things to do every night.”
Taylor Swift on creating the acoustic sets for the Eras Tour

“Weather components I don’t enjoy… then you get situations where [bad weather] sometimes it’s kind of wonderful. Just cinema, just… drama! It adds to the show, if there aren’t other [dangerous] weather situations at play.”
Taylor Swift on rain shows

“Bonus day! I love bonus day!”
Taylor Swift before handing out cash bonuses to Eras Tour performers

“Every single person on the crew, I’ve handwritten them a note. It took me a couple weeks but it’s fun to write the notes!”
Taylor Swift on cash bonuses for the Eras Tour

“It’s so crazy that, like, all of this has happened and we all got to experience it together.”
Taylor Swift on how the people closest to her got to experience the Eras Tour

If you’ve made it this far, take it as a sign to watch the docuseries for yourself. Especially if you plan on one day creating cool stuff of your own, whether it be music or anything else! “The End Of An Era” gives you plenty of food for thought and motivation through the sheer passion everyone conveys for their craft.