Filming the Special
Creating a Barbra Streisand television special involves more than just turning the cameras on.
Live in Concert 2006
was filmed by hi-def video cameras at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida on October 28 and 30, 2006.
On Saturday, October 28th, the crew loaded in the staging, lighting, and sound equipment starting from 2:00—6:00 A.M. They taped the show live that evening.
On Sunday, Barbra and crew worked, despite it being a non-concert day. The television crew worked with Barbra and Il Divo's stand-ins during the day in order to perfect their camera shots and lighting. Steadicam close-up shots of Streisand were filmed from 7:00 PM to 10:00 P.M.
Streisand's television crew, led by Gary Smith (who's worked on previous Streisand specials over the years) worked tirelessly before and after the shows capturing additional takes, close-ups, and re-takes. Getting camera angles correct and close-ups of orchestra players, etc. doesn't always happen while the concert is going on. The television crew shoots “pick ups” [insert shots and retakes] of Streisand's songs to get them exactly right. When the final show is edited together, the live show and pick up shots blend seamlessly.
On Monday 10/30, the crew shot takes of entire musical numbers and pick ups with Barbra from 2:00—6:00 P.M. Barbra sang full-out for those four hours and then did the concert for the paying audience that same evening!
Streisand performed songs so that the steadicams could capture their shots; Gary Smith filmed the backstage vignettes with Barbra's dog, Sammy; Streisand sang “Wild is the Wind” with the orchestra to warm up (while the cameras rolled!); Streisand fretted over the lights and her hair color—getting her hair to look blond without the lights washing it out; she also tried on different outfits to see which looked best on camera (she decided against the sparkly sailor suit she wore at some tour venues for the taping of the television show).