Ed Sheeran has collaborated with acclaimed director Philip Barantini for an upcoming Netflix special titled One Shot with Ed Sheeran, set to premiere on November 21st (as per Rolling Stone).
The project marks a departure from Barantini’s typically scripted work, capturing the singer-songwriter performing throughout New York City in real time.
“From impromptu performances on bustling sidewalks and subway cars, to intimate interactions with fans and passersby,” states a press release, “Ed Sheeran’s journey through New York will be captured in a series of unforgettable moments, highlighting the pandemonium and excitement that follows.”
Barantini has established himself as a master of single-take cinematography through his previous works. His 2021 breakthrough film Boiling Point showcased a chaotic evening in a London restaurant kitchen, filmed entirely in one continuous shot. The success of this approach led to a 2023 limited series adaptation of the same name.
The director’s most recent triumph came with Adolescence, a four-episode limited series created alongside Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham. The programme follows a 13-year-old boy arrested for murdering a classmate, with each episode filmed in a single continuous take. Rolling Stone‘s Alan Sepinwall praised the technique as “never less than astonishing” and “essential to why the show works as powerfully as it does.”
Adolescence garnered significant acclaim, winning eight Emmy Awards including Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series. Barantini himself took home the Emmy for Best Directing For a Limited of Anthology Series or Movie, expressing gratitude to Netflix during his acceptance speech for “trusting us with this mad idea.”
The Sheeran collaboration represents uncharted territory for Barantini, whose previous one-shot projects relied on professional actors and meticulously crafted scripts. One Shot with Ed Sheeran abandons these controlled elements, instead capturing authentic interactions as they unfold on New York’s unpredictable streets.
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Sheeran brings relevant experience to the project, having previously performed in New York’s subway system. Earlier this year, he joined Jimmy Fallon at the Rockefeller Center subway station to perform “Azizam” and Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club”. Despite initial attempts at disguise, a crowd quickly gathered around Sheeran.
