For cinematographer Mecky Creus, filmmaking is all about connection—between the camera and the subject, between the story and the audience. Known for his intimate, naturalistic style, Creus first honed his approach documenting the skateboarders of his hometown, San Juan, Puerto Rico. That early training taught him to move instinctively, trust his eye, and capture moments as they unfold.

Those instincts proved essential while filming Karol G: Tomorrow Was Beautiful, the documentary following Karol G’s rise from Medellín to global stardom. With a visual style that balances the epic scale of sold-out stadiums with deep personal, emotional moments, the film offers a portrait of an artist who defied expectations—and a filmmaker determined to honor that journey frame by frame.

In this Q&A, Mecky shares his approach to capturing live performance, the creative challenges of life on tour, and the key moments that stuck with him along the way.

Filming live concerts can be unpredictable. Can you give us an example of a challenge you faced during the tour, and how you overcame it to capture compelling footage?

Preparation kept me grounded and ready to move when things shifted. At a live show, everything happens fast—you’ve got to have your rig dialed, trust your instincts, and stay present enough to let the energy shape the frame.

With Karol, it wasn’t just a performance—it was a statement. I had a solid sense of the flow and blocking ahead of time, but the real challenge was being in the right place at the right time to catch those fleeting, unscripted moments that gave the tour its heart. You can’t predict when they’ll happen—you just have to be ready when they do.

This film spans massive concert moments and also more personal scenes. What was your visual approach to capturing both ends of that spectrum in a way that still felt cohesive?

Every project starts with the basics—a checklist of camera, lenses, support gear and environment. But for Tomorrow Was Beautiful, it came down to two non-negotiables: mobility and emotion. Director Cristina Costantini wanted the visuals to feel cinematic yet intimate. She wanted to capture the raw energy of sold-out stadiums while zooming in on the quiet, vulnerable moments that reveal Karol’s humanity. Shooting anamorphic gave us that epic widescreen canvas to tell this story with both scale and soul.

On the road, I relied on the RED KOMODO for its compact power, stunning 6K resolution, and rock-solid reliability. Paired with Angénieux’s short anamorphic zooms (30-72mm & 56-152mm), lightweight and bursting with warm tones and buttery bokeh, the setup was perfect for weaving between sweeping wide shots and tight, emotional close-ups. It gave me the freedom to move fast and stay ready for every moment—no compromises.

Those 2-3 hour live shows were a test of endurance and focus. I was handheld the whole time, supported by an Easyrig, pulling my own focus with zero resets. It was pure muscle memory and instinct—pre-production was king, ensuring every lens swap and media reload happened without missing a beat or breaking the flow.

Reflecting on the project, is there a particular scene or moment that stands out to you from a cinematographic standpoint?

One moment that really sticks with me happened during Karol G’s two-night, sold-out shows in California at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. The scale was staggering with thousands of fans, lights blazing, energy pulsing through every corner. But there I was right in the pit, handheld and locked in, fully focused on capturing the emotion as it unfolded.

There were no second takes or safety nets. It was all about staying present, reacting instantly, and letting the rhythm of the music, the crowd’s movement, and the flood of light guide every shot.

What resonated most wasn’t just the sheer size of the event, but how incredibly personal it felt. Even in that massive space, Karol’s performance was intimate, raw, and powerful—a true testament to her artistry.

Capturing that connection was one of the most rewarding experiences on this project.

What strategies or techniques do you use to make viewers feel immersed in the energy of the show?

To truly pull viewers into the heart of the show, the gear choice was critical. Using an anamorphic setup gave us a sweeping, cinematic aspect ratio—perfect for capturing the grandeur of massive stadiums—while also delivering emotional depth through shallow focus, stylized lens flares, and subtle softness that added texture and character to every frame. The result felt warm, intimate, and touched with a bit of magic.

I wanted the camera to be like a fan in the crowd—close enough to feel the electricity, yet invisible enough to let the moments breathe. Being right there in the pit, I fed off the energy of both Karol and her fans, letting that raw connection guide my framing and movement.

The compact anamorphic zooms let me fluidly shift between wide, crowd-perspective shots and tight, intimate close-ups—capturing the scale and the soul in real time. With a lightweight, agile rig, I stayed nimble and ready, never missing the next key moment or feeling like I was interrupting the flow.