M. Night Shyamalan explains why he filmed Trap’s concert for real with thousands of extras: "I want it to feel alive and messy"

If you’ve seen the trailers, you’ll know Trap hinges on the juiciest of premises: a serial killer manhunt at a pop concert. 

Yet, in the shadow of Era Tours and stadium epics, it could have been easy to sidestep the bright-lights-and-ballads star attraction of fictional popstar Lady Raven (Saleka). 

But, as Trap director M. Night Shyamalan tells 12DOVE and the Inside Total Film podcast, he wanted the real deal – and filmed a live concert which star Josh Hartnett estimates included "thousands" of extras.

"I made the decision to do it live," Shyamalan says. "Josh is performing and says his dialogue and there’s a real concert going on. The lighting, the performance, the crowd, they’re all genuinely reacting to what’s happening."

Shyamalan continues, "It’s tied: That moment; that part of the song; the way Saleka sang the song; the way the crowd is reacting; the way the dancers are moving with where he says the line. It’s all married together."

On the choice to do it all for real, Shyamalan points to the audience being able to recognize what is and isn’t legitimate with what’s put in front of them on the screen.

"I think that makes it very real, as opposed to, ‘Hey, we’ll put it in later.’ Then you’d feel slightly it’s not real. You wouldn’t even know why that uncanny valley was there, but you’d go, ‘This isn’t real and it’s not alive.’"

Shyamalan adds, "I shoot on film because I want it to feel alive and messy in that human way."

Trap is out in UK cinemas on August 9.

Listen out for our chat with M. Night Shyamalan on the upcoming episode of the Inside Total Film podcast, which is available on Apple, Audioboom, Spotify, and more.