LE CHANT
DES GRENOUILLES

"Le Chant des Grenouilles": a full day dedicated to a theatre production

On 29 November 2025, the amateur theatre group Les Gravissimes presented their latest production to the people of Gradignan: Le Chant des Grenouilles (The Song of the Frogs), based on a text by David Foenkinos and directed by Arnaud Labat. As a videographer based in Bordeaux, I spent the entire day with the company — from the morning dress rehearsal through to the evening public performance at the Salle du Solarium in Gradignan. Two distinct moments, two different states of the same work, two complementary recordings.

Les Gravissimes have a wonderful story: born in 2010 from former students of the theatre programme at Lycée des Graves, the group reformed in 2023 with a renewed desire to perform and connect. Le Chant des Grenouilles perfectly captures that spirit — a warm, funny and very human comedy about love and its absence, featuring two lonely singles, a struggling dating agency, and the frog that croaks to seduce. Contemporary theatre at its most relatable.

Multi-camera setup and dedicated audio recording: a professional-grade production

Recording a live performance is far more than placing a single camera at the back of the room. For Le Chant des Grenouilles, I deployed a multi-camera setup covering the full stage: a main camera for wide establishing shots and narrative continuity, secondary cameras for close-ups on faces and key moments, and a dedicated audio recording system independent of the house sound — ensuring clean, intelligible sound regardless of the Solarium's acoustics.

This professional setup delivers broadcast-quality footage usable across a wide range of contexts: online distribution (YouTube, Vimeo), company archive, social media clips, application dossiers for festivals or arts funding bodies. A well-executed theatre recording becomes a lasting communication asset for the company, long after the curtain falls.

Dress rehearsal and public performance: two perspectives on the same play

Filming the dress rehearsal offers rare access to intimacy. The actors are focused, in their own world, still refining the final details. The stage lighting is set, the set is in place, but the energy of a live audience hasn't yet arrived. It's a stripped-back, almost documentary recording that reveals the company's work in all its truth.

The public performance brings an entirely different energy. The Gradignan audience turned out in force, and that presence is palpable in the actors' performances — lines land differently, silences carry more weight. The evening recording is alive and breathing, carried by the unique alchemy between artists and their public. Together, these two films form a complete and invaluable video archive for Les Gravissimes.

Live performance videographer in Bordeaux, Gradignan and across Gironde

The Gironde has a rich and vibrant cultural scene that often goes undocumented: amateur and semi-professional theatre companies in Gradignan, Pessac, Talence, Mérignac, Bègles and Bordeaux, dance companies, circus troupes, choirs, orchestras and bands — all deserving the same careful documentation as professional productions.

Based in Bordeaux, I work with companies, arts associations and cultural organisations across the entire metropolitan area and beyond. Whether you rehearse in a community hall in Villenave-d'Ornon, perform at the Théâtre Molière in Bordeaux, or take part in a festival across Nouvelle-Aquitaine, I travel with a complete and adaptable setup suited to any venue configuration.

Got a show coming up and want to preserve it properly? Get in touch to talk through your video recording project. Personalised quote within 48 hours.