Demi Lovato & Jonas Brothers Videographer Says They're Just 'Normal Families'

By Maggie Coughlan Posted Jun 23rd 2010 01:07PM

For the past two years, Elise Abdalla has been living a rock 'n' roll fantasy. As a videographer, Elise has traveled the world with musicians like Demi Lovato, Jonas Brothers, Jordin Sparks, Honor Society and Wonder Girls, capturing every aspect of their lives on tour.

"Despite all the craziness of touring and constantly being surrounded by press and fans, they were all extremely humble and treated everyone in the crew as if we were all one big family," Elise says of her relationship with the young stars.

With the recent launch of Cambio.com, a site dedicated to giving teens and young adults an all-access pass to stars like Lovato and the Jonas Brothers, Elise sat down with PopEater to share what it's like to experience life on tour alongside some of today's biggest names.

You work with so many huge names. Is everyone always open to being constantly filmed?
Part of my job is to be sensitive to the artists' privacy. When they are already constantly being photographed, filmed and put under so much pressure, sometimes the last thing they want is to have another person backstage filming what they do. I've been really fortunate to work with artists that are so accommodating and open.

That sounds amazing, but it must be nearly impossible to film someone around the clock.
I always make it clear from the beginning that I am there for [the artist] and not going to film anything they are not comfortable with. After spending more time with an artist, it is easier to read them and get a sense of when they want time to themselves. I never enter a dressing room, family room or catering with a camera unless asked, since these are the places where their privacy is of the utmost importance. Overall, you just have to have mutual respect and an open line of communication and trust.

Demi Lovato and Jonas Brothers have some pretty die-hard fans.
I have seen and filmed fans doing some pretty ridiculous things! When I was in South America with Demi Lovato, we were mobbed at every airport, hotel and venue. Outside the airport in Santiago, there were no barricades between the fans and us, so we all had to push through the crowd to get into our van. I kept the camera rolling the entire time!

Wow, now those are dedicated fans!
When I see fans crying and hysterical it can sometimes be a little scary, but it also makes for some amazing footage. In Sao Paulo, the fan hysteria at the venue was so extreme I had to bring security with me. The fans were trying to climb over the walls and surrounding me from all sides, but that can also be an exciting part of the job. In Rio, a mom came up to me crying and begging for my backstage pass for her daughter and even tried to grab it off of my neck! I've also been in cars where fans surrounded us and were banging on the windows. It's crazy when you wake up at a hotel and hear fans chanting outside. They will wait overnight just to see their idol -- for even just a glimpse!

Being so successful at such a young age can't be easy. What surprised you most about living and working alongside so many stars?
I was surprised how welcoming and personable the families of the artists I've worked for are. Despite all the craziness of touring and constantly being surrounded by press and fans, they were all extremely humble and treated everyone in the crew as if we were all one big family. To be standing next to a parent during their son or daughter's show is a priceless moment because you can see just how proud they are. Its also so endearing to see an artist come off stage and be greeted with hugs and praise from their family. At the end of the day, they are just normal families.

Follow Demi Lovato to Chile as she helps the Red Cross care for the children of Chile after the devastating earthquake in the video below! To see more of Elise's work, visit Cambio.com.