Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles

Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles
Official release poster
Directed by	Robert Rodriguez Patrick Osborne
Based on	Happier Than Ever by Billie Eilish
Produced by	Michelle An Chelsea Dodson Juliet Tierney
Starring	Billie Eilish
Cinematography	Pablo Berron
Edited by	John Paul Guerrera Horstmann (sup.)
Animation by	Patrick Osborne
Production companies	Interscope Films Darkroom Productions Nexus Studios Aron Levine Productions Double R Productions
Distributed by	Disney+
Release date	September 3, 2021 (2021-09-03)
Running time	65 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles is a 2021 American concert film directed by Robert Rodriguez and Patrick Osborne, starring singer-songwriter Billie Eilish. It features performances of all 16 tracks from Eilish's second studio album, Happier Than Ever (2021), at the Hollywood Bowl amphitheater. She is accompanied by other musicians, including her brother Finneas O'Connell and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Inspired by films such as Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) and Cool World (1992), A Love Letter to Los Angeles blends live action and animation.

Besides directing, Osborne worked on the animation in collaboration with Nexus Studios, Zoic Studios, and Digital Frontier FX, mixing motion capture footage with rotoscoping techniques. Filming took place for one week in Los Angeles, mostly at the Hollywood Bowl, without a live audience due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The crew aimed to avoid making the performances feel too similar, so they produced distinct color palettes and lighting effects for every song. They often recorded Eilish from close distances, wanting to create a sense of intimacy between her and the viewers.

A Love Letter to Los Angeles was released exclusively to Disney+ on September 3, 2021. Critics praised its performances—which they felt were of similar or better quality compared to the songs' studio versions—as well as its animation, cinematography, and setting. It received nominations for Best Austin Film at the 2021 Austin Film Critics Association Awards, Best Music Film at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards, and Best Longform Video at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards.