I think what you’re saying is you want to filter the entire track at the beginning. If that were the case with the example you gave, you could put that filter on an insert on the master track and automate it.
However, in the example you cite, everything is filtered except the vocals, so putting a filter on the master will apply the filter to the vocals as well. You probably don’t want that.
The solution for getting the sound in the example is to send every track except vocals through a group track (by setting the outputs, not the sends), then put the filter as an insert on the group and automate that.