Rock n Roll Nerd Director on Her New Doco
Rhian Skirving on Filming Comedian Tim Minchin
Nov 26, 2008
Despite their strong friendship and many high points in the story Skirving said she was surprised to discover the whole filming process wasn’t easy as she originally thought.
Unexpected Challenges:
“I thought it would be easy to make a film about a friend because you’ve already established that relationship and the trust is there but then there were other complications from that,” she said.
“When you are filming your friend having a wonderful time and success happening every single day and everything being amazing, that’s easy - you just film and are sharing in all the fun.
“But then when things get tough or when he’s stressed or upset, or you know crying, then its much more difficult to keep filming when really you just want to put the camera down and have a hug.”
Onwards:
Now, three years on from its inception, the film has debuted at the 2008 Melbourne film festival and has opened nationwide but has this film has change things for her?
“Well … I suppose, I just did the film festival in Melbourne and the film festival was fantastic because it was packed venue with 600/700 people and a couple of sold out shows,” she muses thoughtfully.
“It’s a feel good story most people enjoy it but its hard to know how this is going to affect my career.”
Pausing thoughtfully she concludes, “sadly, I don’t think this film is going to change things for me.”
This final realisation makes Skirving laugh good naturedly, like you do when you are surprised by any number of life’s little ironies.
“You hope that it makes it a little bit easier the next time you want to do something if your previous film has been enjoyed, but it never becomes easy, even for the very successful artists and film makers in Australia,” she says.
“There isn’t really an industry here or at least, its not a healthy industry and only a very small portion of people put up with what you have to put up with to try and make a living. “
Saying that, Skirving admits she has had a very lucky career which includes television projects and a number of ship wreck, archaeology, history and wildlife films.
Incredibly during her filming of Rock n Roll Nerd Skirving managed to make another film, a science documentary called The Kindness of Strangers which was filmed in Sri Lanka after the Tsunami and won her the prestigious Eureka Science award.
“It’s a film about the science of altruism and compassion and why we help some people and not other people,” she said.
And Upwards:
And what of the out of work comedian whose profile she helped raise? Now famous and touring the world, Skirving says she is still in close contact with her friend.
“We talk everyday by email, text, phone calls but life’s great for them now over there,” she enthuses.
“Tim’s just getting better and better and he has a much higher profile in England than here and is getting to work with good people and getting to do what he does best - its fantastic! “
And Skirving? The Melbourne based film maker says she hopes she will make another film.
“I have lots of idea’s and special interests,” she admits.
“There’s a lot of themes that I am interested in but its always about the story and you can’t run with an idea until the story reveals itself, or gives you a clue that there’s going to be a story that’s going to develop within the theme you are interested in.
“But I am always looking….”
Read the first part of this interview by clicking here:
biographical-documentaries.suite101.com/article.cfm/interview_with_oz_director_rhian_skirving
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