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Rock documentary Meal Tickets was ten years in the making. Director Mat de Koning tells the story of best friends, a roadie who wanted to be a rock star, in a cautionary tale of life in the world of modern day rock’n’roll. The film has gone on to win Best Australian Documentary and Best Emerging Director at the Melbourne Documentary Film Festival, and has scored a host of other accolades and prestigious event selections. With such iconic films such as Spinal Tap and Wayne’s World telling the satirical story of rock’n’roll, how did you want your documentary to sit? I wanted a balance of ‘real-life satire’ and true-blue heartfelt moments. My mantra making this film was ‘Spinal Tap meets Stand by Me’. I wanted this to feel more like the 90s films I grew up watching such as Empire Records, Clerks, Basket Ball Diaries then a factual documentary. Tony Wilson once said, ‘All movies made about music are shite’. I was blessed with Meal Tickets because if it were a scripted film, I don’t think I could have cast better characters than the people I was fortunate enough to film in this documentary. Lee, Ben, Dave – these guys are funny fellas on a daily basis, so by rolling the camera, I caught comedy gold. Does filmmaking destroy the ethos of what it means to have rock’n’roll cool? Is there a fine line between ‘cool’ and ‘wanker’? How did you portray this in your film? Dave Kavanagh had impeccable taste in cars, film, art, music. He brought this pop-culture sensibility to his approach in managing the Screwtop Detonators. Given his success with the Libertines, we were all pretty open to adhering to his advice. But through time, Dave started contradicting himself to keep up with what was marketable, indecision clouding his vision, and the band stated questioning his judgment. Dave wanted them to present themselves as rock stars the whole way though, which was easy to do on tour in the US, but when the band returned to hometown Perth, playing to the same crowds, they started to feel like wankers, quiffing their hair and wearing leather jackets all the time. As Pip said in the second act, ‘There is no guide book to rock’n’roll’. How did the friendships in the film develop over the 10 years? When we were in our early 20s life was easygoing and friendships were free
flowing. But when you hit the other side of 25, life gets a little more serious. The reality that we’d all been putting financial stability on the line for careers in film and music became more real, and when you feel your friends aren’t pulling their weight, it weighs you down. That’s when you’re faced with finding the right approach to confront your friends about your feelings. This is where some of the friendships faltered. You must have had an enormous amount of footage to choose from. How did you choose a story arc to hang your doco narrative on? Did the change in the way the industry works over that decade help inform how you told the story? I found a pretty clear-cut three-act story within the 400-plus hours of footage. Act one USA or Bust was when the Screwtop Detonators had a manager, getting taken on this wild ride across America, followed by the hard-hitting reality of suburban life when they got back to Perth. When it all went sour with management, the second act kicked in, DIY or DIE. This covered the years that the Screwtop Detonators were slugging it out as a self-managed band. Act three A Band Apart looked at the years when the band had called it a day and they all had to figure out what was next in life. Throughout the story, I found it important to introduce the new technologies that had become available to musicians as a way of promoting bands, starting with MySpace then YouTube and Facebook, all of which the Screwtop Detonators had very little interest in.
What were the stories you told in Meal Tickets? The story of a manager with a vision for a young band, and a young band who weren’t prepared to take on board the manager’s vision for fear of compromising their integrity. Of a group of best friends who started carefree in a band, but through time had to face the sacrifices of making it in the music industry, and whether or not they had it in them. Of a music industry that lost its feet as illegal downloading took down the record labels and bands had to start self-promoting though this new social-media craze. Of a roadie who turned to re-invention as a means of realising his vision for himself as the frontman of a band, and of a group of best friends from WA who dedicated their 20s to having a right crack at making it in the mad world of rock’n’roll, having a hell of a lot of fun along the way, learning many life lessons. How did your friends respond to the finished product? Did you have to lose footage to save friendships?
Some of them had hesitations in backing the film when we premiered at MIFF (Melbourne International Film Festival), but after the response we had at Revelation, everyone is pretty proud of the film. From MIFF to Revelation, I did lose a few moments, partly for the mental sanity of my friends, and also because it’s a different time we’re living in. I had someone give me a pretty strong talking to after the MIFF screening about a scene involving a groupie that I was unsure about How important is it, do you think, in keeping in the film. She said, ‘There’s a documentary to just get in behind no denying it’s as funny as hell, but the camera and let things roll? Does what kind of message are you putting the long time of filming mean you out to the world by leaving it in your get more candid natural footage than film?’ That scene is now on the cuttingquickly shot – we need to get this in room floor. the can kind of stuff? Have you been surprised by how well That’s certainly one of the strengths this has been received? of this film: so much of it was I spent years listening to people say observational. In fact within the first I was crazy spending so much of my hundred hours of footage, I had only filmed one interview. I did ask questions life filming two bands that were pretty here and there but they were the same much unknown, so to read the response from the critics who have picked up on questions I would have been asking the social and cultural relevance of Meal without a camera in my hand. In the later years when Dave had left the Tickets has been hugely satisfying. picture, I had to establish my presence Did you know that you had something a as a filmmaker and start seeking the bit special when you were shooting, or responses I was after. I feel this is when did that happen in the edit selection? the audience properly get to know the guys in the band.
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ARIES: Current cosmic chemistry could have you feeling stuck or stagnant, restless and impatient for a shakeup. If others seem slow or stubborn, distracting or demanding, you may make better progress flying solo this week. No need to persuade or insist – just access your own confident inner authority and personal code of conduct.
LIBRA: This week’s balancing act is between togetherness (your forte) and independent action (your challenge) concerning changing something that’s no longer viable. As exciting newbies with valuable advice enter your orbit, livewire Mercury and alluring Neptune can blur the fine line between inviting and complicated – which calls for intuition and shrewd manoeuvring on your part.
TAURUS: Goals, ambitions and aspirations are likely to reignite this week, with community-minded Venus stressing the necessity for teamwork. But keep in mind that quote about the definition of insanity: expecting a different result from continuing to do the same thing. If tried and true methods aren’t working, it’s time for a new approach.
SCORPIO: Living The Dream is pretty much your catchcry for the current year in Jupiter’s limelight, with February continuing a career upswing. Though if Mars starts causing discord in your money zone, or someone’s abrasive personality grates around midweek Scorpio moon, resist the sting. Try to express your best self.
GEMINI: Right now you could talk anyone, including yourself, into or out of anything. With long-distance learning on February’s menu, you might enrol in that online course or take off travelling. Others can be unexpectedly touchy this week so tread carefully, keep your friends. And what habit could you reframe into a more workable form for current conditions?
SAGITTARIUS: Venus in egalitarian Aquarius insists on recognising the rights of others as well as our own. This week offers opportunities to see people and situations in a broader, more inclusive perspective, possibly via feedback from one of your loyalists. If a preconception crumbles away, notice – then remember this lesson for next time around.
CANCER: If recent eyeopening insights have led to a parting of the ways, so be it. Even if not, resources still need sorting and reassessing, especially the financial kind. This can feel either angst-making or inspirational, affording surprises both stressful and enlightening – none of which cross pleasure off this week’s agenda.
CAPRICORN: Finding ways to work with people who won’t follow your lead can be challenging for the Capricorn born. But since relationships (from the word relating) form from the stories we tell about them, this week suggests taking a second look, having another discussion, considering a different script, an approach you haven’t tried – or wanted to.
LEO: Last week’s dramatic eclipse spotlighted course corrections for your immediate attention. Now Mars in your house of creative juice suggests using this illuminating info to identify where energy’s being wasted and how it could be better directed. With February’s emphasis on colleagues and competitors, cooperation, compromise and consideration are key.
AQUARUS: If you can manage it, equanimity is the best response to this week’s seesawing fluctuations. Fortunately, there’s a passing parade of resourceful, disciplined, industrious and practical lunar influences to assist. So make balance your word du jour: between busy and still, brainstorming and relaxation, work and play.
VIRGO: This anythinggoes Aquarian week isn’t interested in vicarious pleasures viewed from life’s sidelines. Its free spirit flirts with a diverse and impromptu smorgasbord. Sure, you love above all to be prepped and ready, so go ahead with planning and routine maintenance – but leave enough space for magic to happen.
PISCES: You’re more likely than most signs to understand how opposite things can be equally true. But if current paradoxical contradictions have you in a whirl, disengaging may be the most graceful way to handle this week’s frustrations. As in working behind the scenes, in peace and quiet, away from mainstage histrionics.
The Byron Shire Echo February 7, 2018 35