It’s 2011 and 25 plan to write, record then release a fresh song every two weeks of the year. 25 are two unknown, indie songwriters in a bare bones studio in the industrial West of Melbourne - Australia’s music capital. This is not reality TV, it’s not a competition, it’s real musicians doing their own thing. And we’ve had to wait five years to see the result!

Interview with Director/Producer Fiona Cochrane

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

25 TRACKS is a documentary that I was approached to make by the two musicians who are featured in it, Nick and Cath, one of whom I knew from filming with them on a previous documentary. They were setting up a song-writing experiment for themselves and I was to document them (along with the cinematographer) and see what happened. Unfortunately they ran out of money after 6 months or so and had to stop their original plan. They still continued working together however and I went back and filmed a follow-up with them a couple of years later because I found them both engaging as characters and also great musicians. I wanted to see if we could make a documentary out of what we had filmed.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

I think the film would be of interest to anyone who is engaged in making popular music, or interested in popular music from the 1960s on (many of their references are to 1960s music rather than more contemporary music). I would hope that a more general audience would also find the film engaging because the music is enjoyable and Nick & Cath are both interesting and funny, constantly sending each other up.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

There is a lot of discussion in the documentary about making music and being a working musician, which is their personal passion and also a theme they share with musicians around the world.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

There was never a proper script for the documentary; it was semi-observational film-making with shortcuts, and the structure was decided in post-production (between myself and the editor).

What type of feedback have you received so far?

The film has just started to be screened at festivals overseas, mainly in the USA, and is having its first festival screening in Australia at the Melbourne Documentary Film Festival in July. It seems to have been well-received from the reports I have had.

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

To let Melbourne audiences know about it if they are interested in attending the Melbourne Documentary Film Festival, or following up and seeing the film elsewhere later. And to assist Nick and Cath in their music careers.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

Sales agents, distributors & film festival directors would all be great, and good reviews by journalists would be appreciated.

Enhancing Nick and Cath's musical careers would be really fabulous.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

A positive one.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

How hard is it to be a working musician in Melbourne or anywhere else?

Would you like to add anything else?

Read the synopsis (and check out the trailer) as they will give you a pretty good idea of the doco and whether you’re interested in seeing it.

What are the key creatives developing or working on now?

I’m working on a few possible films; Nick and Cath are still meeting regularly and writing their own music.

Interview: May 2017

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We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series and music video. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela

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25 TRACKS

Length: 52 minutes

Director: Fiona Cochrane

Producer: Fiona Cochrane

Writer: Written in post-production

Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists):

Film festivals, distribution

Website www f-reel.com

Where can I see it in the next month? Melbourne Documentary Film Festival on Sat 15th July at 6.30 PM

a 52 minute musical documentary; completed September 2016

Synopsis:

It’s 2011 and 25 plan to write, record then release a fresh song every two weeks of the year.

25 are two unknown, indie songwriters in a bare bones studio in the industrial West of Melbourne - Australia’s music capital. They have a studio set-up which is a piece of Melbourne history - a 1957 train carriage, lovingly restored, fitted out with a Tiki Bar and parked in the Newport Workshop, surrounded by the history of Victoria’s railways.

Cath Sheahan is a Melbourne songwriter musician who plays bass.

Nick Larkins is a Melbourne indie veteran, from bands including Wild Pumpkins At Midnight, Dan Rumour & The Drift (Cruel Sea), and Monique Brumby.

Cath loves pop, Nick loves garage rock. She wants jazz flute, he wants a dirty guitar. Is this ever going to work, are they totally deluded, is it an impossible goal? Will anyone even care or notice in the century of information and product overload? This is not reality TV, it’s not a competition, it’s real musicians doing their own thing. And we’ve had to wait five years to see the result!

25 TRACKS celebrates the community of Melbourne independent musicians, and features many different singers, some of whom are known, and a lot more who should be.

AWARDS/ SCREENINGS:

Best Music Documentary at 2017 Star Doc Film Festival (USA)

Gold Remi Award Winner at 2017 WorldFest-Houston (USA)

Silver Lei Winner in Documentary Feature at 2017 Honolulu Film Awards

Award of Merit at 2016 IndieFEST Film Awards (USA)

Award of Outstanding Excellence: Loose Shorts,

Award of Outstanding Excellence: Sound,

& Award of Outstanding Excellence: Message delivery

at 2016 WRPN.TV Short, Tight and Loose Global Film Festival Competition (USA)

Finalist at 2016 Amarcord Arthouse TV & Video Fest (USA)

Official Selection at 2017 Melbourne Documentary Film Festival (Australia )

Official Selection at 2017 Colortape International Film Festival (Australia)

Official Selection at 2017 Film Fest 52 (USA)

Official Selection at 2017 New Haven International Film Festival (USA)

Official Selection at 2017 Riverside International Film Festival (USA)

Official Selection at 2017 Maryland International Film Festival (USA)

Official Selection at 2017 SENE Film, Music & Arts Festival, Rhode Island(USA)

Official Selection at 2017 New Hope Film Festival (USA)

Official Selection at 2017 Vero Beach Wine & Film Festival (USA)

Official Selection at 2017 StarDoc International Documentary Festival (USA)

Official Selection at 2017 World Music & Independent Film Festival (USA)

Official Selection at 2017 Worker’s Unite Film Festival, New York (USA)

Official Selection at 2017 GardenCity International Film Festival (India)

Official Selection at 2017 ReelHeART International Film Festival (Canada)

producer/director – Fiona Cochrane

cinematographer – Zbigniew Friedrich

editor – Sioux Currie