Today’s creative was a winner at the WA Screen Awards held earlier this week, and we think it was very well deserved. Kelrick Martin’s Prison Songs is an illuminating documentary about life in Darwin’s Berrimah Prison, and the stories of the inmates themselves. Today we hear from Kelrick about his work and the doco.
Official job title: Filmmaker.
Tell us about your career background and how you’ve come to where you are now:
I started out in community radio in Broome back in 1995 as a trainee broadcaster for Radio Goolarri. After a few years an opportunity came up to produce a radio program for ABC Radio National in Sydney, which I jumped on! The journey from a little place like Broome to the big smoke of Sydney was one of many contrasts I can assure you! Following the radio job, another opportunity came for a presenter role on ABC TV. I went for it and was successful. As you can tell, my career has been a combination of good fortune and a never-say-die attitude. A few years later I moved on from ABC TV to AFTRS to formalise my industry experience, freelanced for many years, became a Commissioning Editor at NITV before starting our own production company Spear Point Productions with my wife Tina. It’s been a great experience and one I would never trade.
What is the best thing about your job?
The best thing for me is the moment when you screen a film that started out so long ago as a “kind of” idea that underwent the often painful and challenging journey through development, funding, and production. Seeing people react in ways you expect, and don’t expect, is so much fun and nerve-wracking at the same time. People will always come up to you and say how much they enjoy watching something you made a long time ago – it’s a very proud moment.
Prison Songs was a really strong documentary, and really different with the use of song. Where did the idea to make it this way come from?
Using a musical style and applying it to doco isn’t new, and we were really blessed to have one of the pioneers of the format working with us on Prison Songs. Based in the UK, Brian Hill had made a number of musical docos in the past, and was invaluable in navigating us around the traps and pitfalls he had already faced many times before. His presence was humbling, but he is pretty down-to-earth, which I really like. It’s not often you get to work side-by-side with your filmmaking idols.
Film still from Prison Songs.
Was it easy to get the prisoners on board for the singing doco?
Thankfully the prison we filmed in already had a musical program inside, so we used that as a starting point for our research and auditions. These guys were okay with performing musically. The biggest challenge was asking them to open up about their lives and the raw experiences that led them to this place. It’s something that takes a lot of time and negotiation on our part as filmmakers.
Although the subject matter was pretty raw and deep, making Prison Songs looked like it would have been quite fun at times!
Fun? Film can create wonderful illusions I guess! To be honest, although the film was very tough to make, we had a great crew who all respected the opportunity we had in accessing such a rarely seen place. And there’s no denying that filming the sequences with the female inmates was incredibly funny at times. They really threw themselves into the performances, without a doubt!
For those that missed it when it was on television, is there anywhere they can view it now?
At this stage it isn’t available anywhere, but we hope SBS will screen it again very soon!
Film still from Prison Songs.
What are you currently working on?
At the moment I’m the Indigenous Manager at ScreenWest, and a lot of what I do is about giving back to the filmmaking and Indigenous community. I’ve developed a lot of networks and experience over the years, and being able to share that with others who are pursuing a career in film and TV is awesome.
What has been your proudest achievement?
Is it too clichéd to say my children? Of course not! I have four boys, and each one has given me nothing but joy. I just hope they have the good sense to get a job that earns a decent living and not follow me down the path of filmmaking! But if they did, I would secretly be very proud.
Which local artists/musicians/creatives do you admire?
I’m a huge fan of local film directors Ben Young and Russell Vines, who always challenge themselves in their craft – and are also really nice guys! And Indigenous filmmaker Tyson Mowarin who is based in Roebourne is a staunch creative who loves his community and devotes his entire career to maintaining it’s unique culture and language – you have to respect a bloke like that.
What do you love about Perth?
I spent ten years in Sydney, but I didn’t appreciate Perth until I came back in 2007. The clean air, the beaches, the easy-going people and those stinking hot summers – nowhere else in the world can you get that. It’s awesome.
What does WA need?
I think what we need is to hang on to what we have – to treasure the unique lifestyle WA has and ensure we do everything we can to both nurture it and share it with others.
What must we do if we visit your hometown of Broome?
I don’t get back home as much as I would like – maybe once or twice a year. When I do, I always head to the Wharf Restaurant at the end of Port Drive, and order the chilli crab. I come away covered in chilli sauce and smell like seafood for a few days afterward, but I love it! Kelrick