With the documentary Tickled set for a limited release tomorrow, The Iris’s David Hunter was lucky enough to get a one-on-one interview with New Zealand co-director and star of Tickled, David Farrier.
During out chat, we discuss the highs, the lows and the law suits for his new documentary. We touch on the differences between journalism and acting, and look at his amazing interest in Crytpozoology (the search and study of creatures not yet proven by science, such as Bigfoot.. this is an interest he shares with his Comedian mate Rhys Darby). We get to know David a little bit more, too, with his favourite TV shows, inspirations and why it really sucks to have a birthday on Christmas Day.
David seems to have so much energy and enthusiasm, even after a full day at the Melbourne International Film Festival.
I just wanted to say how amazing Tickled was. I don’t think many documentaries can be funny, weird, scary and gripping all at the same time. What was the scariest thing to have happened during the filming of Tickled?
I think there were a few moments early on when I had a private investigator outside my house and I was getting ‘Cease and Desist’ letters from lawyers in New York and Auckland where I lived and that seemed to happen all at once. That was quite scary.
By the time we were in the United States, trying to track certain people down for an interview, there were moments where we were trying to approach and talk to people that clearly had indicated they didn’t want to be in this film. To suddenly be approaching them on a cold street seemed fairly dicey as well.
With this kind of journalism you would need the mindset to take the positives with the negatives right?
Yes, totally. It’s been something quite different. I have been so used to doing stories where people are very happy to talk, but here was a company that was incredibly secretive and so that kind of changed the way we had to do things.
Have you continued to receive legal or verbal threats from the company?
The last thing I heard from them was more law suits being filed and since then we are kind of just on stand-by to see what happens next. The usual type of threats and bully tactics we have become used to.
You have come a long way, with seven years on news programs, podcasting, acting and now Tickled. What’s the biggest lesson you have learned and taken on board with your journalism throughout the course of your investigations with this film?
I think I’ve learned to really admire people and realise how much courage it takes to speak out sometimes. A big difficulty in this film was getting people to go on camera to talk about the experience they had with this company, a company with seemingly unlimited money and a really big pageant for suing people. It’s a big ask to get someone to talk on that when there could be repercussions. I have learned to respect people a lot more that do speak out on certain things. It is a really ballsy thing to do. I have personally learned a lot about corporations that want to keep things secretive and how to approach them.
Does it make you any prouder that the big TV Distributors HBO and Magnolia Pictures picked up Tickled?
I’m really happy and proud of the film and our whole team that made it. We were such a tight-nit team. We all bonded over this and a lot of us had worked together before.
I think we were aiming pretty high and we celebrated getting into Sundance (Film Festival) and then again when it got picked up at Sundance by the likes of HBO. It was super exciting! It’s one thing to make a film but you hope that people get to watch it and HBO and Magnolia have given us the opportunity for everyone to see it, especially with being released in cinemas.
The fact it’s coming out in Australian Cinemas on August 18th,, I’m super excited about it.
On another topic, what was it like working with NZ comedian Rhys Darby on Short Poppies? Was it a huge difference acting over being a journalist?
I met Rhys, while he was filming Flight of The Conchords, as a journalist. We got to talking and we both found out we had a common interest in Cryptozoology, which is the study of creatures such as Bigfoot and The Loch Ness Monster. We started a podcast together on the subject and while on that, Rhys had an idea for a show where he would play characters from this fictional New Zealand town and a journalist would spend a day with each of them. Rhys thought it would be funny if he cast a real journalist for the role, one that would be playing themselves. So yeah, it was great fun. I got to be in a show with one of my best friends.
The difference between journalism and acting for the show? There was a script and some of it was ad-lib, but I tried to treat it as just another interview with the different characters. What would I do in these situations? I had the easiest role on the show because I was basically just playing myself. It was just great to see how long-form TV worked. Going from my small little, self-contained stories to a big TV series set and seeing all the hard work that went into every part of the production was super encouraging. A totally different world.
Talking about TV and how much more involving it has become, I finished the awesome Stranger Things on Netflix and now I’m onto HBO’s The Night Of. With all this free time on your hands now, or lack of, do you have any favourite shows right now?
Stranger Things is one of the best bits of TV that’s come out in a long time. The story-telling is near perfect and the casting blows my mind. Everyone in the show has motivations that make sense. Also, what a cool bunch of kids! Just started Bloodlines season two and just got back into watching the comedy Peep Show. With the little time I have, I also love watching Would I Lie To You on YouTube. The smaller three minute clips are perfect with the time I have.
How about any favourite documentaries, possibly ones that have inspired you?
I am inspired by things like Serial and Making a Murderer. Just good, long form storytelling. Mainly encouraged how much audience there is for it. There is a lot of talk about attention spans being shorter and news programs needing to be quick and impactful, but when you have a story and you can tell that story well, and in an interesting form, of course there will be an audience for it.
From everyone you have interviewed (including one of my favourites Karl Pilkington) who has been your most memorable?
That is a tough one, I have to say, I have great memories of meeting Noel Gallagher. I was into Brit Pop as a kid, so definitely loved the band Oasis. Noel, is just one of those people that is just so entertaining and just has a great way with words. He has really cutting things to say about people. He is really self-aware. So definitely Noel Gallagher.
I also had a lot of fun with Russell Crowe. People give him so much shit for being a bit of a grump. But he just doesn’t take any bullshit. He just wants to have a decent conversation that isn’t boring. So yes, Russel Crowe has always been heaps of fun to talk to.
Not just big names as well. But I love talking to anyone with big passions. Such as this guy I met over in New Zealand, he loved music and has made this band of robots. These machines that are literally a Base Player, Drummer, Guitarist and a vocalist. They are all just made out of household items. They’re called ‘The Trons’ and they’re from Hamilton (New Zealand).
I know you love all things strange and mysterious, we talked about your love for Cryptozoology. What ever happened to your hunt with Rhys Darby for the famous Chupacabra?
We shot a lot of stuff for that already. Actually we were shooting a lot of it for a little TV Pilot idea we had. So I can’t tell you exactly what happened, but we definitely had some success over in Texas. The footage is there and we just have some editing going on. Hopefully it will see the light of day soon. I highly recommend hunting Chupacabra’s with Rhys Darby if you get a chance. It is extremely interesting.
On another topic now, does it suck having your Birthday on Christmas Day?
Big time! It’s the worst, honestly it’s the fucking worst. Everyone gives you one present, claiming it’s for both days. It’s just a normal sized present. As a kid it was terrible. Every birthday party no one turns up so close to Christmas. I like to think it was because of the date and not me.
We closed off with a bit of a laugh and talking more about my love of David’s new film. Definitely worth your time to go and see it when it hits cinemas. Check out our review of Tickled and then, head over HERE to go in the draw for a chance of a Double Pass.
Tickled hits selected Australian Cinemas tomorrow, August 18th
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