What is more important, story or character?

Hmmm, that’s a little like asking which is more important - my left leg or my right leg.



What made you first want to explore the subject?

I got an email out of the blue from Matt VanDyke, a young American who told me he had gone on a 35,000 mile motorcycle journey through Northern Africa and the Middle East which had culminated with him joining the rebels in Libya fighting Gaddafi. He said he had footage of the adventure and thought it would make an interesting documentary, and after I spent a few hours with him, I agreed. It was a dramatic exciting story but also a fascinating exploration of the way we become adults, the way we define “manhood”, and the way we use cameras to capture and craft our self-images.



How long did it take to get the film off the ground?

When Matt VanDyke first contacted me I told him that I only worked on documentaries where I had complete creative control and independence. Once he agreed to that I began preparations and a month or two later did the interview that makes up the spine of the movie. I was editing while I was raising money, and in all it took about two years to shoot, fund raise, and edit the film.



What were you most surprised to learn in the course of production?

This film is chock-full of drama and surprises, so it’s hard to pick a single moment that surprised me most. One of the biggest challenges was boiling down all of those moments and structuring them into a single coherent movie. In one section, for example, I had to take around 40 hours of footage that included mortar fire in Afghanistan, a police officer punching out my main character, a mob rioting in Iraq, and a wild dog attack - each of which could have been the climax of a normal documentary - and compress it into a 60 second music montage.



What have been the differences in reception to the film in countries it has now travelled to?

People seem universally to find the film provocative and entertaining. It has been interesting to see how differently audiences see the main character. Some people see him as a reckless thrill-seeker, while others see him as noble and selfless. It has been amazing that people could see the same person in the same movie and react with such strong - diametrically opposed - feelings.



Which documentary has most inspired you?

The film that inspired me most to make documentaries is probably Sherman’s March. The one that inspired me most as a person is probably The Times of Harvey Milk.



Favourite Website/blog?

Theonion.com



Who is the person you’d most like to interview, living or dead?

Martin Luther King Jr. He has been turned into a sort of mushy Santa Claus character, but was actually much tougher, smarter, and more complex than that.



Best piece of filmmaking advice you’ve ever been given?

The best way to learn to shoot is to get a camera and go out and shoot. The best way to learn to edit is to sit in a room by yourself for months and months and try to edit something.



Best piece of filmmaking equipment you can’t live without?

I would have said Final Cut Pro editing software, but Apple seems to be phasing that out as a professional product so I’m afraid I’m going to have to learn to live without it soon. So I’ll say small wireless lavalier microphones. They enable you to step back from the people you are filming and let them be more comfortable and genuine.



If money was no object, what is your dream documentary subject?

I’d love to make a real behind-the-scenes film about the Rolling Stones - a sort of follow up to Gimme Shelter.



Favourite film of all time?

Pulp Fiction.



Best recent read?

I just re-read The Great Gatsby last week and was reminded of how timeless those characters are.

