Andy Cronk is one half of production company
Lonely Goat, whose work includes a documentary for supergroup REM,
which featured on their recent DVD, Perfect Square.
1. Who are you?
Andy Cronk, co-director of the REM documentary, A Stirling Performance.
Born in Bromley, Kent on 8th September 1966.
2. How did you come to be involved with filming supergroup REM?
In the summer of 1999, I was due to make a film about a music festival with
my co-director Deborah Hogan. At the last minute our funding was pulled.
Rather than sit around getting angry, we decided to channel our energy into
another idea we'd had.
We had noticed REM's tour schedule included Stirling Castle and we couldn't
believe it. It was hardly the kind of place a band like that would normally
play. We thought it would be impossible for a town like Stirling to be
unaffected by REM's presence and we started to talk about how this would make a
great film, about how the B&Bs, pubs, shops and an historic site like Stirling
Castle would deal with it all.
We got carried away with the idea. Then we noticed there were only two weeks
to go to the concerts. It seemed an impossible time frame, but we felt we had
nothing to lose. There wasn't enough time to go through the normal channels so
we sent a short fax to REM's manager Bertis Downs at a venue they were playing,
outlining our idea. To our great astonishment, he called us back the next day
saying they wanted to be involved.
3. For this documentary, "A Stirling Performance", taken from the
Scottish leg of REM's 1999 "Up" tour, so-called because it was filmed at
Stirling Castle. What was it like to film at such a venue?
Because it's obviously not a regular venue, everything had to be constructed
from scratch and we followed the progress of that in the film. But it did mean
some very early mornings!
Also the nature of it's position means it's high up and exposed and that gave
us some sound problems. Being summer in Scotland, it was cold and rained a lot
and it's hard holding a camera still when your hands are wet! But it was a
great location and makes a perfect backdrop to the concert.
4. What was the most challenging aspect of working with a pop/rock
group like REM?
Probably our nerves at making our first film with one of the biggest bands in
the world! We placed a lot of pressure on ourselves. But REM were unbelievably
down to earth and easy to work with. We were really lucky.
5. Do you have a favourite REM track or album?
It changes all the time but I really like Drive. We got to use it in
the film too for the part when the stage is being constructed and I think it
works really well. It's very atmospheric.
6. Are there any other music bands you have worked with or would like
to work with?
We've got an idea we would love to do with The White Stripes.
7. What other high-profile performances have Lonely Goat either produced previously, or have in the pipeline?
We are developing a feature film and are about to shoot a short film that has
a strong music element to it.
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