Rock n Roll Nerd

They say in show business, success is all about who you know and being in the right place at the right time. The same can be true for documentary. When Rhian Skirving started making a film about her friend Tim, a struggling cabaret performer, she probably thought she was making a simple character piece, not a rise to fame story in the vein of a classic rock biopic.

When Tim Minchin finally did break onto the world comedy scene, with his eccentric appearance, like a caricature of a rock god, and his irreverent musical comedy, he took off like wildfire. And Rhian Skirving happened to be there with a camera recording him, from his first decision to change his image in what comes across as almost a last ditch attempt to get recognised, through his uncertain early tours to his current sell-out success. Now that's timing.

>> Speaking of timing, mine was totally off last night. The movie was at 9.30 and I was finished everything I had to do by 6. Going home and back in would have been crowded but three hours in Melbourne city on a rainy evening with no money seems very very long. I spent most of it wondering how chestnut selling could possibly be a viable industry, as I have never seen or heard of anyone buying them. <<

You've probably seen a zillion biopics about how musicians made it big. The difference with Rock n Roll Nerd is that it follows Tim's rise in fortunes as it happens, not in retrospect. This gives the story an immediacy and insight that is usually lacking in zero to hero stories. Even the most well crafted artist biopic is tinged with the knowledge of the successful artist's public persona. This film, having been started before Tim's public persona really existed, and shot by someone who had known him for years before he was anything like famous, breaks through that barrier. It's funny, of course, because it's got Tim Minchin in it, but it's also remarkably touching, as well as giving an inside view of the back end of the comedy business. All in all, a rocking film.

>> Timing timing timing, I thought as I was heading home. Like if I started filming one of my artist friends now perhaps and then they... but my own personal timing was still way off. As I was going to sit down on the tram, half way seated in fact, a wiry little man nipped in and sat in the seat my bum was aiming for. I was left in the awkward position of having to straighten back up and find another seat. He had as much right to the seat as anyone I guess, and I wasn't 100% in it, but still it was odd. <<