Filmmaker Mat de Koning discusses Hank Marvin documentary

The Hank Marvin Documentary is a new film delving into the influence of The Shads’ lead guitarist. Led by his son, Ben Marvin, the celebration is directed by Mat de Koning. Here we meet the young Australian filmmaker to find out more:

When and how did you get into documentary making?

The first feature length music documentary I made was Meal Tickets, which is essentially the story of a band who come close to ‘making it’ but never quite get there. The film looks at a group of best friends – people I grew up with – and the ups and downs that come with being in a band on their first world tour. It was a beautiful experience.

I never set out to make a documentary… I was simply filming the rise of my friends’ band. Growing up as a skateboarder, I always had a camera in my hands to make skate videos, so capturing the world around me became a very natural thing to do. So you could say I was in the right place at the right time.

After a while of filming my friends, it became apparent there was a story there. So the film essentially revealed itself, and I just chiseled away the marble around it. People reacted very positively to it. There are thousands of music documentaries out there that focus on the bands that make it big, but they only represent 0.01% of real bands. Most bands – in spite of their talent, ambition and circumstance – never become that success story.

The Shadows are the opposite of that, of course. Not only are they in the 0.01%, they are music legends whose impact changed the world. I think making Meal Tickets has definitely given me a unique perspective from which to make the Hank documentary, for this very reason.

What did you know about Hank Marvin and The Shadows before going into the project?

Before meeting Hank, I knew the music of The Shadows but not the depth of their story. I knew their place in music history, but not the intricacies of how they got there. Growing up I was a fan of The Shadows, but that mostly came from pop culture references like The Young Ones. The band’s career was 25 years deep by the time I was born.

Perth is a very small city by world standards. When someone as globally famous as Hank Marvin lives here, everyone knows about it. It’s very common for people to see Hank on the street. People here love him.

Everyone working on this film is a massive fan. That’s why they’re here. As a result, not only have I been exposed to practically every song, every television appearance, every interview, and many fan anecdotes… I am also surrounded by people for whom The Shadows are deeply interwoven with their own life and memories.

Can you give us a snapshot of what the documentary is about?

This documentary juxtaposes two core themes, which are the two sides to Hank Marvin: Hank in, and outside of, the spotlight. The first theme is the incalculable influence that Hank has had as a guitar player. We speak to the roll call of music legends he has inspired, and get the full picture on just how profoundly Hank changed the world of music.

The second theme is Hank Marvin the man. Much of this comes down to Hank Marvin the guitar god, of course, but unlike a music documentary that focuses solely on the subject’s career, this film is more about his soul. Who is Hank Marvin the father? Who is Hank Marvin the husband? Who is Hank Marvin the human being?

So we are speaking not only to a who’s who of guitar icons (all of whom instantly revert to being giddy fans when speaking of Hank) but also to the people who know Hank the most intimately: his family and friends. In particular his son Ben, who is the film’s narrator. No one is more qualified to peel back the curtain than Ben. He provides the rarest insights possible; personally as well as professionally.

This is definitely a film for the fans, so there will be non-stop music and first-hand accounts of Hank’s career, but we are showing something no one has ever been privy to before: Hank Marvin in his private life. Both Hank and Ben have given us unprecedented access.

We can’t wait for fans to see this film. We know they are going to love how humble, kind and genuine this man truly is.

Who have you spoken to during the making of this documentary?

So far, the majority of filming has been focused on Hank in his own words. We have filmed many hours of Hank in his studio, at home, and with his family. We hadn’t planned to do it this way; our schedule was just affected by the pandemic, same as everyone else’s.

Now that travel is possible again, we plan to undertake the adventure of globetrotting to interview the guitar gods and rock icons that revere Hank. Without giving too much away, we’ve already interviewed Brian May, Graham Gouldman, Ben Elton, Robin Nolan & Tommy Emmanuel on camera… but that’s just scratching the surface.

What insight have you learned through the making of the film – is there anything that surprised or interested you?

Even though we know the events of Hank’s career, to hear his personal perspective on them is far more revealing. And even though we know how deeply Hank’s influence runs, to hear the fine detail of the ‘how’ and ‘why’ from the mouths of other music legends adds such depth.

The fans all know how wonderful Hank is, and how important his music has been – so that part won’t come as a surprise – but we are giving fans the opportunity to hear from the man himself, up close and personal, as well as his friends, family, and peers.

You’ve developed a close and trusted friendship with Hank – what is he like as a person?

Hank is an exceptional human being. In spite of being one of the most important guitar players who has ever lived, he shows no signs of being affected by his fame. He is humble, witty, and charming. Honestly, he is exactly how fans want him to be. You know that saying ‘never meet your heroes’? That doesn’t apply to Hank.

My friendship with Hank developed outside of any fandom. I am friends with the man, not the legend. That’s how he treats people. He’s never better-than. He doesn’t talk down, and he doesn’t flex. Fame seems to matter very little to him, as does flattery. Many of his friends are bona fide rock royalty, yet he never name-drops, though he does tell some amazing stories! He’s just a great guy.

Knowing Hank as a friend has given his music so much more context and depth. I feel it in a way I couldn’t have before. I’ve always been a fan, but now I am something else entirely. I don’t quite know how to put it into words. That’s why I am so excited to share this film with Hank fans. I want them to enjoy this feeling as much as I do.

How utterly essential were Hank and The Shadows to rock’n’roll and what do you believe is The Shadows’ legacy?

When you look at the musicians that Hank has influenced – McCartney, Harrison, Gilmour, Page, Beck, Knopfler, Townshend, Iommi, May, Clapton, Kevin Parker and so on – for The Shadows to be forgotten would require half of rock’n’roll to disappear overnight. Hank and The Shadows are utterly essential to rock’n’roll. Pivotal and indisposable.

Artists come in and out of public consciousness, of course, but great music lives forever. Even when things lay dormant, they are never gone. All it takes is for one moment to wake the sleeping bear. Just look at how Pulp Fiction single-handedly re-introduced Dick Dale to the world. Or how Stranger Things exposed an entire generation of kids to Kate Bush. Nothing is gone forever, as long as it is good.

My personal favourite Shadows track is The Savage. It’s the song I’ve listened to the most while editing his soon to be released Live in Northampton 2002 Official Bootleg DVD. I keep going back to it. Watching Hank play it live is just incredible. He looks so cool when he plays it. It’s very aptly-titled. Such a biting and powerful track. I just love it!

What can you say about the loyalty of Cliff Richard and the Shadows fans?

Oh man… one of the most fun things about this Hank Marvin documentary is speaking to the fans. They are so passionate and loyal that they are one of the very pillars of his career. From Hank impersonators fronting tribute bands, to amateur rock archivists who have decades’ worth of clippings and footage; the scale of fandom is immeasurable.

The best thing is that this film is far from being finished, and we want to hear from fans around the world. We have a constant call-out to fans who want to be involved in this film. Anyone who wants to share their stories can visit our website and get in touch. Everyone is welcome.

What do you hope fans will get from the finished film and what can they expect?

This is the film that Hank fans have been demanding. It examines his career and his music in depth – as it should – but it gives fans access to the man himself, in his own words and through the stories of people who know him best. Hank is a private person, but this film finds him at his most revealing and intimate.

Beyond that, fans can expect in-depth interviews with some of the most important musicians in rock’n’roll history; a treasure trove of incredible archival footage collated over decades, and; most importantly, some of the greatest music ever written.

We really are doing this for the fans. Our plan is to make as much of the raw interview footage available as possible once the film is out there. We want to honour Hank Marvin and reward his fans. The unprecedented access we have been given will not go to waste, we promise.

How far are you from completing the documentary?

We can’t give an exact date just yet as it’s still early days. Thus far this has mostly been a self funded passion project, with some assistance from the West Australian Government for development and many hours of behind the scenes footage I filmed during the making of Hank’s last album, supported by Demon Music Group. So while we have some runs on the board, I’d say we are now in the business side of the film, with the producers looking at funding and distribution avenues so we can make this film the way it needs to be told… Rich in archive, featuring the people that have been profoundly impacted by Hank, with the songs that are so integral to Hank’s story.

We also want to create a platform where the fans can become involved in shaping the film, so we have just now set up a mailing list on the website through which we will be giving updates, doing callouts for any content people would like to contribute, and dropping the odd bit of juicy footage here and there to tide everyone over! Everyone is welcome.

For further information and to get involved, click here

Feature image caption: Director Matt De Koning (left) with Hank and documentary writer Mike Wafer (credit Daniel Tenakov)

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