Words Mimi LaMontagne
Bunyip Dreaming changed lives. It was a surfing journey through Australia like never before, and it highlighted a taboo topic (in 1990, at least) that needed to be discussed.
Now, it’s been nearly 25 years since the very first release of the movie, and its legendary creator, Jack McCoy, is doing an anniversary screening in October. We wanted to know how the filmmaker himself sees the movie now – how he thinks it impacted the world, and how it impacted himself?
When we called, Jack was standing on a stool in his backyard on a sunny day in Sydney.
At home with Mr McCoy, from the Encyclopedia of Surfing.
Hi Jack! Why are you standing on a stool?
Well, I have cameras set up on three other stools, and I’m trying to get some height to shoot a picture of this Australian Minor Bird that has built a nest in a tree out by my house. I’m taking pictures of the mother coming back and forth, feeding the two little baby birds. I’ve turned into a bit of a David Attenborough in my old age, I suppose! I’m really enjoying shooting with new cameras and doing new things, other than surfing.
Hmm. Well, it’s almost the 25th anniversary of Bunyip Dreaming. How does that feel?
It’s 25 years later, and it doesn’t seem like that. A lot of people have a lot of wonderful memories of Bunyip, which is very cool for me. I’m pretty honoured and stoked when a lot of people say it inspired them to do something different – like, Ronnie Blakey told me that it made him want to get out and travel; be different in his life. That’s my objective with all my movies, in some stage or another.
It’s pretty incredible that even 25 years later it still matters so much.
Yeah, people really love it – however there are a lot of new people who haven’t seen it. There is a whole new audience who are starting to groove on it at the moment, which is pretty cool.
Munga out Snapper this past weekend. You probably already know this, but he’s one of the stars of Bunyip Dreaming. Good to see him out there. Photo: Andrew Shield
Do you think that making Bunyip changed YOUR life?
Well for me, the idea of Bunyip was to try and acknowledge, for Billabong, where they got their name. And back in the day, you know, the Aboriginal thing was very topical. My wife is part Aboriginal, so I have a soft spot in my heart for Indigenous people. The thing was for the company to acknowledge where the name “Billabong” came from, and show a respect for the culture. At the same time, we started Indigenous surfing contests and we started promoting and starting an Aboriginal surf team.
Having spent a lot of time looking at all the scenes again, is there one moment that stands out to you?
My greatest memory of Bunyip was working with a guy named Ronnie Burns, and Ronnie was a great Hawaiian surfer. He’d come out from Hawaii to Australia for the second time, and never been to the west. And when we travelled, and we were making Bunyip, we had a wonderful time and great memories. And the last thing I said to him when I put him on the plane was “I’ll see you in Hawaii”, but ten days later he passed away in a motorcycle accident.
It’s a special movie for me, Bunyip. If anything, it’s for Ronnie.
If you had to give on piece of advice to an aspiring grom, who says “I want to make a film like that”, what would you say?
Just go out and do it. Don’t talk about it. And try and make something original, don’t just copy what other people have done. Try and come up with some new and different idea that means something. Have a moral, have a story.
A much younger Jack McCoy, shot by Art Brewer, from the Encyclopedia of Surfing.
Assuming you watch a lot of new films these days, what’s your…
To be honest, I don’t.
Why not?
I kind of got bored with surf movies. Someone has to recommend one that has a story or something unique for me to get excited to watch it. I’m busy making other movies and doing other things that I do, and I don’t mean to sound rude, but I don’t really get the time to watch every surf movie that comes out.
If someone’s made something different, unique and unusual, then bring it on, I’d love to see it. Those are the ones I’m looking forward to watch.
Do you think surf movies are behind the times, in terms of quality, when they’re compared with other sports and what the film industry is putting out these days?
There was a formula that came out in the early 90’s that allowed everybody with a camera to make their own film and do their own little thing. It is a successful formula, and it is one that a lot of people make careers out of – but I’d like to see people spend a little bit more time making a story, giving us some sort of message. If you want to communicate with people, communicate on a different level than just pure action.
And with that, Jack hopped off the phone, as the Australian Minor Bird was back.
If you want to catch him for a Q and A, or just watch Bunyip on the big screen, head down to Stuart Park in North Wollongong on the weekend of October the second. The film will be shown as a part of the Yours & Owls Music Festival.