Case study: Filmmaker Luke Graham tells powerful father and son story

Off the back of a Father’s Day weekend, I have a wonderful father and son story to share.

I recently caught up with Scope Red filmmaker Luke Graham who produced the 2016 independent hit movie Broke.

I talked to him about making his latest film Sharko, a sport documentary on the life of his father Mark Graham.

Mark recently became the first Kiwi to be inducted into the National Rugby League Hall of Fame and has already been named the greatest player New Zealand has produced in a century of rugby league.

Sharko is based on Mark’s personal and public life – from his childhood on the mean streets of Otahuhu to being top of the rugby league world.

Keep reading to find out how the project got off the ground and learn Luke’s top storytelling tips to apply to your own family story project.

Dad knows I’m very interested in sports documentaries.

We were talking about a trip he was going to take to NZ.

He was going to see some friends for a reunion of the very successful 1977 Auckland team.

Dad had intended for me to tell the story of the people involved in this team.

But I was more interested in the story of my father.

Since last year I’ve been doing a lot of research, networking and developing the story.

It’s not a script per se. It will be a documentary script.

You still have a three-act structure like you would with any story.

So what you are trying to do is do pre-interviews (before filming) with people to find out the story.

If you can lead them through pre-interviews – and are aware of what this person knows, their point of view on stories – you are going to give yourself a greater chance that what they are saying (when on film) is going to be emotionally important to the story’s arc.

I’ve probably done about 10 pre-interviews.

There’s still a lot more to interview. There might be people I don’t even know about yet!

I want dad to tell the story of his life more than anyone else.

I have to know what the story of his life and everyone else’s point of view is before we have that conversation.

He may forget things, have a different perspective, he may also be telling a fib every now and then.

I’m looking forward to going through the processes.

I think the hook with this is that it is a son telling a father’s life.

Dad is someone a lot of people look up to and revere for his success on the field and what he’s done.

So his story is more powerful coming from him.

See related articles: Case study: Daughter helps recently retired father, 85, write his autobiography and Case study: Helping my grandmother, 98, write her autobiography

There is always something – you haven’t got enough money, time or resources.

It’s juggling those things to get across the line and making the best possible project.

Obviously the intention is to connect with as many people as possible – certainly not just the rugby league world.

Socially I’d like Sharko to be something that people look at in regards to mental health, family, goals and desires in life.

Sharko is a way for you as an audience and me to reflect on our own lives.

I’ve certainly learnt a lot about Dad and there is going to be a lot more I learn.

We haven’t had our big interview chats yet, we are leaving it to later.

That’s the way I’d like to do it for structure.

Of course, fathers and sons we all want to be close.

Sometimes we don’t realise that we are not close.

And sometimes we regret that we have done things that have hurt others.

I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t want to be close to my father and learn more about his life because it is going to be a tough road to make a documentary like this.

It is going to be rewarding for both of us but also for an audience who will enjoy something and learn about themselves in the process.

I don’t know that I have a favourite part of the story at the moment.

There are lots of good plot points.

I want to make sure we have a good, solid story that is honest to the person who it is based on and something which is entertaining as well.

There are some juicy things in there.

I’m actually working on the teaser trailer at the moment.

Be really, really sure of the story you are trying to tell.

I’m a filmmaker so I look for a three-act structure and am aware of what I need to do with the journey.

So before you start on telling stories I would be aware – do a few writing courses and learn about character and plot, conflict and stories.

It is really important. Films and books are the same.

The other thing I would say is just because you think a story is interesting doesn’t mean it is.

We are not making things for ourselves we are making things for other people.

They have to have value to other people.

And if you have got some good stories or you believe you have got a good story, don’t spend too long on it.

Write down a one pager, write down a half pager and then send it across to some people who you really value their opinions.

And they can’t be in your family, they can’t be your best friend.

If you don’t have those people in your life, find people in your life that will tell you “no” when everyone else is saying “yes”.

Luke said looking at the footage shot so far, Sharko was going to be a passionate father and son story.

“Hopefully an audience can connect emotionally and reflect upon their own lives and relationships with their parents, their fathers and their parents’ parents,” he said.

Be sure to keep an eye out for the film trailer expected to be out in November.

A premiere date for the documentary is yet to be announced.

Happy writing!

Want to tell the life story of your father or grandfather just like Luke? I break the process down into logical steps in the Your Family Stories System. You can get instant access to the first few sections here:

Have you hit a roadblock planning, writing or finishing your autobiography? Let me know here so I can help!

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