Bright Star: a southern star shines up north
Jane Campion and Jan Chapman re-teamed to tell the story of a poet and his muse in Bright Star. Chapman told Miguel Gonzalez how this quintessentially British tale has an Australian heart.
The romantic poet John Keats died in Rome in 1820, aged 25. His work would achieve posthumous recognition but, until today, the source of inspiration for his most famous poems had been largely ignored.
Inspiration for Bright Star came to Campion through Andrew Morton’s biography of the poet, which documented his love story with 18 year-old neighbour Fanny Brawne. Campion mentioned her new found
interest to her long time collaborator and producer Jan Chapman (The Piano), as part of their ongoing conversations about ideas and thoughts. Coincidentally, Chapman had had her own intellectual love affair with Keats’s work since high school, so she encouraged Campion to pursue the project.
The first step was to find a specific angle, since the director was not keen on creating a traditional biopic.
“We were aware that making a film about a 19th century poet might not seem entirely palatable for everybody; it might seem a little serious,” confessed Chapman.
So poetry doesn’t’ sell movie tickets?
“It’s not immediately obvious as a subject for investors to latch on to.”
Campion had previously worked with François Ivernel, managing director of the UK division of French studio Pathé, so she took the project to him. Ivernel was not familiar with the work of Keats, but he was attracted to the idea of a love story and a man who wanted to live by his art, which was universal and timeless and, in this case, just happened to be inspired by a particular and real poet.
“Jane said she didn’t understand poetry. She wanted to come to understand it at some point in her life, and in his letters, Keats describes very clearly how he feels about poetry, that it’s not something you should strain after… that if it doesn’t come as naturally as leaves to a tree, then it better not come at all,” explained Chapman.
That’s exactly how the writing process was for Campion, once she decided to tell the story from Franny Brawne’s point of view. Unintentionally, Brawne would become another strong female protagonist, which has been a common element in the work of both Campion and Chapman.
LUCKY STAR
After Campion’s initial contact with Pathé, Chapman followed up and worked with them on a development deal in 2006, which provided them with funds for the writing of the film.
When the time came for funding the £6.5 million film Pathé, having already invested in development, had the right to invest on the film and to distribute it in England and France, and to be the sales agent worldwide.
Screen Australia joined the project before the introduction of the producer offset.
“It was at first funded like a normal co-production, except that it was understood that when the offset provision came in, I would apply for it and when we received the money, it would be returned to Screen Australia. In a way, they cash-flowed the offset,” explained Chapman.
The agency also helped in the negotiations with Pathé which according to Chapman, was having trouble understanding the offset.
BBC Film came on board, and so did Screen NSW and Hopscotch Films, with a “substantial” pre-sale.
Even with all these partners, Chapman was having trouble finding the last piece of the budget. Help would come unexpectedly by email.
“We had been initially rejected by the UK Film Council, but then someone actually found the script in their offices and said ‘this is ridiculous, why isn’t’ this being funded!’
“It was one of those extraordinary moments, sitting at my office thinking ‘Oh my God, I don’t know how to get this last bit of money, we wont be able to do it’, and then I got this email saying ‘I just read your script, is there anything we can do?’.”
The sender of that email found another way to help and contacted the New Cinema Fund division, which usually deals with first features but can also fund non-mainstream films by well-known directors.
“They were like a saving grace in the end.”
KEATS, AUSSIE STYLE
Chapman defines Bright Star as a ‘natural’ co-production; they wanted to shoot in the UK to provide authenticity to Keats’ surroundings and because the changes in the seasons, which Campion decided would play an important role in the film, would have been very difficult to replicate in Australia. Post would be done in Australia.
Abbie Cornish was cast as Fanny Brawne, alongside British actor Ben Whishaw. The team also included high profile Australian heads of department such as Academy Award-nominated production and costume designer Janet Patterson, rising cinematographer Greig Fraser, editor Alexandre de Franceschi and composer Mark Bradshaw.
Despite having been driven by Australians, Bright Star is another case of co-productions that won’t necessarily be perceived as Australian by international –and even local – audiences.
“I do care about that, and I’m always making a big effort to ensure that the Australian side of the co-production is mentioned in any publicity.”
And although it is set in Britain and tells an English story, Campion says she can see a certain ‘Australianness’ in it, and Bright Star is ultimately a very different film from what an English director could have made with the same elements.
“There’s something about being outsiders that made us feel it in a slightly fresh, different way.
“Jane was not steeped in the tradition of English historical dramas. There’s a naturalism to the performances that comes from her as a director but also maybe from our Australian directness. Abbie has got a quality that makes Fanny a very forthright, independent girl. I can see the Australianness in the characterisation.”
Co-producing with the UK meant that Chapman, who had never produced with anyone else before, would have to find a British counterpart. She admits being worried because, after meeting with a number of people, she realised it would be difficult to know if she could develop a good working relationship with one of those strangers.
Enter Caroline Hewitt (Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Mr. Bean’s Holiday), who had worked with Campion’s sister Anna on her thriller Loaded in 1994.
“Caroline knew how to handle the hands-on, day-today production in England. My aim was to make sure she felt included entirely as a producer, because I could see how it would not be very appealing for someone to be ledged on to the ‘Jane/Jan’ team and feel like they weren’t’ genuinely part of it,” explained Chapman.
Hopscotch will release the film in Australia on Boxing Day, which Chapman calls a “daring decision”.
“It will probably reach an older audience more readily, but it’s a story of two young people falling in love for the first time and expressing that love in extraordinary ways, so I’d love to get the young audience in.
“I also hope Keats would love the film, because we tried to create a film that is an experience of the sensations. He said the aim of being in a lake is not to swim to the other side, but to luxuriate in the feeling of the lake. That’s what I’d like people to experience, and what we were trying to do.”
As for working with Campion again? “Well, that’s always an open door”. ■
