How did screenwriter Nick Cave become involved?
We’ve been collaborating on music videos for a long time and he did the scores of my two other films. And he was very keen on doing the music for an Australian western. And I did a lot of research, it was taking a long time. I knew I wanted an Australianess to it. He was getting fed up of years of talking about music and so I suggested he write it. I knew he was a narrative songwriter but we were mutually unconvinced he could handle the script format, dialogue and stuff. I knew he could create a simple story, so I said ‘at least try it, just a story to hang the landcsape on, the conflict, the aborginal/colonial duel. Then we can get a professional screenwriter in to fix it up.’ But once he started, he just took off and we didn’t need any other writer involved. I think it stems partly from the fact that he watches more films than anyone I’ve ever met. He’s non-discerning, he watches whatever’s on, the good, the bad and the ugly. So I think that’s absorbed into him. And he’s very visual
