by Aliza Xie
Dreams. They give us hope and spark a “wide eyed enthusiasm for the journey and adventure” ahead. They don’t limit themselves and are open to the possibilities. Small or big, dreams are evidence that we yearn for something more in our lives. Working towards them gives us purpose and has the potential to grow us in ways we never could have imagined. Ramblin’ Racer is for dreamers – it is a story of two Aussie mates from humble beginnings chasing their dreams of becoming race car drivers.
Much like the struggle that follows the characters’ road to glory, the struggle to capture and create this documentary was very real. Filmmaker Neil McGregor revealed how difficult it was to “tame this beast”, especially with COVID-19.
“The layers of complexity created by the global pandemic certainly impacted this project, particularly during post-production. My production company Glass Engine, was established just a few months before the pandemic started, with Ramblin’ Racer the first production out of the gate, so the learning curve was very steep and ever-changing.
“The changing tax rebates created a significant financial hurdle for us to overcome and our entire post-production workflow during lockdowns meant many delays with close to eighty percent of post-production done remotely via video chats. The screen sector has always been resilient, but I do think that it did tested us all in different and diverse ways, and the impacts will be long lasting, though we do learn from it and it does make us stronger for it.”
Motorsports is the central subject of the documentary and is “very much entwined with Australian culture”, according to McGregor. The Australian Grand Prix and the Bathurst 1000 are just two of the high profile events in this sport that capture the country’s attention.
McGregor explains that the inspiration came in a very “off the cuff way” in a conversation with actor, Tim Boyle.
“Tim mentioned in conversation that he was venturing into the world of motorsports with his best mate. After asking more about this and learning he had never raced cars before, with limited knowledge about basic car mechanics, we thought there is a story here: two everyday Aussies achieving an impossible dream, and thus, Ramblin’ Racer was born.”
Ramblin’ Racer was made in Queensland, and premiered at the Vision Splendid Outback Film Festival in Winton, and more recently at the Brisbane International Film Festival, and McGregor, who previously worked as VP – Locations & Productions Attraction for Screen Queensland, is the perfect person to ask about the current boom in film production in the Sunshine State.
“Australia truly is a filmmaking haven for local and international productions. Queensland’s film friendly locations with cinematic and diverse looks paired with competitive tax incentives studios, a highly trained crew depth that is supported by the state’s screen agency who have an active and progressive approach to shaping the future of the screen industry, it’s not hard to see why Queensland is a perfect place to make films.”
Before Ramblin’ Racer, and even prior to his Screen Queensland gig, McGregor risked it all by giving North America a shot. “Relocating to the other side of the world with only a few dollars in the back pocket with no job isn’t always easy for everyone. However, that helped shape my thoughts and views on the screen industry and in part to my successes. I have been blessed and very fortunate to have worked on some incredibly large budget films and television series.”
And McGregor has taken all the learnings of the capital of moviemaking, transplanted it back to his hometown, and the result, for now, is Ramblin’ Racer. “As humans, we are predisposed to connecting and empathising with people. Sport amplifies this great part of the human experience. When two underdogs, with no motorsport experience, take their racing dreams by the wheel, it really does appeal to quite a broad audience and not just for those who love cars.”
Ramblin’ Racer is screening at CinefestOZ, August 23 – 28, 2022
