Western Australian-funded music documentary Under the Volcano, which features musicians including Sting, has been released on streaming services in Australia this week.
Western Australian-funded music documentary Under the Volcano, which features musicians including Sting, has been released on streaming services in Australia this week.
The documentary was made by WA-based RUSH Films founder and producer Cody Greenwood and received funding from Screenwest, Screen Australia, Create NSW and several private WA investors.
After premiering at South by Southwest in March and at CinefestOZ over the weekend, it is now available to be streamed on services including Amazon Prime in Australia.
The documentary was distributed by Universal Pictures, helping to reach key markets in the United Kingdom, the United States and Europe.
It tells the story of the recording facility AIR Studios started by Beatles producer George Martin on a small Caribbean island called Montserrat.
While in operation, from 1979-1989, the studio attracted some of the world’s most famous musicians, before it was hit by multiple natural disasters including a hurricane and a volcanic eruption which led it to close.
With the help of the private investors, Ms Greenwood was able to secure the documentary’s first big interview and fly to New York to interview Sting.
“Once we had interviewed Sting the film got a lot of traction and attention internationally and that was what really tipped it into production and let us start making the film,” Ms Greenwood told Business News.
The documentary was filmed all over the world and had support from other well-known musicians including Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder who provided video footage.
“We shot in London, New York, LA, Miami, the Caribbean, all across the world but what we tried to do was bring as much of the production back to Western Australia where possible,” Ms Greenwood said.
“While we had all these international artists in international locations, we had Western Australians in the production roles.
“I think Western Australians are going to be really proud of it as well, given that its internationally facing but has WA at its heart.”
Ms Greenwood was announced as a recipient of Screenwest’s Breaking the Celluloid Ceiling initiative in August.
