The Story
The Hank Marvin Documentary will be the most personal, intimate and bold exposé of Hank Marvin ever made... what makes him tick, the things he has seen and done as a music legend, and his life outside the spotlight of fame.
Hank
Marvin Documentary
60 years since Hank Marvin's first hit single with his legendary band The Shadows, son Ben Marvin sets out to discover the true story of his father.
He pursues a lifetime of unanswered questions about who Hank really is, the things he has seen and done, and his thoughts about his place in the world.
Looking back on one of the most outstanding careers in music, this documentary will be a celebration of Hank's work, and an intimate gift for fans who, for the first time ever, get to see Hank through the eyes of those closest to him.
Fans have been asking Hank for this film for decades. Now, at the impetus of his son Ben, Hank is finally ready to share his story with the world... before, as Ben puts it, it is too late. For Ben, this film is a chance to fully get to know his father; to find out who he was as a young musician with the world at his feet.
This film tells Hank's story the way fans want to hear it – from his humble beginnings in post-WWII England, to discovering rock'n'roll, to becoming one of the most revered guitarists of all time, to his permanent relocation to Perth. It the biographical film that will define Hank Marvin's legacy.
Starting at Hank’s East Perth studio in 2017 during the recording of his 12th solo album Without A Word, the audience are introduced to two of Hank’s current collaborators: son and guitarist Ben Marvin, and Hank’s friend and go-to filmmaker Mat de Koning.
These recording sessions are where Ben and Mat meet and devise a mission statement that is revealed to camera early on... to make the definitive Hank Marvin documentary. Ben, with the help of documentarian Mat, sets out on a journey to discover his father Hank’s life story.
After filming a series of interviews in Western Australia with his father, Ben and Mat then set out on an international adventure to interview some of Hank’s key musical collaborators, including Sir Cliff Richard and fellow Shadows members Brian Bennett and Bruce Welch.
They also discover the importance of Hank’s influence on modern music - gaining insight from the guitar gods who cite Hank as their hero... Brian May (Queen), Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits), David Gilmour (Pink Floyd), Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath), Kevin Parker (Tame Impala) and many more.
Beyond the household names, Ben and Mat round up the most devout fans, and Shadows tribute bands, to illutrate the sheer level of fanatacism Hank’s music has conjured around the globe.
When they return back to Perth, Ben conducts another series of interviews with Hank, relaying some of the revelations his travels have uncovered. Enticing answers to the deeper questions, the film provides both Ben and the audience with a vivid picture of who Hank, the man behind the glasses, really is.
Assets
During the making of Hank’s 2017 solo album Without A Word, Mat de Koning captured over 16 hours of observational footage and vox pops with Hank, Ben and various musical collaborators in Hank’s East Perth studio. Mat also directed five performance music videos for the album.
Demon Music Group own the copyright to this footage and have given permission for all footage to be used in the documentary. There is also a backlog of various interviews, performances and pieces to camera that Mat has captured with Hank over the past 10 years.
The Marvin family have granted the filmmaking team access to a wealth of documentation including photos and videos of their family life, and behind-the-scenes documentation of various tours and recording sessions.
Archive
With a 60-year career in the spotlight, there in an abundance of archive material of Hank, including movie and television appearances, concerts, photos and countless magazine interviews.
There is also a wealth of musicians, past and present, who cite Hank as one of their major influences, including George Harrison and the late great godfather of metal, Motörhead’s Lemmy Kilmister, who said it was The Shadows that inspired him to first pick up a guitar.
The team intends to attach Lisa Savage as Archive Producer. Lisa is highly experienced and her credits include music documentaries such as Under The Volcano, Whitney: Can I Be Me, Mystify and Marianne & Leonard. In the coming months the production team will engage Lisa to complete a preliminary archive search for the film.
