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Motorcycles, exuberant funk music and a sweeping view of Sunshine Coat hinterland – welcome to the world of Eddie Ray.
Eddie Ray – Silence of the Jams, presented by Kerbside Collective, is an Australian odyssey set in a dystopian future where smartphones have conquered and silenced the world.
Happy-go-lucky Eddie has missed the memo and sets out on his motorbike to find the one thing that can beat the machines – live music.
The film, as poetic as it is comedic, is a love letter to the arts and the magic of everyday life that is often taken for granted.
Writer and actor Mark Gray, a Springwood State High School alumnus, says the production was inspired by Terminator 2: Judgment Day and is an hour of feel-good fun.
The creative process was also a source of joy for Mark and his wife during the 2020 lockdowns.
‘We had nowhere to live and no work, so we ended up on the Sunshine Coast,’ he says.
‘Rather than giving up on the creative life, we decided to get busy and create some art that reflected our situation in a comical way.
‘It was fun when nothing at the time was fun.’
His favourite part of the process was being able to use a drone to capture breathtaking shots of motorbikes blazing through the countryside.
Within a year, the duo finished filming and recording the soundtrack within the confines of their home.
The show, which is coming to Kingston Butter Factory Cultural Precinct on 25 March, is accompanied by a live performance of the soundtrack by the Band of Legends.
‘As a performer it’s a real challenge but as an audience, it’s such a fun thing to watch because it’s quite unique,’ Mark says.
Beyond the energy and detail brought to life by Mark and the team, Eddie Ray reminds the audience of their humanity.
‘The main takeaway of the film is to get out more to be with community and watch live things with real humans, rather than sitting at home watching Netflix,’ Mark says.
‘Eddie is loosely based on myself since I don’t have a smart phone. The less I’m connected digitally, the more connected I feel in real life and the more I see how people are glued to their screens.
‘It’s all a part of my personal journey.’
Don’t miss out on tickets to Eddie Ray – Silence of the Jams on 25 March
Tickets at: Eddie Ray – Silence of the Jams – LoganARTS
NEWS 7 March 2023
