I’d like to think an ordinary person is capable of anything …
BASED ON THE BOOK TRACKS BY ROBYN DAVIDSON • INSPIRED BY THE PHOTOGRAPHS OF RICK SMOLAN TRACKS
© ATOM 2013 A STUDY GUIDE BY PAULETTE GITTINS
http://www.metromagazine.com.au
ISBN: 978-1-74295-377-9 http://www.theeducationshop.com.au Tracks. SCREEN AUSTRALIA presents in association with SOUTH AUSTRALIA FILM CORPORATION, ADELAIDE Thin, fragile, tenuous lines across the map of a vast FILM FESTIVAL, SCREEN NSW & DELUXE, A desert. SEESAW FILMS PRODUCTION OF TRACKS. Tracks. Directed by John Curran. Produced by Emile Sherman & Iain Canning. Stay on track and survive. Lose your way and perish. Screenplay by Marion Nelson. You don’t need to be unlucky to die out there. Tracks. Seen from above, filmed from the air, they stretch across a massive continent – faint, often fading Tracks – the film into nothing, lifelines to the next waterhole or tiny settlement. It was very soon after publication of Tracks that Robyn Davidson was first Tracks. approached about a film version of her A tracery in the sand or the soil, fine and delicate, phenomenal journey. Emile Sherman, dangerously difficult to follow. Oscar-winning producer of The King’s Speech, explains: The overpowering heat of the central Australian day does its best to beat you, the air fluttering in mirage, Tracks is one of those books that pretty hammering home the knowledge that there is no one much every Australian knows. It’s sort of here to save you from hallucinating, dying of thirst or a seminal Australian story: it was actually going mad – or losing those essential tracks. on the school syllabus for many years. I In a slow-moving aerial shot, we look down on these always thought it was one of those big
tracks that an adventurous, resilient and extraordinary stories that was set in Australia … It’s SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013 woman, Robyn Davidson, followed on a punishing, very pertinent and current to the world epic trek from the outback town of Alice Springs today … in the Northern Territory across the desert to the Indian Ocean, a six- to seven-month journey of 2700 Robyn was consulted on the film from kilometers, her companions – for the most part – three the early stages, but was always happy camels and a dog. for the film to be its own creative work. Tracks. So much of the character of the author 2 TRACKS – THE BOOK
Robyn Davidson’s 1977 journey across the desert – and delicious freedom. She discovered self-sufficiency National funded, photographed and chronicled by and resilience, her lowest ebb coming with the death Geographic Magazine – resulted in a stupendous of her closest companion, her beloved dog Diggity, reaction from readers worldwide. This inspired her killed by strychnine bait. There were also days when the to write about the trip in greater detail, entirely from reality of dying of thirst or heat exhaustion, or losing her memory – an honest and open account of the trials, way, were terrifying realities. To her annoyance, word triumphs and sorrows experienced along the way. leaked out about her journey and she became headline In the closing pages of her book, she tells us, news, and the frequent intrusions of photographer Rick Smolan – who was assigned to photograph and record I wanted to shed burdens, to pare away what was her trek – became an irritant; images of her bathing unnecessary. A process that was literal, in the sense of with her camels in the turquoise blue of the Indian constantly leaving behind anything extraneous to my needs, Ocean objectified her, she complained. She wrote Tracks and metaphorical, or perhaps metaphysical, in the sense of believing that the book might shield her from the ridding myself of mental baggage … It was something to publicity. It only intensified it. She came to personify the do with letting go of boundary … and a sense of merging solo adventurer, a feminist figure and romantic symbol with everything around me … (pp.259–260) of the desert. Tracks cemented the myth of ‘the camel ‘The camel lady’ – as Robyn came to be universally lady’. The true Davidson – introverted, restive, searching known – was, and always has been, reluctant to involve – represented anything but. The invasion of her personal herself in publicity. She had come to the desert to live space by public fascination roused her to take up a sparingly, to take control of her life – ‘disconnecting’ nomadic journey again, travelling again with camels in herself from what she perceived as passé, conformist India, which she wrote about in Desert Places. and ultimately unfulfilling. These are feelings repeatedly For a detailed insight into the character of our echoed in her book – choosing adventure over protagonist, read the interview she gave to online convention at a time when the debates over roles of journalist Anna Krien in ‘Robyn Davidson is a Nomad’ women in Australian society were only in their infancy. at
Now a major Australian film, Tracks (2013) is can be observed in her portrayal by directed by John Curran Tracks is the first film to be invited and stars acclaimed Mia Wasikowska: her strong sense to screen in competition at all three Australian actress Mia of independence and self-reliance, Wasikowska. international fall festivals: the Venice her love of family but preference for International Film Festival, Telluride solitude, her dislike of being in the Film Festival and Toronto International spotlight, her love of animals and Film Festival. her principled defense of Indigenous • A restructuring of the storyline to Australians. However, with all book- eclipse and strengthen Robyn’s Study guide aims to-screen projects, a director must presence as the focal point of the make decisions on what to include story; • To acquaint us with the storyline, and what to remove from the original • A ‘subtext’ which intends to more characterisation and cinematic text – and indeed, decide if a page-to- fully explain Robyn’s predilection elements of Tracks; cinema-screen adaptation may require for solitude; • To draw comparisons between the extra elements. We will examine these • Only passing references to Robyn’s original text and the film version; structural, scripting and adaptational responses to, and observations • To examine the issues raised elements later in this study guide, but in of, Indigenous Australian culture by the film and consider its brief, the major features you will quickly and ‘white’ outback Australia’s contemporary relevance; SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013 observe in the film version of Tracks reputation for chauvinism and a • To link the film to appropriate areas that differ from the written text are: number of other unpleasant traits. of study as a supplementary text.
• The exclusion of a number of As the director reflects, ‘the book Tracks introduces Robyn’s journey to a characters in the written text; is first-person and very interior and whole new generation. • A succinct portrayal of some obviously the film wasn’t going to of the more prominently drawn be that … [Robyn[ left it up to me to characters in the book; project my own ideas into it.’ 3 Synopsis Arrival in ‘The Alice’
As we have already observed, our camera acquaints us instantly with the key theme of this film: the tracks that will guide protagonist Robyn Davidson (Mia Wasikowka) when she sets out on her journey. But once the camera has moved to ground level, we then see some very cryptic scenes. In slow motion a little girl in a yellow dress runs away from the camera; she’s carrying a suitcase – what’s going on here? Then we see a taller figure obscured by waves of outback heat; this figure too is run- ning away – from what? These enig- matic instances will recur throughout the film of Tracks and as our tale unfolds they will become clear.
‘I was bored of life in the city, its repetitious and half-hearted attempts at jobs and various studies …’ says Robyn in voiceover. She is going to tell us about herself, her motivations and goals as we see her arrive in Alice Springs, one of the remotest towns on earth. It is 1975 and she is a young woman walking into an environment of heat, dust, isolation and truculent, inarticulate locals, but drawn ‘to the purity of the desert’. We listen to her as she reads aloud her letter to National Geographic Magazine, outlining her project: ‘I am planning to walk across the desert Apprenticeship with begins to know the character of cam- from Alice Springs to the Indian camels els as we see her working long hours Ocean, a distance of two thousand in the heat and dust, musing in voiceo- miles. The trip will take six to seven She seeks work and a camel-training ver about her forthcoming journey and months …’. apprenticeship at Kurt Posel’s camel thinking of her father, an explorer in farm, a tourist business that requires his own right, who ‘was happiest on Robyn doesn’t think she needs hu- her to dress in Afghan costume – his own out in the bush’. She re- mans to accompany her on her travels complete with turban – and take flects on the ill-fated explorer Ludwig – just her dog Diggity (graciously tourists for rides around the area while Leichhardt, who was lost out in the played by Special Agent Gibbs) will do giving them a talk on the history of the desert and who had carved his name SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013 – but she knows she needs transport camel in Australia. In return, Kurt Posel on a tree on her parents’ property. and funds. First, she works in a pub to (Rainer Bock), who declares ‘your plan save for her trip, until she witnesses a is ridiculous’, will teach her to train Robyn sets up a tent for herself, local Aboriginal woman being struck vi- camels and will sell her two after she sleeping under the stars at night, olently by the publican; that sends her has worked for him – without pay – for enjoying the solitude. One day, while in search of alternative employment a year. A hard and unjust bargain, but out walking, she comes across an and finding those essential camels. Robyn knuckles down and gradually abandoned stone farmhouse that she 4 claims as her ‘home sweet home’, parked outside the family home. Once Undeterred in her quest, she seeks tacking to one wall her huge map of again, what is all this saying? out Sallay Mahomet (John Flaus), a Australia and visualising the tracks descendant of a long line of Afghan she will take as soon as she is ready. Once again, we will have to wait to cameleers, asking for work and train- But her solitude is disrupted by the find out. ing with him. Sallay’s response is that arrival of a garrulous and vocal group ‘anyone who can put up with Kurt of friends from the city, introducing The backbreaking toil at Kurt’s camel Posel for eight months deserves a her to National Geographic photog- farm is not paying off. Kurt refuses to chance’. And so begins a fond rela- rapher Rick Smolan (Adam Driver). It keep his end of the bargain, demand- tionship with Sallay, her mentor, who is he who suggests that Robyn can ing she work even harder; his wife warns of the dangers of taking on a secure funding for her trip by writing Gladdy (Felicity Steel) has left him and project such as hers (‘you don’t have to National Geographic and setting out in response to Robyn’s angry objec- to be unlucky to die out there … it’s her plan. Initially dismissive of this, she tion to his demands he tells her ‘You’re easy enough to get lost and run out cannot wait for this noisy but well- fired’. of water …’) but is impressed by her meaning crowd to leave her to her determination and seriousness: ‘you’re peace and quiet. Meeting a mentor an odd girl, Robyn Davidson’.
It is at this point that we are intro- Robyn is out on her own once more, Part of the work involves rounding up duced subtly to an aspect of Robyn’s wheeling her bicycle back to Alice camels for export. Scenes of Robyn past life. She is presented with a cas- Springs, her dream of a camel trek as seated in the truck that tracks and sette tape of ‘an old recording of your far away as ever. We are given, again catches them show her looking in- mother’s, the one you used to play to in voiceover, a little history of the tently at their grace, their long-legged your dad’. ‘Stardust’, a popular jazz origins of these animals in Australia, strides, their intelligent faces; these piece from 1927, fills the soundtrack how they were imported as beasts of animals fascinate her. while Robyn lies awake at night and burden but considered obsolete when looks up at the blaze of stars in the trains and cars came along, but ‘in- And finally, Robyn has her camels: SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013 Northern Territory night sky. A flash- stead of perishing, they flourished’ in a Dookie, Bub, Sally and baby Goliath. back or a dream of childhood accom- country very similar to their homeland. ‘Perfectly reliable beasts’, she insists panies this, another return to that en- to National Geographic, but Sallay igmatic, slow-motion opening scene of ‘Now Australia has the largest feral warns her: ‘Rule number one: pro- the little girl in the yellow dress; in this camel population in the world; I just tect your camels’. Wild bull camels scene, her father is walking towards needed three of them’, she reflects. are a persistent danger in the out- her. Behind them, an ambulance is back and Robyn will need to shoot 5 any that venture near her own. And shortly, there is a reply from National Geographic: they like her idea!
There is, however, one ‘catch’ to her plan. The camel trek will naturally be photographed by National Geographic and this will require a photographer to go along with her; this will be Rick Smolan, whom we met earlier with the noisy, intrusive group of friends who visited her in her old stone farmhouse. This is not what Robyn wants at all; the aim was a solo journey and she is discontent with the compromise she has to make for the sake of her funding.
Before she takes off, however, there is a family visit to her home. Her sister and father arrive courtesy of Sallay’s truck and attempt to hide their dismay at the primitive conditions in which she is living. Their care for her and their worry that her venture is danger- ous and possibly foolhardy is evident; so too is her father’s inarticulate re- sponse to his determinedly independ- – posing as riding on her camels (she ‘A ludicrous, pointless ent daughter. walks rather than rides, the camels be- farce’ ing laden with equipment) finally leads 9 April 1977 – departure her to query in exasperation: ‘What Robyn’s patience with Rick’s well- about honest journalism?’ Rick is gen- meant but garrulous presence is Helen: ‘It’s really reassuring to know tlemanly, unfazed and rather puzzled wearing thin, and when the campsite my sister won’t be out there all alone.’ about this eccentric reaction to the is struck with a massive sandstorm Rick: ‘Oh, I’m only meeting up her with publicity this will bring her – exactly that threatens to wreck her equipment four or five times.’ what Robyn does not want. she loses her temper, yelling at him to Robyn: ‘Two or three times. Two or ‘f – off!’ when he attempts to actually three.’ Memories will intrude take a photograph of this near disaster. She is desolate at the thought that her With a parting gift of a rifle from Sallay, Robyn and Rick share a fireside even- idealised journey, in which she could Robyn embarks with her camels, laden ing, and a truculent Robyn makes simply enjoy the beauty of the desert with gear. Her journey shown in tracks it quite clear she does not want to and the unconditional company of her across a full-screen map, she begins engage in chit-chat about her past animals, has become nothing more her walk to Ayers Rock – known today life despite Rick’s urgings. She rebuts than a magazine spread. ‘I load a pile by its ancient name, Uluru. Many his observation that her father was an of junk, I walk twenty miles, I unload a iconic scenes of the vast and isolated explorer, and in reply to his question pile of junk and you just stand around landscape – its colours, its sunsets, ‘What about your mum?’ she an- like some idiot taking pictures of me! I its solitude – are interspersed with swers ‘I hardly remember her’. Further can’t do it any more!’ She is distraught. intermittent, almost daily arrivals of urging, ‘well, what happened to But Rick is a gentle comforter and Rick the photographer, with the radio her?’ produces the shocking answer recognises what must, under the sur- playing loudly in his Land Rover and delivered casually: ‘She hung her- face, be more loneliness than anything his persistent one-way conversations self.’ This, of course, stuns Rick into else. After spending the night together,
- an annoying intrusion. The camera’s silence and sleep. And now we have Robyn and he agree to make the SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013 use of wide-angle shots ranges across another of those recurring dreams that photo-shoots at much longer intervals. the immensity of the Australian interior, act as a flashback to Robyn’s child- They will meet again in five weeks. with Robyn, Rick, the camels, even the hood. In that slow-motion dream, her Land Rover reduced to tiny, insignifi- father walks towards a child version Day 61 – Arrival at Docker cant figures in a vast, indifferent land- of her. Ambulance officers walk inside River scape. Taking shots of her doing many the family home in the background, things that she does not ordinarily do ‘Stardust’ is faintly heard. Swimming naked in a bore, Robyn 6 relaxes and enjoys her own space. But From Docker River to long way for you,’ they warn her; the there is always a problem of survival Pipalyatjara alternative will be shorter, but will also out here in the desert: the camels have be through ‘sacred country’ and she taken off, lost to her, meaning she There is an uneasy tension in the air will ‘need an old fella’ – a knowledge- will need to walk for hours to locate as Robyn sets off once again, and in able Indigenous elder – to accompany them – and when she does, she is so time we become aware of what the her. This is how Robyn comes to travel relieved and so angry with their be- problem is: bull camels on the horizon. with Mr Eddy (Rolley Mintuma), an in- haviour that she beats them furiously, They are a terrifying threat to Robyn’s valuable source of language and guid- then of course realises that they are animals and she needs to disperse ance. Garrulous and sociable – but just animals after all. Today is the day them. Sallay’s reminder comes back only in his own language – Mr. Eddy she will walk into the Aboriginal settle- to her in voiceover and she readies her leads her through his country and ment of Docker River. And here is Rick rifle to shoot. Two are dispatched and they strike up a friendship based on to welcome her and, of course, take now they can proceed with safety to gesture and a little of each other’s lan- pictures – warned by the ‘white’ com- find Glendle – ‘the last white man until guage. Finally, they arrive at Glendle’s munity adviser Geoff (Bryan Probets) Warburton’. eccentric home – an old caravan that the local people don’t particularly surrounded by obscure junk. Glendle like being photographed. Annoyed The heat, the overpowering grind himself (Tim Rogers) appears at first with this, Robyn is even further embar- of daily walking and keeping to her rather dishevelled and strange, but in rassed at the sight of two beds made schedule finds Robyn physically conversation – which Robyn relishes up for them as if they are a commit- drained, treading in a trance-like state because she has not spoken English ted couple. During the night, Robyn is in the sheer effort of placing one foot to anyone for so many days – she awakened at the sound of crying, as before the other, walking in her own releases all her pent-up annoyance if someone were grieving, and notices shadow over a barren and stony at the intrusiveness of ‘nice people’ that Rick’s bed is empty. Insensitively landscape. Her memory once again whose ‘hopeless romantic notions’ and perhaps unknowingly, he has returns to her childhood, where she have intervened in her trip: ‘I can deal sneaked out to photograph ‘sacred follows her pet dog, Goldie. Making with pigs really easily, but nice people business’. As a result, Robyn’s need overnight camp at a river, she is at confound me,’ she concludes. ‘Words for a tribal elder to guide her on the last relieved of her exhaustion as the are overrated,’ declares Glendle wryly. next phase of her journey – for it will camels, who are fast growing into her We can tell that this unusual man really SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013 be through country crowded with closest companions, drink peacefully. appreciates her company even though sacred sites – is refused by an angry he knows it is temporary. advisor: ‘It seems your boyfriend was On the horizon, four Indigenous men seen taking pictures of secret busi- arrive in a truck and share an evening En route to Warburton ness; the answer is no.’ ‘It looks like meal of kangaroo with her, inquiring af- we’re taking the long way, Bub,’ mur- ter her next stop – the ocean – and the On the strength of a new pair of shoes, murs Robyn to her lead camel. track she will take to get there. ‘Too Eddy decides he will accompany 7 her to the next outpost, Warburton, entertaining her with stories and com- ments on the landscape that, despite the language barrier, are fun to hear. Scenes of the trek are shown through a blurred lens to emphasise the mirage created by the powerful midday heat. Into the story come various irritations – Goliath the camel finds the sand too how for his feet and needs to have ‘socks’ made for him out of sacking; a group of unpleasant tourists turn up, eager to take photos of the ‘camel lady’. Their outrageous response to Mr Eddy sees Robyn turn on them angrily, while Eddy on the other hand scares them off, playing at being an ignorant fool, demanding ‘Give me money! Give me money!’ Unnerved, they back off and disperse. Robyn and Eddy share a conspiratorial smile as Eddy pockets the money.
‘Never cut kangaroo meat!’
This is one of Mr Eddy’s gravest warnings to Robyn; such an act will result in a terrible consequence. As they continue their journey, we are witness to the harshness of the land in the many deserted farmhouses, people living in old abandoned cars, skeletons of dead cattle; the frequent droughts have seen off many a settler. The next two months of the trek will she embarks on a search, moving hallucinating at night, she thinks a be through waterless, empty desert; away from her camels and searching particularly eccentric motorcyclist has Mr. Eddy is insistent that a guide goes through emergent scrub and spinifex. arrived at her campfire to talk about with her, but Robyn really wants to go Finally she locates it lying on the path, his own personal journey across the this alone. Rick, turning up with a gift but now she cannot find her way back desert. But is this a dream? for Mr. Eddy – a new rifle – promises to the camels! Cleverly, she orders to leave supplies of water along her Diggity to ‘go home!’, hoping that her Dreams explained tracks, declaring what she has often canine instinct will locate the animals already said about herself: ‘I think you – and she is right. Now Robyn takes to Wandering past yet another scene of have a problem with people.’ the Gunbarrel Highway, travelling into abandoned property and dead cattle, a glorious sunset. in another nearly dream-like moment, On to Wiluna – and nearly Robyn – filthy, exhausted and possibly lost Day 124 at the end of her reserves of strength – approaches a farmhouse where Mr Putting ever-growing distance be- The water supply is running out. and Mrs Ward (Edwin Hodgeman and tween herself and civilisation – be- Walking with her head covered against Carol Burns) live, a kindly old couple tween the old Robyn and the new the heat, we see close-ups of Robyn’s who take her in and lovingly look after one she is moving towards – those sunburnt, dirt-encrusted face and her her. The scene is particularly moving SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013 vague, obscure tracks evaporate, sandalled feet. Her bare back, peel- and powerful as it demonstrates the leaving nothing in camera close-up ing and blistered as she walks naked, other side to the Australian character but cracked, dry land to walk across. shows us how long she has been out in contrast to the rude, ignorant and Terrified, she discovers she has lost here. Greatly relieved, she locates the intrusive gawkers who have plagued her compass, a gift from her father, jerry can of water that the loyal Rick her life on her trek,and the often crass, recalled in flashback as he tells her it has promised he will deposit at vari- racist and violent residents of Alice was a gift from his wife. Desperately, ous points along the track. Possibly Springs. This kindly couple represent 8 a kind of outback civility and generos- almost not bear the thought of going massive sandy desert – with no tracks ity that does not pry into her trip nor on, and dreaming at night once more to follow. intrude on her privacy; rather, Mrs we are taken back to those opening Ward bathes her and cleans her up, scenes of the film – but this time the The end and the arrival providing her with a clean bed for the scene is filled out further for us. The night after a game of Scrabble. These child Robyn, carrying her suitcase to Finally, journey’s end – the shore of scenes are of an almost lost ‘other her aunt’s waiting car, is pursued by her the Indian Ocean – is reached, and world’: 78rpm records on the old beloved Goldie, whom she is imploring there is Rick, of course, to photograph record player, old photographs ranged to go back to her father, because she Robyn as she swims in the striking along the piano and oil lamps lighting cannot take him with her. Indifferent to blue waters and takes her camels for a the rooms. This will take her back in circumstances around her, she sleeps well-earned dip. Diving down into the her dreams to her own childhood and late and even ignores a huge snake that depths, we are perhaps being intro- she dreams she sees her father sitting slithers across her as she lies in her duced to another kind of landscape, in a corner of the room, telling her that sleeping bag, too unhappy to get up. this one completely trackless and her mother is dead and that she will equally unfathomable – the ocean. have to go and live with her aunt. Her Hiding from view beloved golden Labrador, Goldie, sits The screen now tells us that ‘Robyn next to her father; he cannot go with Still being pursued by tourists, Robyn wrote the article that accompanied her and will have to be put down, her hides out in the spinifex as trucks and Rick’s pictures’ and that ‘its over- father says sadly. By now much of cars roll up to her campsite, calling whelming response inspired her to ex- Robyn’s sad childhood is explained, out for ‘the camel lady’ and deny- pand it into the international bestseller and we can now perhaps further ing her any peace, all feeding off the – Tracks’. understand that sense of disconnec- sensationalism of her trip and failing tion from human interaction that has to understand the real motivation that The closing credits to this extraordinary become part and parcel of her identity. inspired her. ‘Go away!’ shouts the tor- film come with photographs from the mented Robyn; it appears that news- original National Geographic shoot of Faithful Diggity meets her papers around the world are fascinated Robyn Davidson herself, and we can end with her trip, to which news she retorts see clearly how faithful to the book the ‘I should never have started it!’. Finally director has been in his portrayal of Bidding a grateful and fond goodbye Rick arrives. Desperate, she declares characters, scenes and events. to the Wards, Robyn re-embarks on her grief and pain – ‘I’m so alone’ – to her travels, and on the first night she which Rick replies, surprisingly, ‘we all Tracks, as we have seen, is indeed camps out, the worst disaster of the are’. an iconic tale of self-discovery, set SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013 entire trip occurs. Diggity runs off into against one of the wildest, most merci- the dark and when Robyn goes to Rick’s understanding of this prickly less and most breathtaking backdrops find her she discovers she has been and complex young woman seems to on the planet. poisoned by strychnine bait. Horrified, have paid off; the next morning Robyn she knows there is no cure for this and awakes to find herself alone and with she is forced to shoot her to put her out renewed strength, she takes to the last of her suffering. Heartbroken, she can leg of her journey, this one across a 9 Robyn Davidson Biography of the author
Robyn Davidson was born on a cattle property in Queensland, Australia. She attended boarding school at Saint Margaret’s Girls School in Brisbane, gaining two scholarships in 1966, one to the Brisbane Conservatorium of Music.
She turned down those scholarships and, between 1967 and 1972, took odd jobs while studying part-time at various institu- tions – a year of zoology and philosophy at The University of Queensland, a year of piano studies at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and two years of Japanese language at The University of Queensland.
In the mid 1970s, she went to Alice Springs in the Northern Territory to prepare for a journey to the west coast with camels. She left Alice Springs at the beginning of 1977 and travelled alone across 1700 miles of desert, reaching the west coast nine months later.
The story of that journey was published first inNational Geographic Magazine in 1978, then by the London Sunday Times the following year. It was National Geographic’s most popular cover for a number of years. The story was syndicated to approximately ninety magazines around the world, as their cover stories. Later, she wrote the book Tracks, which was published in 1981 by Jonathan Cape in the U.K. and Pantheon ROBYN DAVIDSON in the USA. Tracks has never been out of print.
Tracks was subsequently translated into eighteen languages and was a bestseller in the UK, Australia, USA, Denmark, In 1987, Australia: Beyond the Dreamtime was published by France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Sweden. For BBC Books. Thomas Keneally and Patsy Adam-Smith contrib- Tracks, Robyn Davidson won the Blind Society Award and uted the first two parts, and Robyn Davidson wrote the third travel literature’s prestigious Thomas Cook Travel Book Award part titled ‘The Mythological Crucible’ – a history of Australia – the only woman ever to have done so. from 1950 until the country’s Bicentennial.
From 1980 to 1986, Robyn Davidson travelled a great deal, In 1988, a collection of her essays, Travelling Light, was and her writing was published in Bunte, Geo, Sterne, Granta, published by Collins Australia. She received a grant from National Geographic and Traveler Magazine. Her literary es- the Australia Literature Board to write a novel. That year, the says, columns and reviews appeared in English American British Council sent her to the United Arab Emirates to give a and Australian newspapers and journals including The Times series of lectures. Literary Supplement, The Sunday Telegraph, The Times, The Guardian, Granta, Nation Review, The Age and The Sydney Robyn Davidson’s novel Ancestors was published by Jonathan Morning Herald. Her writing has been included in Best Cape in the UK and Simon and Schuster in the USA in 1989. Australian Essays and Best Australian Stories, as well as many The book was shortlisted for the Premier’s Award in Australia. anthologies. It has since been translated into three languages.
Robyn Davidson wrote the script for a feature film, Mail Order From 1990 to 1992, she travelled through north-west India SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013 Bride (Stephen Wallace, 1987), commissioned and produced with a caste of pastoral nomads – the Rabari. Desert Places by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in 1984. It won chronicles those two years. It was published in 1996 by Viking the Penguin Award for Best Script. She also researched and Penguin in both the UK and the USA and was on the bestsell- wrote the outlines for three feature-length documentaries on er lists in Australia for a year. It was shortlisted for the Thomas Aborigines, commissioned by the Australian Broadcasting Cook Travel Book Award in the UK and has been translated Corporation (ABC), and worked as a script consultant for the into five languages. Australian Film Commission. 10 She is, at present, working on a fictionalised memoir ti- tled Self Portrait with Imaginary Mother, to be published by Bloomsbury. A section of that work in progress has been published by The Bulletin and Brick Magazine.
Tracks and Desert Places have been taught in universities and schools in the UK, Germany and Australia.
Robyn Davidson has made many radio and television ap- pearances and been invited to literary festivals in Australia, America, Canada and the UK.
She has begun the research for a series of documentary films on the fate of traditional forms of nomadism in the modern world. She spent several weeks travelling through Tibet and staying with nomads – initial field research for that project. Her essay about Tibet was published in Best Australian Essays.
During 2004, she was a Visiting Scholar with the Mongolia and Inner Asia Studies Unit, attached to the Department of Social Anthropology, Cambridge University. She is a Fellow of Clare Hall College, Cambridge.
She won a Wingate Scholarship to further her field research in Nepal for the Nomads project. The Centre for Cross-Cultural Research at the Australian National University invited her to continue her research with them, sponsoring her for an HC Coombes Fellowship for the first half of 2005.
She has also received fellowships from the University of Melbourne and the Australian National Museum. She won the RICK SMOLAN Blazey Award for work on her current memoir.
Robyn Davidson lives in Australia and India. Times bestseller lists and have been featured on the covers of Fortune, Time and hundreds of other publications around the Rick Smolan globe. National Geographic photographer Smolan’s other works include Passage to Vietnam, which proved the storytelling powers of interactive CD-ROMs, 24 Rick Smolan is a former Time, Life and National Geographic Hours in Cyberspace, which took a snapshot of the infant photographer who has a great affinity for Australia. One of his internet, and One Digital Day, which explores the impact of first assignments was spending a few days photographing the microprocessor on civilisation. AMERICA 24/7, a New York the then Prime Minister of Australia, Malcolm Fraser, in Japan Times bestseller, enabled thousands of Americans to create for Time. Shortly after, while on assignment in Alice Springs, a national family album during one ordinary week, and was he met Robyn Davidson and was assigned by National featured by Oprah Winfrey as one of her ‘Favorite Things’. Geographic to document her now-legendary trek. After Robyn’s journey became one of the most celebrated stories in Smolan’s numerous projects include The Obama Time the magazine’s history, he published a much wider range of his Capsule, America at Home, UK at Home, Blue Planet Run, The inspiring photos from the trip in his book From Alice to Ocean: Power to Heal and Medicine’s Great Journey. Alone Across the Outback. He then returned to Australia to create the innovative project A Day in the Life of Australia, In the fall of 2012, Smolan released The Human Face of Big SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013 which was so successful it went on to launch the celebrated Data, focusing on how the planet is developing a nervous international series for which he is best known. system via our new ability to collect, analyse, triangulate and visualise vast amounts of data in real time. Today, with more than five million copies of his books in print, Smolan directs massive global crowdsourced projects that Fortune magazine describes Smolan’s production company, combine creative storytelling with state-of-the-art technol- Against All Odds Productions, as ‘One of the 25 Coolest ogy. Many of his books have appeared on The New York Companies in America’. 11 Making the film – Production crew & cast
Adaptation and Director John Curran made at specific desert locations. transformation Born in the USA, John Curran studied Producers Emile Sherman While the filmmakers knew they had a illustration and design at Syracuse and Iain Canning source of fantastic material in Robyn’s University, New York, then worked as book, it was a long adaptation process, an illustrator, graphic designer and Academy Award–winning producer which the author herself assisted. production designer in Manhattan Emile Sherman founded See-Saw Robyn was consulted on the film from before moving to Sydney, Australia Films with Iain Canning in 2008. See- the early stages, but was always happy in 1986, where he worked on televi- Saw is a UK and Australian company for the film to be its own creative work: sion commercials and short films. specialising in international film and His debut feature film, the 1998 television. Recent productions include Obviously I don’t think it’s going to be drama Praise, was nominated for the Jane Campion’s Emmy Award–nomi- a direct rendition of my book, and I Australian Film Institute Award for Best nated six-part television series Top think any writer who thinks the film is Direction and won the Film Critics Of The Lake and the multi–Academy going to be totally faithful to the book, Circle of Australia Award for Best Award–winning The King’s Speech is naive. It’s their vision, and I’m happy Director and the International Critics’ (Tom Hooper, 2010), starring Colin Firth, with that. Award at the Toronto International Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Film Festival. His films include We Carter. See-Saw followed The King’s Robyn was very trusting in the Tracks Don’t Live Here Anymore (2004), The Speech with Steve McQueen’s award- production and recalls: Painted Veil (2006) and Stone (2010). winning Shame (2011), starring Michael John is currently developing and is set Fassbender and Carey Mulligan. I first talked to Emile Sherman, the to direct his first television mini-series producer, and I just liked him, I just titled Undaunted Courage, which tells Through his previous company, thought he was terrific. But the thing the story of explorers Lewis and Clark. Sherman Pictures, Sherman produced that really cinched it for me was Mia films including the Toronto International Wasikowska. I’d always wanted her Tracks was a story John had heard of Film Festival FIPRESCI-awarded film and I’d I said to both John and Emile, for many years. He recalls: Disgrace (Steve Jacobs, 2008) starring ‘If we can get Mia that would make John Malkovich, and award-winning me very happy,’ and I certainly haven’t I was twenty-four and I decided to films$9.99 (Tatia Rosenthal, 2008), been disappointed … come to Australia and I can’t really Candy (Neil Armfield, 2006), starring remember a reason why I did that. I Heath Ledger and Geoffrey Rush, and Director John Curran and Producers did some backpacking around and Phillip Noyce’s Rabbit-Proof Fence Emile Sherman and Iain Canning I was introduced to the book back (2002) as executive producer. reflect that: then. I didn’t read it then but I knew what it was about. Then years ago it Prior to founding See-Saw, Canning … the book is an incredible character struck me that the book and (Robyn’s) executive-produced the award-win- study but in some ways … we had to journey really captured a time, a place ning films Hunger (Steve McQueen, look deeper into … the silences in the and an experience that I felt like I had 2008) and Control (Anton Corbijn, book and the silences in a lot of the a lot of affinity for; the idea of doing 2007). Hunger won the Camera d’Or at things that Robyn said in online inter- something dramatic in your life when the 2008 Cannes Film Festival and the views … to go deeper into Robyn as a you’re feeling a bit stuck. It resonated BAFTA Carl Foreman Award. character and her past … with me because at the same age I’d kind of done the same thing when I Costume Designer Mariot Robyn’s trust in the filmmakers was decided to come to Australia. Kerr and Production rewarded when the film made his- Designer Melinda Doring tory by becoming the first Australian John wanted more than anything film to ever be selected to screen in to ‘do a film where the landscape Mariot Kerr is a costume designer who competition at all three prestigious itself was a character in the film’. In has been working in the Australian film Fall film festivals – Venice, Toronto and preparation for the making of Tracks, industry for over fifteen years. She has
Telluride. John and his crew researched many been part of the costume department SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013 other films from the 1970s, such for feature films such as Australian All producers dream of getting into as Walkabout (Nicolas Roeg, 1971) Rules, Look Both Ways, Black And just one of these festivals but we never and Wake in Fright (Ted Kotcheff, White (Craig Lahiff, 2002), Wolf Creek dreamed we’d get into all three. It is a 1971), and studied paintings by (Greg Mclean, 2005) and Oranges and great testament to the international ap- Fred Williams, Sidney Nolan and Sunshine (Jim Loach). peal of Robyn’s story. other Australian landscape painters. – Producer Emile Sherman Naturally, a great deal of research was One of the most important people who 12 CAST – THE PRINCIPALS
For a complete list of cast and crew, go to
MIA WASIKOWSKA – ROBYN DAVIDSON
Mia Wasikowska is a multi-talented star in the Australian film industry with an acclaimed reputation both at CAST IN ORDER OF home and abroad. Her first feature APPEARANCE film role in her native Australia was in Suburban Mayhem (Paul Goldman, YOUNG ROBYN Lily Pearl 2006), for which she was nominated ROBYN DAVIDSON Mia Wasikowska for an AFI Young Actor’s Award. Her DIGGITY Special Agent Gibbs international debut came with her role ALICE SPRINGS PUBLICAN collaborates with the director is the in the acclaimed HBO drama series In Philip Dodd production designer. These two work Treatment in 2008. PUBLICAN’S WIFE Fiona Press closely to perfect all of the aspects KURT POSEL Rainer Bock of the ‘mise en scène’ a considerable Mia has most recently starred in the GLADDY POSEL Felicity Steel amount of time before the actual pho- acclaimed psychological thriller Stoker RICK SMOLAN Adam Driver tography even begins. The production (2013) from iconic Korean director SALLAY MAHOMET John Flaus designer is generally responsible for Park Chan-wook and co-starring MARG (ROBYN’S SISTER) the overall look of the movie, leading Nicole Kidman and Matthew Goode. Emma Booth various departments that are in charge Other recent roles include Richard JENNY (ROBYN’S FRIEND) of individual sets, locations, props, Ayoade’s The Double (2013), with Jessica Tovey and costumes, among other things. Jesse Eisenberg, and Jim Jarmusch’s POP (ROBYN’S FATHER) 2013 Cannes Film Festival entry Only Robert Coleby The talents of production designer Lovers Left Alive (2013) with Tom MR EDDY Rolley Mintuma Melinda Doring and costume designer Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton. In 2011, GEOFF (DOCKER RIVER Mariot Kerr helped complete the natu- Mia starred in the Oscar-nominated SETTLEMENT ADMINISTRATOR) ral look of the film and the muted col- Jane Eyre (Cary Fukunaga, 2011), op- Bryan Probets our palette that the director required. posite Michael Fassbender, Jamie Bell GLENDLE Tim Rogers As John Curran explains, and Dame Judi Dench. Also in 2011, MRS WARD Carol Burns she starred in the three-time Oscar- MR WARD Edwin Hodgeman It was all in the details, and textures nominated film Albert Nobbs (Rodrigo and colours, and I think both Melinda García, 2011) with Glenn Close, and and Mariot bought into the overall It’s more keeping the essence of the was announced as one of Time maga- palette that I was looking for. And it’s real Robyn Davidson and what she zine’s ‘100 Most Influential People in a period piece, so they both had to be wore, which is a combination of the the World’ for that year. really specific to the period and draw practicality and the comfort and mix it from it in a way that was authentic but up with a bit of her bohemian past as A multi-talented artist, Mia recently still suited our overall look. well. made her film directorial debut with a short film as part of the anthology film Mariot Kerr says, Director of Photography The Turning (various directors, 2013), Mandy Walker based on the collection of short stories we’ve kept it as subdued as possible, by Tim Winton. As a still photographer, taking the colours from the desert itself An indispensable element of produc- Mia was a finalist in the Australian – all the reds and ochres and browns tion, Tracks, ultilised one of Australia’s National Photographic Portrait Prize but also the beautiful blues and violets most acclaimed and in-demand 2011 for an image she took of Jamie SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013 and greens that you see out there. cinematographers. Prior to Tracks, Bell on the set of Jane Eyre. Mandy showed her impressive ability For authenticity, the fashion of the to capture the incredible beauty of The casting process for Tracks, and time was something else to consider: remote Australian landscapes in Baz most particularly the actress who ‘It’s set in 1975, 1977, 1978, but we’re Luhrmann’s Australia, for which she would play the protagonist, began not trying to do a fashion documentary won the Hollywood Film Award for early on in the script development. from that time,’ says Melinda Dorling. Cinematographer of the Year. Mia’s name came up early as a 13 possible choice for the role and Robyn Armed Forces that intends to bridge Davidson herself championed the the gap between the military and the choice, having already seen her work. performing arts communities by pro- Mia declares she was instantly at- ducing a series of free performances tracted to the character of Robyn and of monologues, scenes, staged read- she and the director collaborated on ings and music for a mixed military many elements of production. and civilian audience.
Their mutual affection for the book ROLLEY MINTUMA – MR EDDY tended to be something of an encum- brance at first, given that the script Just as Adam Driver was found in readjusts the written text at a number New York to play New Yorker Rick of levels; the ‘key’ to ‘unlocking the Smolan, Rolley Minutma came from film lay in letting go of the book but the same area of Australia as the real keeping the essence … or the core of Mr Eddy. Rolley is from the Mutitjtulu who [Robyn] was’. community near Uluru and knows Mr Eddy’s family. Like Mr Eddy, Rolley is ADAM DRIVER – RICK SMOLAN a respected Elder and custodian of his culture and his first language is Acclaimed Time, Life and National Pitjantjatjara. He is a traditional dancer Geographic photographer Rick Smolan and singer, an artist, craftsman and needed to be sensitively cast for Tracks, nankari (traditional doctor). Long be- appearing as he does as one of the few fore the film, Rolley had heard stories significant characters in the story. John of Robyn’s journey that are still told in JOHN FLAUS Curran had a very clear idea of the kind many of the Indigenous communities – SALLAY MAHOMET of person required to play Rick: that she visited. While a tough taskmaster, Sallay is the He needed to have a sort of physi- Rolley previously acted in the ac- antithesis of Kurt Posel; he is thought- cal and social awkwardness but be claimed two-part TV drama Through ful and fair; the character played by very intelligent and very likeable. He My Eyes: The Lindy Chamberlain Story John Flaus represents that kind of needed to be a fast talker with a lot of starring Miranda Otto, nominated for decent outback individual. John Flaus energy … an idiosyncratic character … an AFI for Best Tele-feature or Mini is a well-known and admired artist an American … Series in 2005, and has appeared in with a colorful list of acting credits numerous documentaries. spanning over forty years in film, Named one of Variety’s ‘Ten Actors television, theatre and radio. His major to Watch’ in 2012, rapidly rising star RAINER BOCK – KURT POSEL roles range from parts in films includ- Adam Driver is a graduate of the pres- ing The Castle (Rob Sitch, 1997) and tigious Juilliard School in New York. The aggressive Austrian émigré and Spotswood (Mark Joffe, 1992), as camel-breeder Kurt Posel introduces well as TV shows including Jack Irish, His recent film credits include The Robyn to much of what is negative Seachange and Blue Heelers. Coen Brothers’ Cannes Grand Jury about non-Indigenous society in the Prize–winning Inside Llewyn Davis Northern Territory; his brief presence TIM ROGERS – GLENDLE (2013) and Noah Baumbach’s suc- illustrates how the hard life of the out- cessful New York comedy Frances back can sour an individual. Again, the A true ‘Renaissance man’ in his Ha (Noah Baumbach, 2012), in which director selected a citizen of the coun- portfolio of artistic endeavors, Tim he starred alongside co-writer and try from which the original Kurt came. Rogers has been a songwriter and lead Greta Gerwig. He has worked lead singer for rock/lounge act You with multi-Oscar-winning directors Having begun his successful career Am I for almost twenty years. He has a Clint Eastwood in J. Edgar (2011) and in German theatre and film, Rainer cabaret show called Saligia, has been Steven Spielberg in the twelve-time Bock first garnered international ac- employed by the Malthouse Theatre Oscar-nominated Lincoln (2012). claim with his role in Michael Haneke’s for their 2009 production of Woyzeck, masterpiece The White Ribbon (2009), writes for The Age newspaper and The
His roles on Broadway include Man which saw him nominated for the Monthly magazine and has appeared SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013 and Boy, starring Frank Langella, and 2010 German Film Award for Best in the TV series The Time Of Our Lives. Mrs. Warren’s Profession, in which he Supporting Actor. He has appeared starred alongside Sally Hawkins. in major international features includ- For further information about ing Quentin Tarantino’s Inglorious the full cast, see
The use of music As well as communicating the feel of Cinematic the desert environment, the music in Although Robyn’s journey took place the film is also key to communicating Techniques in the 1970s, the approach to scoring much of Robyn’s emotional journey the film reflected the timeless nature of throughout the film. As Garth says, 1. Mise en scène the landscape and of her experience, far removed from society. Brooklyn- There is a darkness in Robyn’s past When applied to the cinema, mise based composer and double bassist that she carries with her, and there is en scène refers to everything that Garth Stevenson was brought on to also a lightness and hopefulness in the appears before the camera and its ar- the film; as a musician raised in the journey that she creates for herself. rangement – composition, sets, props, mountains of Western Canada, nature The music walks this line with her from actors, costumes, sounds and lighting. had long been the primary inspiration the start to end of the film. The mise en scène – along with the and common thread between his life cinematography and editing of a film and music, a connection that would The location and sets – influence the verisimilitude of a film be crucial for Tracks. Director John in the eyes of its viewers. The vari- Curran was also drawn to his ex- Tracks was shot in the deserts of ous elements of design help express perimental approach to recording the South Australia and the Northern a film’s vision by generating a sense double bass and in their initial conver- Territory in October/November, the of time and space, as well as setting sations they discussed how this would beginning of the hot season. Shooting a mood and sometimes suggesting a apply to other instruments. in remote locations always has its character’s state of mind. challenges, with the production team It was Garth’s double bass and its encountering bushfires, floods and at Elements of design – the deep resonant sound that really was one time – unbelievably and unsea- use of film key to capturing the awesomeness of sonably – snow. The locations were the desert, the literal dryness of sound chosen to complement the storyline Tracks was shot on film as a me- in the desert for a more reverberant and to emphasise the changing desert dium, rather than the current digital openness that would depict the vast- landscapes through which Robyn technologies of filmmaking; this was ness of the landscape most accurately. treks. Areas in the Flinders Ranges a directorial choice. Choosing this so- in South Australia – Parchilna, Leigh called ‘dying medium’ was a design In addition to the double bass, further Creek, Beltana Station, Quorn – dou- decision because of film’s ‘richness’ instruments were added with careful bled for outback scenes and recrea- and ‘classical look’. consideration, as Garth explains: tions of Alice Springs circa 1970.
Cinematography – Piano was a present instrument in Lighting creating the atmosphere Robyn Davidson’s childhood, which SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013 gave it added significance as a leading Lighting plays a significant role in We often see scenes of the intense voice in the score. Flute was chosen Tracks. Sunsets and dawns are a con- heat of the outback, and to reinforce as a sound that could float atop the stant feature, illustrating the daily rou- this, the camera uses a filter that will denseness of the string and piano lay- tine and monotony of Robyn’s journey warp and distort the shot as if we are ers while capture a sound of youthful and the vastness of the outback land- looking through heatwaves. femininity. scape. Fireside night shots accentuate the need for warmth at night in the 15 A wide shot reveals where the scene is taking place.
desert and the nightscape of the stars orient the audience. A wide shot also to a person’s eyes or mouth is an again emphasises the diminutiveness gives the actors room to move within a extreme close-up. Close-ups create a of man in the environment. Shadows shot without the camera having to fol- sense of intimacy and the feeling that need to be created to show the harsh- low them. This technique is often used we are involved in the scene. They ness of the sun and the only shade be- to illustrate the ‘figures in a landscape’ also reveal emotion in the eyes or ing produced is from the human being element in Tracks. The camera moves the hint of a smile. The director often walking through the scene. across the scene, showing us how chooses a close-up to emphasise the small and insignificant the individuals intensity of a scene. We see these 2. Camera angles – wide- are who people this scene. close-ups in Tracks when Robyn’s angle, close-up, tracking exhaustion is weighing upon her as Medium shots she walks, sunburnt and dizzy with Aerial shots heat through the spinifex or the sand These are often cut into a wide shot dunes. We are also shown a back view In filmmaking, shot compositions, for variation or are used to focus of her in close-up, her sunburn clearly sizes and angles enhance the way the our eyes on the characters who are agonising and brutal. director tells the story. A close-up shot doing the talking. Kurt Posel, Sallay is taken when two actors are talking Mahomet, Glendle, Mr Eddy, all For some useful lessons in the termi- if the conversation is an intimate one. interact with Robyn in dialogue; these nology and methods of filmmaking, A wide or ‘establishing’ film shot may shots are the cinematic equivalent of see
Aerial shots are a feature throughout making some difficult choices: what SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013 Tracks, reiterating this point. A close-up shot, or single, is usually people and scenes to include and from above a person’s chest or the what to omit; how to convey the Wide angle shots nape of the neck to just slightly above timeframe of the written text within the the top of the head. If the camera fairly restrictive length of a film; how to A wide shot reveals where the scene is moves in closer so that the actor’s make use of the written language – the taking place. Also referred to as a long head fills most of the frame, we have imagery, the symbolism, the meta- shot or master shot, a wide shot helps a tight close-up. Going in even tighter phor, the issues; how to portray the 16 characters. We need to understand a booze-clogged dream … to the - … cliched images of stone- that John Curran’s focus in this cin- more important things in life like age drunks on the dole … and ematic version and Robyn Davidson’s bronc-riding, steer-roping and everyone … taught at school focus in her written text differ to some drinking … (p.215) that they were not much better degree, although the essential element than specialized apes, with no – the goal the protagonist has set Cartographers also come on for a culture, no government and herself – remains the primary focus. little sledging: no right to existence in a vastly superior white world; aimless Storyline structure People who fly in planes and make wanderers … backward, primi- maps of the area … need glasses, tive and stupid … (p.6) While Tracks – the book – is divided or perhaps were drunk at the time; - Myths (‘Aboriginal people are into a series of ‘Books’ detailing the or perhaps just felt like breaking chronic dole-bludgers’) are process of Robyn’s arrival in Alice free of departmental rulings and dispelled: ‘fewer blacks receive Springs, camel-training, preparations added a few bits and pieces of social services than the whites, and journey, Tracks the film flows imaginative topography, or even, despite ten times more unem- freely, focusing on key moments and in some cases, rubbed out a few ployment’ … (p.46). scenes rather than details. While the features in a fit of solitary anarchic - Indigenous living conditions are director shows Robyn’s journey as vice (p.110). described in horrific detail: a long and arduous undertaking, the Trachoma … diabetes, ear number of specific stops along the Her growing resilience to the infections, heart trouble and way are greatly reduced, but given antipathy she senses around her in syphilis are just some of greater dramatic importance. Alice Springs (described as ‘a god- the diseases which ravage awful hole’) is shown as develop- Aboriginal populations, living Characterisation ing ‘a reinforced concrete strip without proper housing, medi- down my back’ (p.34). cal facilities or correct diet … Robyn, the protagonist (p.120). However, while Robyn’s sense of Tracks – the film – departs from the humour may not be present in his Robyn includes an observation book in its characterisation of Robyn film, John Curran has made the by Kevin Gilbert, an Indigenous in: protagonist an equally assertive, Australian activist and artist, who courageous and goal-driven char- speaks of ‘a rape of the soul’ • Her humour. In the book, Robyn is acter; these aspects of her nature, of Aboriginal Australia, and yet laconic, often grim but always self- obvious in the written text, domi- despite two centuries of brutalisa- deprecating and highly perceptive. nate Mia Wasikowska’s portrayal. tion, the inner beauty, structure From the title of Part 1 of Tracks, and nobility of Indigenous culture ‘Alice Sprung’, we are introduced • Robyn’s detailed reflections and remains: to a wry and keen wit. Descriptions observations on the Indigenous of the ‘benign and beautiful desert Australians. The written text … particular trees, rocks and other at night’ come with counteracting focuses in detail on this aspect of natural objects are imbued with observations: outback life. It is also addressed enormous religious significance … in the opening scenes of the there is no confusion in the minds the eight-inch-long millipedes’ that film, when Robyn witnesses an of Aboriginal people as to who crawl into sleeping bags, the ‘stray Aboriginal woman who walks into are the traditional caretakers of scorpion … the lonely slithering the pub and is ejected and beaten country. [There is a] detailed body of a Joe Blake (rhyming slang for by the publican. In the book, this of knowledge, law and wisdom ‘snake’) who may want to cuddle heinous action is performed by handed down to people from the up and get warm … then fang you the local policeman; the change of dream-time … maintained and to death when you wake up … are character to publican is a directo- kept potent and passed on through not much to worry about … (p.112) rial choice. In another scene in generations through enactment of which Mr Eddy, the tribal elder, is ritual … (p.166). A violent angry camel is ‘like a patronised by a foolish tourist, we windmill with teeth…’ (p.64). have another specific reference to In her travels through country with
the racism prevalent in the outback Eddie (pp.159–188), Robyn recalls SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013 Her reference to the iconic at the time of writing. But from the this as ‘a time of delightful calm’ in Australian singer Slim Dusty is very first pages of the written text, which he both affectionate and satirical: Robyn goes into detail about the outback racist view, not too dis- made me notice things I had not … [the Mt. Isa Rodeo] sees the similar from that held by so many noticed before – the land was not participants woken at four am to city-dwelling Australians in the wild, but tame, bountiful, benign, the sound of Slim waking you from 1970s. giving, as long as you knew how 17 to see it, how to be part of it … also given a voice – a strongly her travels with Eddie, the ‘boor- (p.174) protective one. ish, insensitive’ passerby intrudes: one of the men grabbed him by the • Her detailed description of the In the film, John Curran’s focus is arm, pushed him into position and Indigenous settlements she on Robyn and the challenge she said Hey Jacky-Jacky, come and encounters on her trek. Because has set herself; this is what drives stand along a camel, boy’ (p.178) Robyn’s journey takes her several the narrative. Nonetheless, we are months and takes her through also able to recognise some of (This scene is re-enacted in the a number of different regions of Robyn’s reflections made visual film to clever comic effect, with Mr. the outback, introducing us often in her obvious enjoyment and Eddy winning the day by scaring very briefly to the residents who respect for ‘Mr Eddy’ as they travel an interfering tourist into handing look after her, the director is faced compatibily together – he is one of over money; both he and Robyn with the decision to ‘cut’ various the few people she can comfort- share the joke – and the triumph.) individuals out of the story in order ably journey with; John Curran has to film within the fairly restrictive made Robyn a dedicated friend Comparing Aboriginal society with time allowance for a standard- and, on occasion, a protector of its ‘white’ equivalent, Robyn writes length film. In the film, the Mr.Eddy. ‘the one so archetypally paranoid, Pitjantjatjara people of Areyonga, grasping, destructive, the other (p.120), Docker River (pp.140–146) • The critical contrasts provided so sane’ (p.197). Such reflections and Pipalyatjara (pp.164–170) are by references to non-Indigenous cannot be easily incorporated into ‘contracted’ to a degree, into the people who resided in this part film, either visually or in dramatic scenes in which Robyn inter-relates of Australia. With a few notable performance; here, as in so many with the Indigenous people. and admirable exceptions, Robyn’s of Robyn’s powerful musings, the written text provides readers, written text speaks out most pow- In her written text, Robyn’s lengthy from the outset, with an uncom- erfully of these concerns. references to Indigenous life are promising view of ‘an aggressive her reflections on the quality of life masculine ethic and severe racial George and Lorna (p.248) ‘aston- of the traditional owners and the tensions’ common to much of the ished’ Robyn; to her they are the character of the Indigenous people Northern Territory. The pubs are complete antithesis of the destruc- themselves, their understand- segregated (p.17), ‘the Australian tive Australian; ‘They came to my able wariness of non-Indigenous cult of misogyny’ (p.18) is wide- rescue,’ she recalls. people and their horror at having spread, the Australian male is their cultural traditions spied upon, ‘biased, bigoted, boring and above They had nothing. No electricity, no the terrible history of neglect and all, brutal’; to him a mate is anyone money … they shared everything racism they have suffered, their who is not a ‘wop, wog, pom, they had … [and] looked after me enduring sense of connection with coon, boong, nigger, rice-eye, like a long-lost daughter … re-
country, their massive knowledge kyke, chink, Iti, nip, frog, kraut, mained kind, generous, warm and SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013 of their land and the inviolability of commie, poofter, slope, wanker, uncomplaining; they personified land rights legislation. The caregiv- and yes, sheila, chick or bird.’ the battling bush spirit the best. ers from the ‘white’ community (p.19) The Indigenous Australian who live among the traditional is dismissed as ‘more nuisance This episode of the written text is owners and dedicate their lives value than anything else’ (p.131) also movingly enacted in the film to these communities – nurses, and ‘they’ll never be assimilated’ version, the solitary couple com- health workers and teachers – are (p.47). Encountering strangers on fortable in their own company, the 18 sense of a contented, if isolated crows; feathers from wind-rippled outfit, with an equally crisp white life lived well. ridges (p.128) turban. But for his ice-blue eyes, he looked like a bearded, wiry Moor. • Robyn’s description of the The Olgas ‘glowed orange, then Standing near him was like being close landscape red, then iridescent pink, then to a fallen power line – all dangerous, John Curran is working with a purple, then turned into a black crackling energy … grinning, gap- written text which employs much cut-out, against glowing moon- toothed … visual imagery, which he translates light.’ And the director, yet again, into on-screen landscaping; in this provides us with many full-screen Kurt Posel on-screen is a grubby, poor- respect, both written and film text landscapes of magnificent sun- ly dressed, taciturn individual, beaten are particularly compatible. The sets, vast desert views enhancing down psychologically by the tough life landscape is filmed in all its beauty the miniscule figures that attempt he leads – breaking camels, mending and terror as, without doubt, to inhabit it, scenes depicting heat- equipment, struggling to make a living. Robyn sees it in her written reflec- mirage and wide tracks of starlit tions. Naturally, the written word night sky. The feature of Kurt that is common conveys a more intimate, deeply in both book and film is his anger at personal series of observations. Minor Characters disobedience or ineptitude, although this is far more vocally expressed in Robyn writes in lavish detail The director’s consistent focus is the written text. about the colour, geography and on the journey – both physical and plant-life of the trek; the camera psychological – of the protagonist; The book continues to develop the provides us with another painterly therefore, characters given consider- relationship between Kurt and Robyn, version. As already mentioned, able elaboration in the written text whom she calls at one point ‘my Robyn has an original and startling are somewhat contracted in the film demon friend’ who was ‘a wizard with talent for metaphor and simile. The in order to be more of a backdrop to camels’ and ‘a wonderful teacher’ who, outback is ‘God’s majestic hidey- Robyn’s character. In all instances she thinks in retrospect, ‘manufactured hole’ (p.4), ‘the drone of blowflies’ barring the characters of Rick and Mr his own hell, because there were won- is ‘… an anthem for hot Australian Eddy, the detailing contained in the derful moments with him, long peace- afternoons’ (p.38), camels are ‘like written text is abbreviated on screen. ful rides through the back country and great, curious puppies’ (p.14) and learning to race camels,’ laughing over her heart ‘felt like a macaw in a The Posels, Kurt and what Kurt called ‘the terrorists’ – the canary cage’ (p.116). Gladdy tourists. It is Kurt who helps Robyn catch and train a pet crow she names On p.22, Robyn provides us with a In significant contrast to the film, the Akhnaton – a ‘character’ absent from ‘broad-brush’ portrait of the amaz- Posels and their farm are drawn in the film but written about in endearing ing beauty and magnetism of the considerable detail in the written text. terms in the book. Of course, as in the outback: film, the relationship ultimately sours The film shows the farm surrounds when Kurt places ridiculous pressure To enter that country is to be only briefly, in a haze of dust and on Robyn’s workload and it becomes choked with dust, suffocated by decrepitude, while the book has a quite clear he has no intention of pro- waves of thrumming heat, and driv- completely different physical descrip- viding her with her camels. en to distraction by the ubiquitous tion: (pp.11–31). The farm is … Australian fly; it is to be amazed by Gladdy Posel has only a few seconds space and humbled by the most … a perfect white cottage set among on screen – a nervous, timid woman ancient, bony, awesome landscape trees and lawns. It was an Austrian possibly in fear of her husband’s anger on the face of the earth. It is to chalet in miniature, beautiful, but crazy – but is a more obvious and confident discover the continent’s mythologi- out there among red boulders and presence in the written text. We are cal crucible, the great outback, the dust devils. The yards were all hand- introduced to her before we meet Kurt, never-never, that decrepit desert hewn timber and twisted ropes – the and she is … land of infinite blue air and limitless work of a master craftsman. The sta- power… those timeless boulders bles had arches and geraniums … not … a bird-like woman, middle-aged … … that glittering riverbed in the a thing was out of place … The ranch the first person who had not greeted
moonlight … was fantastic and uncanny perched my idea with patronizing disbelief … SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013 out there in the middle of the oldest We are often presented with glow- rocks in the world … Gladdy, it appeared, was a rebel, with ing prose such as this: strongly expressed opinions on the Kurt, when Robyn first meets him on Aboriginal population: ‘There’s nothing the intense hot dark blue of a per- page eleven, is … wrong with the blacks except what the ennially cloudless sky … patches whites do to them.’ Later, she insists of burnt bushes sticking up like old … dressed in an immaculate white Robyn spend her nights on the farm 19 to an inscription carved into a tree on her father’s property, a name left by the ill-fated explorer Ludwig Leichardt. The poignancy of the idea resonates with Robyn as she prepares herself for her own journey of exploration and we are positioned to consider a certain af- finity with the explorer by the protago- nist. In the written text, Leichardt is not referred to, but Lasseter , another doomed trekker is referred to in some detail:
poor Lasseter, that gold-hungry mug who … perished in the sand-hills and leaving behind an unsolved mystery … like so many other luckless explorers … dies a miserable death … (p.139)
Again the exclusion of Lasseter’s failed venture from the cinematic version is inside the house for comfort and they inessential in directing our focus upon doubtless to keep the focus on Robyn ‘develop a deep friendship’. the protagonist. In the film, Robyn herself, but its detailing in the written comes across an empty stone house work leads to the possible conclusion Glendle and makes it into a temporary home. that Robyn may be seeing reflected in In the book, this house is known as the tragedy of this man a sense of the In Robyn’s text, Glendle is the com- ‘Basso’s Farm’ (p.28) and is actu- danger to which she has exposed her- munity advisor in Pipalyatjara (p160– ally inhabited by ‘potters and leather self; there also seems, in the language 168), and is fully engaged activist with craftsmen’, and Robyn leads a very of this reflection a subtle sense of the Indigenous community: social life with these kindly people – relief that she will not be placed in this quite unlike the image we have of her position. … burdened with endless paperwork in the film as she settles into the lone, dished out by bureaucrats … formuliz- empty building. The window-cleaning The director’s subtext ing the distribution of money to indi- business Robyn and her friend Julie viduals … co-ordinating the systems establish to make money (p.67) is The director has elaborated on some such as health and education [and is] a discarded in the script. The directorial brief but poignant references made liaison officer between bureaucracies choice here is to reinforce that sense by Robyn in the written text about her and the people. And Glendle was tired of Robyn being happiest in her own mother’s death. In the reference by – boned out. company (which is why she sets out the writer of the ‘need to lay a ghost’ on her journey). (p.98), we are presented on-screen We have a written imagery of an with a number of flashbacks, or dream exhausted, meticulous official. In the Other characters are synthesised into sequences, which weave their way film, Glendle is more eccentric than only a few individuals who represent through the film until we are fully bureaucratic in character; the odd particular attitudes and responsi- informed about Robyn’s mother’s sui- caravan in which he lives (also shown bilities. The kindly, civilised natures of cide and the devastation of the family in the film) adds to this portrait of a George and Lorna (p.248) are cinemati- that ensued. Further flashbacks focus solitary yet gentle individual, more cally elided with the family of Glenayle on Robyn’s inarticulate but strong feel- at home in the outback than any- Station – Eileen, Henry and their son ings for her father, poignantly illustrat- where else. ‘Words are overrated’, he Lou, (p.234) who were ‘charming, kind, ed in the flashback in which she goes observes to Robyn. He is, in the film, generous and pretended not to notice in search of her missing compass, a a man of few of these, but a charming my eccentricities’. Geoff, the ‘white’ gift from her father, a gift to him from ‘hippie-ish’ presence nevertheless. community adviser in Docker River, his deceased wife – all a construction
stands in for the many individuals on a of the director. The use of the haunting SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013 In the written text, Robyn comes number of outback settlements who try ‘Stardust Melody’ – another directorial across a variety of Indigenous and to safeguard the health and wellbeing of inclusion – also shows how Robyn is non-Indigenous characters – friends, the Indigenous people in their charge. reluctant to open up about her feelings station-owners, carers and admin- of grief and loss, but they nevertheless istrators in both Alice Springs and Leichhardt and Lasseter haunt her. the various settlements. A number of these are written out of the script as Interestingly, in the film Robyn refers 20 Miscellanea 1. NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
Formerly the National Geographic Magazine, this is the official magazine of the National Geographic Society. It has been published continuously since its first issue in 1888, nine months after the society itself was founded. It primarily contains articles about geography, his- many of the exploring expeditions. On 9 June 1860, tory and world culture. The magazine is known for twenty-four camels and three cameleers arrived at its thick square-bound glossy format with a yellow Port Melbourne to join the pioneering Burke and rectangular border and its extensive use of dra- Wills expedition. While the expedition successfully matic photographs. made it from the south coast to the north through the heart of Australia, Burke, Wills and others lost The magazine is published monthly and additional their lives on the return journey. Disastrous as it map supplements are also included with subscrip- was, it was quite certain that Burke, Wills and King tions. It is available in a traditional printed edition could not have made the north–south continental and through an interactive online edition. On occa- crossing without camels, historians say. sion, special editions of the magazine are issued. Australia has the largest population of feral cam- By 2011, the magazine was circulated worldwide els and the only herd of dromedary (one-humped) in thirty-six language editions and had a global cir- camels exhibiting wild behaviour in the world. culation of 8.3 million. Its US circulation is around 5 Live camels are exported to Saudi Arabia, the million per month. United Arab Emirates, Brunei and Malaysia, where disease-free wild camels are prized as a delicacy. 2. THE HISTORY OF CAMELS Australia’s camels are also exported as breeding IN AUSTRALIA. stock for Arab camel-racing stables and for use in tourist venues in places such as the United States. Contrary to popular belief, camels are not indig- enous to Australia – although they thrive in the 3. LUDWIG LEICHHARDT desert environment that is so much like their native habitat. Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig Leichhardt, a Prussian scientist, is remembered for his long journey From 1860, 20,000 camels and more than 2000 in 1844–1845 from the Darling Downs to Port cameleers – men skilled in handling them – Essington, an early settlement in the far north of the were shipped to Australia from Afghanistan and Northern Territory. He proceeded up the Burdekin Pakistan. The men signed three-year contracts. Valley, crossed the Dividing Range and discovered In return for their meager pay, they made a vi- the Lynd and Mitchell Rivers. After following the tal contribution to the history of Australia – one Mitchell, Leichhardt skirted the shores of the Gulf of which has largely been left out of the history Carpentaria. The exhausted party lost much valu- books, says Cara Rosehope, an amateur historian able equipment at Roper River and finally arrived in Melbourne. Unlike horses and bullocks, the at Port Essington in December 1845. He made the camels could trek long distances without food and return journey by sea. In 1846–1847, Leichhardt water, which made them indispensable for explo- was forced by heat and drought to turn back from ration. The cameleers played a key role in an attempt to traverse Australia from east to west, but shortly afterwards set out again on an overland journey to Perth. From this expedition he did not return, and nothing certain is known of his fate. SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013 4. LASSETER’S REEF
Lasseter’s Reef, referred to in Robyn Davidson’s book (p.139) – but not in the film version of Tracks – is the purported discovery, announced by Harold
21 decades, the tale of the reef and its discoverer has Bell Lasseter in 1929 and 1930, of a fabulously rich assumed mythic proportions; it is perhaps the most gold deposit in a remote and desolate corner of famous lost mine legend in Australia, and remains a central Australia. Lasseter’s accounts of the find are ‘holy grail’ among Australian prospectors. conflicting and its precise location remains a mys- tery – if it exists. In 1929 and again in 1930, Harold 5. ICONIC AUSTRALIAN FILMS Bell Lasseter (1880–1931) made conflicting claims that he had discovered a rich gold deposit, ‘a vast It’s always a good idea to review past films made gold bearing reef in Central Australia’, and that it about the Australian outback when a new film was located at the western edge of the MacDonnell about this environment is made. Here is a selec- Ranges. By 1930, when Australia was in the grip tion of films set within the Australian landscape of the Great Depression, the attractions of desert that have much to say about the characters – both gold were considerable and Lasseter succeeded in Indigenous and non-Indigenous – who inhabit it: securing approximately £50,000 in private funding • Wake in Fright towards an expedition to relocate the reef. Unusual • Walkabout for the time, this expedition included motorised • Evil Angels / A Cry in the Dark (Fred Schepisi, vehicular transport and an aircraft. 1988) • Jedda (Charles Chauvel, 1955) On 21 July 1930, the group left Alice Springs. • The Proposition (John Hillcoat, 2005) Lasseter was a sullen companion and a vague guide. • Rabbit-Proof Fence Exasperated, his fellow explorers eventually declared • Yolngu Boy (Stephen Johnson, 2001) Lasseter a charlatan and decided to end the expedi- tion. Lasseter, whose behaviour was increasingly 6. ARTESIAN BORES erratic, insisted on continuing the trek, accompanied by a dingo-shooter and his team of camels. At one point in the film, we see Robyn swimming happily in a deep outback pool. In an environ- One afternoon, Lasseter returned to camp with ment where water is an often-frightening scarcity, some concealed rock samples and announced that where does this water originate from? Geography he had relocated the gold reef. He refused to reveal students may know of The Great Artesian Basin, its location. A fight ensued and Lasseter was left to which provides the only reliable source of freshwa- his own devices. Lasseter himself trudged off into ter throughout much of inland Australia. The basin the desert sands with two camels and disappeared. is the largest and deepest artesian basin in the world, stretching over a total of 1,700,000 square A search was conducted and in March 1931 kilometers (660,000 square miles), with measured Lasseter’s emaciated body was found at Winter’s temperatures ranging from 30°C to 100°C. It under- Glen and his personal effects in a cave at Hull’s lies 23 per cent of the continent, including most of Creek. From Lasseter’s diary, it was learned that Queensland, the south-east corner of the Northern his camels had bolted, leaving him alone in the Territory, the north-east part of South Australia desert without any means of sustaining himself and northern New South Wales. The basin is 3000 or returning. He encountered a group of nomadic metres (9800 feet) deep in places and is estimated Aborigines, who rendered assistance with food to contain 64,900 cubic kilometres (15,600 cubic and shelter, but a weakened and blinded Lasseter miles) of groundwater. To tap it, water wells called SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013 eventually died of malnutrition and exhaustion, hav- ‘bores’ are drilled down to a suitable rock layer, ing made a belated attempt to walk from the cave where the pressure of the water forces it up – to Ayers Rock or the Olgas. mostly without pumping – establishing an artificial artesian well. So , underground throughout much of No maps showing the location of the fabled inland Australia is a massive water-source. gold reef were ever found and, over subsequent
22 Curriculum relevance
Both Director John Curran and Producer • an account of the life and nature behind in the big cities; she sees herself Emile Sherman contend that the story of the Australian outback, both as a unprepossessing and insignficant of Tracks could not be more relevant for Indigenous and non-Indigenous; individual. Yet, as we observe, she the current generation. Because the film • showing us the challenges that is anything but, given the challenge adaptation of Robyn’s story has taken confront the adventurer. she sets herself and the success she many years to come to fruition, it will achieves. Can you think of anyone like now also be introducing Robyn’s journey More specifically, the written text and Robyn – an ordinary individual who to a whole new audience. the film make an excellent ‘tandem’ succeeded in achieving an extraordinary combination for the following subjects goal? At the time, Robyn didn’t see her and year levels: aspiration as anything extraordinary, • Year 10 English and Literature; 2. The individual on a quest but it was a momentous undertaking • Year 10 Film and Media Studies; that captured imaginations worldwide. • Year 11 and Year 12 VCE English/ Clearly, our protagonist is on a quest to In the late 1970s, Alice Springs was EAL Contexts: Identity and challenge herself and commit to a taxing not a welcoming place for a young, Belonging; Personal Journeys adventure which will reward her with intelligent, attractive woman from the • Year 12 Literature Units 3&4 the solace of a virtually empty territory city who was determined to make a (Adaptations & Transformations) through which to journey. Does she feel solo journey into a desert that many • Media Studies Units 3&4 that the quest has been worth the effort? had perished in. Having already made the decision to embark on her journey, THEMES OF TRACKS 3. Journeying towards Robyn persevered for two years in Alice self-discovery/identity Springs planning her trip, despite the Themes and issues are an essential somewhat hostile and very masculine feature of study in any text set for Robyn has a particular view of herself environment around her. Her courage students of English from Year Nine as the film opens. What is this view? Do and determination to overcome all of through to VCE. Both the written text you think she has another self-image by the challenges presented to her made and the film of Tracks embrace the the film’s end? What might this be? for an amazing story of remarkable following themes: achievement and an epic adventure. 4. Overcoming adversity Producer and director reflect: 1. Personal challenge and response/the extraordinary within the ordinary; There are a variety of obstacles in As producers looking at taking on a film, 2. The individual on a quest; the way of Robyn’s objective. What the real key question you ask yourself 3. Journeying towards self-discovery/ are these materially, philosophically, is ‘Why this story? Why will people identity emotionally? Are these overcome? be interested in it now?’ For us it felt 4. Overcoming adversity; How? In what way? like the story is more interesting and 5. Connection and disconnection pressing now than it even was back then 6. Civilisation versus barbarity 5. Connection and disconnection when it really did capture the world’s 7. The seductive and dangerous power attention. Robyn wanted to be alone, of the outback; The theme of disconnection in a to work out who she was outside of the 8. Nomads – their nature and connected world is particularly chatter of her middle-class friends who philosophy. significant in the written work of Tracks. were all discussing politics and their Cinematically, the director has also post-university careers. She wanted to To locate and reflect upon these themes, conveyed this through a variety of get away from that and work out who let’s consider the following: techniques: the view of vast landscapes; she actually is. And sometimes to do the unique individuals, both Indigenous that you need to put all distractions 1. Personal challenge and response/ and non-Indigenous, that sparsely aside. In many respects that’s much the extraordinary within the people this terrain; the use of music; harder to do today than it even was ordinary empty, ruined farmhouses and the like then. With technology, satellite phones, all speak of another world removed at smartphones, there’s no way that you Robyn makes the point repeatedly great length from the cityscape and thus could actually do this trip today. So throughout her written text that she presenting and demanding a unique in some ways it makes it even more considers herself an ordinary human response. The ‘connected world’ of SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013 potent. being who is prepared to take on a the residents of Alice Springs – the massive and frightening challenge. This world of pubs, camel farms, fences, In broad and general terms, Curran and is further emphasised in the film in her tourists – is both hostile and dismissive; Sherman are setting out for students the early voiceovers in which she describes in the written text it is often downright curriculum relevance of Tracks as: herself in almost mundane terms as threatening. There are also other ways • a historical account of a ‘bored of life’ and finding nothing much in which Tracks – the film – explores the groundbreaking young woman; of interest in the world she has left ideas of connection and disconnection: 23 Robyn’s family background, for telecommunications, is it possible to with them as they travel. This can be example, is inhabited by a father who, ‘disconnect’ and live a solitary life if observed in the traditional lifestyle of she reminiscences, ‘was happiest on we so choose? Robyn loathed the Indigenous Australians, and may explain his own out in the bush’ – rather like intrusion of nosy tourists and media on why Robyn finds herself comfortably his daughter. Was he a man voluntarily her journey in the 1970s; how would her drawn to these people. Nowadays, ‘disconnected’ from the world of social journey differ if she were to embark on governments in some countries try to interaction? When we see Robyn’s her camel trek today? settle nomadic peoples in permanent father visit her in her abandoned environments and all over the world, farmhouse, we are introduced to a 6. Civilisation versus barbarity with the socio-economic changes we virtually mute character; his body are witnessing, nomadic societies are language suggests he finds it difficult The director makes the point that under threat. Robyn has herself travelled to articulate his feelings. In the ongoing ‘civilisation’ does not necessarily mean with nomadic peoples in India. What series of dreams/flashbacks, her father what we expect this term to mean. The might draw someone to this choice of speaks of sending his daughter away ‘civilised’ world of Alice Springs – in lifestyle? to live with her aunt because he cannot other words, the world of organised bring her up; here is a man who has, for houses, streets and amenities, is LINKS TO THE NATIONAL whatever reasons, chosen to disconnect decidedly unpleasant and unwelcoming. CURRICULUM FOR YEAR himself from his children. Even the dog, What is the first sight that greets Robyn 10 ENGLISH: Goldie, Robyn’s beloved pet, will be put as she walks up the main street? What down. The familial links we all recognise scenes in the early part of the film A number of learning areas in the as essential to family bonding – the demonstrate racism, aggression and National English Curriculum are presence of a parent, a family home, indifference? What lessons can we learn inherently addressed in Tracks: even a pet - are severed – disconnected from indigenous culture as demonstrated – in Robyn’s childhood. Is this why she in the later scenes of the film? English Content Descriptions: prefers her own company? Language. 7. The seductive and dangerous She does, however, connect at a subtle, power of the outback Language variation and change. unconventional level with the character Students should: of Mr. Eddy; why? This character is so Like all themes in any work of literature self-contained, so independent, so alien or cinematic art, this is inextricably -- understand that Standard Australian to her own culture, so aware of the great intertwined with all others. There English in its spoken and written silences and power of the outback he is a constant stream of references forms has a history of evolution and knows so intimately, that he poses no throughout Tracks to the beauty change and continues to evolve threat to Robyn’s own craving for inner of the landscape and the inherent (ACELA1563) solitude. dangers it poses; these are repeatedly contrasted and we are shown how the Language for interaction. Students This may also pose another question for terrain impacts on the human psyche, should: us to consider. When we observe the challenging, threatening, occasionally non-Indigenous residents of the vast destroying those who try to inhabit it. -- understand how language use outback – Geoff, Glendle, Mr. and Mrs. can have inclusive and exclusive Ward – have they chosen to disconnect 8. Nomads – their nature and social effects, and can empower or themselves from the company and philosophy disempower people (ACELA1564) companionship – and no doubt, greater -- understand that people’s evaluations ease – of life in a community? Another significant focus of both the of texts are influenced by their value written and filmed versions of Tracks, systems the context and the purpose The most obvious connection Robyn Robyn tells us that ‘some nomads are at and mode of communication makes on her journey is with Rick. While home everywhere. Others are at home (ACELA1565) he is initially an unwanted companion nowhere and I was one of those.’ This intruding on her desire for solitude and reflection goes some way to explaining Text structure and organisation. compromising everything the journey much of Robyn’s unique character, and Students will: means to her, it is through his care and perhaps the reason why she loves the persistence that Robyn finds a way to desert, peopled as it is by nomads, a -- compare the purposes, text open up to this connection and accept people disconnected voluntarily from structures and language features of his help. We see this in particular in the established, permanent communities. traditional and contemporary texts in SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013 scene where Rick insists on laying water Once again, we can see how the themes different media (ACELA1566) cans along her route ahead to ensure in this text conspicuously interlink. -- evaluate the impact on audiences her safety. A nomad takes what he needs from of different choices in the the land through which he passes, representation of still and moving Finally, in this technologically-powered but ultimately moves on. The word images (ACELA1572) twenty-first century world, with ‘nomad’ comes from a Greek word its growing dependence on social that means ‘one who wanders for Film study is a common element of the media and massive international pasture.’ Nomads, it is said, take home English course at this level, and Tracks 24 provides both a useful text to introduce media terminology and personal VCE ENGLISH/EAL UNITS 3&4 students to cinematic techniques and interpretations to describe the CONTEXTS to potentially provide an introduction structure, content and aesthetic to the works of other Australian writers qualities of film and television texts; Context: Identity and Belonging and cinematographers. The study of film • they study critical approaches to as literature in Year 10 English aims to analyse and interpret media texts; Study guides will tell us that our identity enhance student enjoyment through a • the language of film and television; is a construction of our interests, greater understanding of film as a mode cinematography, sounds and mise- relationships, social activity and of communication and most importantly, en- scene are studied. much more. Our sense of identity and to learn how the meanings created by belonging is impacted upon by various the filmmakers intersect with the world VCE ENGLISH UNITS 1&2 factors, including our family dynamic, of the viewers. CONTEXTS our experiences, relationships and our environment. The journey to find identity • According to the rubric of the These Contexts often foreshadow and belonging can often be a struggle, National Curriculum, this film may or utilise those proscribed for Year since we ask ourselves ‘who am I?’ provide students with a text ‘to 12. For example, Units 1&2 Contexts versus ‘who do others want me to be?’ compare and evaluate a range of such as ‘Who are you?’, ‘Personal and ‘where do I belong? Where do I fit representations of individuals and Journeys’ and ‘Australian Identity’ have in?’ This search is completely subjective, groups in different historical, social a strong connection to the ‘Identity meaning that it is our personal view and cultural contexts’ (ACELT1639). and Belonging’ Context in Units 3&4. that influences our decisions. As the • Students can use Tracks ‘to analyse Tracks applies to these Contexts in the film begins, our protagonist reflects in and evaluate how people, cultures, following ways: voiceover about how she sees herself, places, events, objects, and drawn to a life of solitude, disinterested concepts are represented … through We are presented with a portrait in a mainstream lifestyle that involves language, structural and/or visual of a young woman rejecting the interactions with others. She is a loner choices’ (ACELT1749). typical avenues open to her – study, and wants to remain so. This leads to a • They are also able ‘to analyse employment, developing relationships tacitly hostile and critical response from and explain how text structures, – dedicating her time, training and the established community –those who language features and visual features income to a longed-for goal; she is embark on solo camel treks through the of texts, and the context in which regarded by many as eccentric, by some desert are seen as eccentric to say the texts are experienced, may influence as crazy and by one or two simply as least. audience response’ (ACELT1641). ‘odd’. The ‘Who are you?’ aspect of • Using this film, students can address this film is manifested in the reflections In different situations, we may alter our and ‘evaluate the social, moral and of many of those who react to Robyn’s identity accordingly to the environment ethical positions represented in aspirations and by the voiceovers in and the people we encounter. This texts’ (ACELT1812). which she reflects about herself. ‘Who is usually due to our innate desire to • Finally, Tracks provides an example are you?’ is further ironically illustrated belong, sacrificing or amending our for students to ‘compare and in the relationship with publicity that identity to do so. This is not the case evaluate a range of representations Robyn has to suffer as ‘the camel for Robyn, however; she accepts that of individuals and groups in different lady’, gawked at by passing tourists she must work to earn money to buy historical, social and cultural and photographed by Rick Smolan – her camels, but she will not compromise contexts’ (ACELT1639). circumstances in which she sees herself to belong; she will wear an Afghan as nothing but a subject for a magazine costume reluctantly in order to bring in FILM & MEDIA STUDIES: YEAR 10 cover or a random snapshot. It is only an income, but this is for purely practical when Robyn is alone in the desert, reasons. In general, Media Studies at Year 10 finding her way through the punishing level involves studying aspects of both climate and surroundings, that she is Belonging, the other half of this Context, film and television, with a series of fully aware of herself as an individual means to feel a sense of welcome and projected Outcomes: and most ‘comfortable in her own skin’. acceptance to someone or something. As suggested by Maslow’s hierarchy of • students develop the ability to The ‘Personal Journeys’ Context is needs (a psychological theory centered critically analyse film and television undoubtedly addressed as we witness on humans’ innate desire for fulfillment), texts in a range of ways; the progress, triumphs and sorrows belonging is a need that we naturally
• they work towards understanding in Robyn’s amazing experience. The seek in order to feel loved. In the same SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013 the aesthetics, styles and formats of ‘Australian Identity’, another Year 11 manner as our identities, there are many film and television texts; Context, can be addressed as we forms of belonging. Relationships – with • they develop the ability and see the variety of characters – both family, friends, partners, associates and knowledge to explain ways in which Indigenous and European – that pass in the workplace – may give us a sense media texts reinforce or challenge through the story and assess how, if at of belonging that is vital or a sense of social, cultural and artistic values; all, Australians might identify with these rejection that is painful. A social milieu • they learn to use appropriate individuals or repudiate these portrayals. evokes for the individual a feeling of 25 inclusion, but Robyn reacts against our opinions and beliefs begin to -- Unit 3: Narrative and media much of these connections. She regards differentiate from those around us. production design; herself as a nomad; relationships are During this time, some people may -- Unit 4: Media: process, influence more of a hindrance than anything else – discover where they belong, whereas and society’s values. unless they are with her animals! many others do not. It is not solely at one stage of our lives when we are Tracks, therefore, presents as an If we fail to find a sense of belonging, confronted with an identity crisis; it is excellent and highly relevant text for isolation and depression often ensues. a continuous challenge throughout our study. However, there are those who do not lives as we encounter new experiences belong but are in fact liberated by that will alter our thoughts, emotions Unit 1 their independence. This may be due and perspective on ourselves. to their desire to rebel against family Area of Study 1: Focus: An analysis of tradition, friends’ expectations or work LITERATURE UNITS 3&4 media representations and how such commitment and thus are pleased to be representations depict, for example, set apart. Of course, what we do notice A specific requirement of this subject is events, people, places, organisations towards the end of the film is that Robyn the ‘Adaptations and Transformations’ and ideas. suddenly becomes aware that there may, aspect of the course. This task requires after all, be an element missing in her life. an analysis of how the form of a text Area of Study 2: Focus: Technologies She declares sorrowfully, ‘I’m so alone’. influences meaning, and may be of representation; different media forms presented in written, oral or multimedia and their features and practices. What influences identity and belonging? form. Unit 3 Everything and everyone can influence Students are required to study a written a person’s identity and belonging. While text and its adaptation to the screen, Area of Study 1: Focus: The narrative some influences can be major, such as and to analyse how meaning changes construction of film, television or drama a move from one country and culture when the form of the text changes. texts; students learn that narrative is a to another, or relationship with one’s Both Davidson’s text and Curran’s film fundamental element of construction of family, other influences may be minor, function as excellent examples on which meaning in media products. for example an incident with a friend to practise/prepare for the compulsory many years ago. Tracks suggests that SAC in this subject. Unit 4 for the protagonist, the painful events of her childhood may have influenced The VCE Study Design sets out that Area of Study 2: Focus: Media texts and her decision to ‘go it alone’ through life. teachers should develop an assessment society’s values; students undertake the After all, her mother has ‘left’ her, her task that allows the student to: study of an identified significant idea, father ‘leaves’ her because he believes social attitude or discourse … to critically she needs a woman’s care, her dog • identify the way forms of texts are analyse its representation in the media. Goldie ‘leaves’ her because he has to significant in the making of meaning; be put down. Is it possible that she fears • identify and discuss the conventions Area of Study 3: Focus: Media influence; or rejects connections and commitment used in particular forms of texts; students explore the complexity of for fear of this recurring? Is this why she • analyse the ways in which the the relationship between the media, is prickly and distant with people? For original and transformed texts are its audiences and wider community in different people, the same experience constructed; terms of the nature and extent of the may have affected them to different • identify the similarities and media’s influence. extents, for example. Although we all live differences between the original and in the same world, where many of our the adapted or transformed text; In this subject, at both Year 11 and Year experiences overlap, the reason why we • comment on and explore the 12, the study of narrative structures and are all unique is because we ultimately significance of changes made in the social values demonstrated through choose what does or does not impact adaptation or transformation and a variety of texts – including film – are us in a crucial or unimportant way. It is their effects on the ways meaning is explored. Story elements working with the myriad parts of our lives that come created; production elements include: together that create our identity. We can • have the opportunity to demonstrate see how Robyn becomes, by the film’s the highest level of performance. • the point of view from which the end, the sum of the many experiences narrative is presented; in her life – good or bad, happy or sad – MEDIA STUDIES UNITS 1, 3 & 4 • camera/film/techniques and qualities SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013 that has made her who she is. including shot selection, movement The content and focus of the four Units and focus; Is there ever struggle with identity and of the VCE Media Studies course are: • lighting; belonging? • acting; -- Unit 1: Representation and • visual composition and mise en Everyone has struggled with their technologies of representation; scène; identity and belonging during a chapter -- Unit 2: Media production and the • sound, including dialogue, music of their life. There comes a time when media industry; and sound effects. 26 Activities
Year 10 English & Literature
1 Before viewing the film. Class discussion/note- taking
1. What knowledge do you have of the ‘outback’ of Australia? What does this term mean to you? Could you name a town or area that would be classified as such? 2. Using your atlas, locate the follow- ing areas: Alice Springs, Areyonga, the MacDonnell Ranges, Docker River, Meekatharra, Woodleigh. 3. Using Google search, write a brief note on: Pipalyatjara, Warburton, Meekatharra. Here are some sites for you to use:
5. Draw up a list of essentials you Robyn when she is obviously have preferred to be included in SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013 would need on a trip through this annoyed with his intrusions? the film version, and why? country. Include: 5. Does the subtext explain Robyn’s • Select a particular passage from the • Form(s) of transport desire to be alone? Give reasons written text and compare it to an • Clothing for your answer. equivalent aspect of the film. You • Technology 6. How do you view her journey? might consider landscape depiction, • Food and water supplies characterisation or social issues. • Security What observations do you make? 27 Year 10 Film and Media behind this structure? (Think of Story elements: Studies chronology/flashbacks/routines - Cause and effect depicted) - Setting Activities: ‘… to compare and (2) What is the most striking visual - Point of view of the director/ evaluate a range of representations of feature of this film and what impact producer/characters individuals and groups in different his- does in have on the audience? - Editing techniques and how they torical, social and cultural contexts.’ contribute to how audiences may (National Curriculum) ‘… evaluate the social, moral and ethi- read and understand the narrative cal positions represented in texts …’ - Relationships between characters Written Tasks / Working in (National Curriculum) / multiple storylines / genres / pairs structuring of time Questions: Questions: (1) What are the ‘social, moral and Section B: media texts (1) How are outback Australians rep- ethical positions’ represented in and society’s values resented in Tracks? Describe two this text? scenes in which this representation (2) Who represents them? Tasks: What contrasting values is provided. are held by the non-Indigenous (2) Is the historical context of the ‘compare and evaluate a range of Australians in this text? 1970s emphasised? representations of individuals and (3) What is the relationship between groups in different historical, social - Explain the effect of these values Indigenous and non-Indigenous and cultural contexts …’ (National on the protagonist. Australia as depicted in this film? Curriculum) - Describe a social issue or dis- Identify at least three scenes in course evident in this example of which this relationship is observed Questions: media. by the filmmakers. (1) How are we urged to evaluate the - What is a dominant and emerging (4) What aspects of Indigenous cul- following: value evident in this text? ture are shown in this film? Provide • ‘White’ Australians in Alice two examples. Springs? Section C: media • ‘White’ Australians in outback influence: ‘… people, cultures, places, events, settlements? objects and concepts … represented tasks: Compare two communication … through language, structural and/or Activity for VCE Media: theories or models. visual choices.’ (National Curriculum) There are three media types to con- - Compare two theories of audience. Questions: sider in this subject: (1) What visual choices does the Activities (Written) for VCE director make to show us: • Tracks, the written text; English Contexts • the landscape of the outback? • Tracks, the film What point is he making here? • National Geographic Magazine ‘Identity and Belonging’ – Prompts • the differences between ‘white’ and Indigenous responses to We therefore have three related • It is difficult to possess a sense of the landscape? texts with which to study and pre- belonging when we are unsure of • objects: the compass, the pare for the structured end-of-year our own identity. camera, Robyn’s clothing, the examination paper. Its three sec- • Our identity determines where we animals – how are they used to tions – (A) Narrative, (B) Media Texts belong. emphasise particular ideas in and Society’s Values, and (C) Media • Only upon reflection can we estab- the story? Influence – conform precisely to the lish our identity. structure, social context and issues • Mistakes help shape our identity. ‘… text structures, language features pertinent to the Study Design of this • Everyone needs to feel a sense of and visual features of texts and the course. For example: belonging. SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013 context in which texts are experienced • Each person has different identi- and influence upon audience response Section A: narrative ties for different relationships and …’ (National Curriculum) situations. tasks: Identify production elements. • Without connection to others there Questions: is no me. (1) What are the structural features - How are they used to communi- • Having a sense of being different of this text? What is the intention cate ideas? makes it difficult to belong. 28 -history-of-australias-muslim 13. Full cast & crew of Tracks:
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