Shoot The Player began over a beer with Vincent Moon in Paris. Amazed that Vincent knew of very few Australian musicians, Amelia scribbled a list on the back of a coaster and handed it to him. The list was the reason to start Shoot The Player, it read: Jack Ladder, Dappled Cities, Pikelet & Holly Throsby.

We finally met Holly, along with Bree (and Jones the dog) on one of the hottest days of the summer – it was officially 44 degrees in the sun. We’d arranged to make a special Shoot the Piano Player film at one of Luke Jerram’s public pianos, planted randomly in the city for Sydney Festival. Filming at the pianos was unpredictable and required patience. We were used to sharing our environment but sharing the main instrument and waiting our turn was something new and kind of charming. The brightly painted Centennial Park piano attracted a steady stream of dog walkers and kids, puzzled by the appearance of an upright in the middle of the paperbark grove. We watched and enjoyed their casual performances, but by the time Holly and Bree arrived and were ready to play, the locals had continued on their way, leaving us alone to capture this lovely version of On Longing.

Holly Throsby: On Longing

We were keen to get a guitar track filmed as well, but we had to hurry. As we walked towards a wooden platform that floated like a raft in the middle of a colonnade of trees, the first cracks of thunder joined the chorus of cicadas and kookaburras. As so often happens on hot, humid days in Sydney, rain was on the way. Jones bounced and barked around us, interrupting the first few takes with adorable enthusiasm, until finally (and under a lot of pressure!) we were able to capture a full take of To Begin With, occasionally punctuated by the sounds of the impending storm. We got out just in time before the rain started and the lightning flashed overhead – amazingly caught on film!

Holly Throsby: To Begin With

A dramatic end to a lovely shoot.

– Jonathan & Amelia

www.myspace.com/hollythrosby

www.hollythrosby.com