Grammys and Academy Award winner Paul Williams may not have looked like a superstar, but in the 70s he ruled the airwaves with hits such as Barbara Streisand's Evergreen and the Carpenter's We've Only Just Begun, not to mention Kermit the Frog's biggest hit, The Rainbow Connection.

One day though, he went from being everywhere to nowhere, and filmmaker and fan Stephen Kessler presumed he had died. When he discovered recently Paul was alive and well he convinced Paul to let him make a documentary, but it wasn’t all plain sailing.

Stephen kindly took the time to have a quick chat about the challenges of making a film about a man who doesn’t want to be filmed.

Grammys and Academy Award winner Paul Williams may not have looked like a superstar, but in the 70s he ruled the airwaves with hits such as Barbara Streisand's Evergreen and the Carpenter's We've Only Just Begun, not to mention Kermit the Frog's biggest hit, The Rainbow Connection.

One day though, he went from being everywhere to nowhere, and filmmaker and fan Stephen Kessler presumed he had died. When he discovered recently Paul was alive and well he convinced Paul to let him make a documentary, but it wasn’t all plain sailing.

Stephen kindly took the time to have a quick chat about the challenges of making a film about a man who doesn’t want to be filmed.

When you decided to ask Paul Williams to let you make a documentary, did you ever imagine it would be so challenging? Did you imagine you’d end up in the documentary as much you are?

SK: I didn't plan on being in the documentary. It was only after I'd filmed it that friends said to me, "Do you realize the funniest part of this film is that you're following this guy and he doesn't want you around? You should put that in." So I did. I realized that seeing how Paul (SPOILER ALERT!) comes to trust me said a lot about the guy he is today.

I love the way Paul refuses to play along and therefore helps define the style of the film. As a filmmaker though, was this frustrating or liberating?

SK: It was just what was happening from day to day, and I was getting it on film. Probably, it happens all the time on documentaries - they just don't show it. And I think that, by showing how Paul's feeling in the moment, people feel like what they are seeing is very honest - and it becomes fun for them to watch.

When someone doesn’t really want to be filmed, how do you go about filming them? Does it come down to the size of your crew and camera, or is it still all about your relationship with the subject?

SK: I don't think you can film someone who really doesn't want to be filmed. I think Paul wanted to be filmed. He just really didn't like it a lot of the time. It helps that cameras are so small now, so that what you're doing kind of feels like you're making a home movie. It's only after it's on a big screen or TV that the person you're filming says, "Holy crap, we were really making a movie!" As to my relationship with my subject, in the case of Paul I think he could tell early on that I was this huge crazy fan. So I think the idol worship helped.

What did you learn about Paul Williams the man during the making of this documentary that’s inspired you?

SK: That he is a musical genius, and that as a genius, he just works and works and doesn't judge whether his work is good or bad. And within that, he makes some astounding works of art. It is inspirational to me every day.

Did Paul get final cut approval? What was his reaction to the film?

SK: Not exactly final cut approval, but in the beginning, when we were strangers, I told him I would take out anything he didn't like. I had to. We were strangers, and I figured, who knows if I'll ever even finish this film? When Paul saw the final film, I was there and very very nervous. But he cried at the end. He didn't really ask for any changes - but he did want to make sure that he credited his turnaround in life to his recovery from drugs and alcohol.

You’re a short film Academy Award nominee, have directed feature films, worked on countless television commercials and have completed your first documentary. If the dream project was to drop into your lap now, what would it be?

SK: That is such a wonderful question that tomorrow, when I visit with my psychiatrist, I am going to ponder why I've never asked it of myself. What makes me happiest right now is boiling eggs for my awesome girlfriend Heather.



Best of luck with that! Thanks again for taking the time to talk to us, and for reminding us about the marvelous Paul Williams.
SK: You're welcome. If anyone knows where I can get some good squid in New Zealand, please let me know. You can get in touch with us on that thing called Facebook.

Paul Williams: Still Alive premieres on Thursday 3rd October, 8.30pm on Rialto Channel.