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Clip description
Molony is driving through the suburbs of Canberra talking to interviewer Robin Hughes about how he went about finding a job after so many years in the church. Without a reference from his former colleagues, and too proud to ask and risk a refusal, he decided to begin his working life in a factory.
Curator’s notes
Chequerboard began in 1967 and continued for nine years until 1977. The program was always thoroughly researched to find people with compelling stories that told something about Australian society. The series talked extensively to academics and other social commentators about trends in society from which the filmmakers would select the issues to be explored. They would then use their skilled team of researchers to find people willing to tell their own story in their own words. The series developed its own ethical guidelines including a discussion with the interviewee to ensure that they gave careful thought to how the program would be seen by their family and community.
Filming Molony as he goes about his daily life, instead of in the studio, was an innovative method of filming at the time, known as 'observational’ or 'fly-on-the-wall’. Chequerboard was responsible for bringing this new style of documentary into Australian living rooms. It very effectively creates a sense of contact with the interviewee. Also here the producer has chosen to set this part of the interview driving through Molony’s home suburb, so we get a good look at the environment he lives in, rather than a sterile studio set. Although this convention became very common later, it was innovative at the time, and contributed to the wide appeal of Chequerboard.
