Life in One Chord

From the quiet suburbs of Dunedin, to packed venues and signing with international record labels, Shane Carter has never been one to follow the rules — and his music shows it. Life in One Chord chronicles his early teenage punk ambitions, to being swept up in the Dunedin sound, forming band Straitjacket Fits, and his later reinvention with Dimmer. Directed by Margaret Gordon (Into the Void) and narrated by Carol Hirschfeld, Life in One Chord fuses candid interviews, extensive archival footage and Carter’s own sharp reflections to capture the grit, chaos, and creativity behind his music and legacy.

Out here there's nothing else to do, so I just got up and wrote every day. Every disgraceful thing I've done in my life, I just wrote it down. It's great.

– Shayne Carter on growing up in suburban Dunedin, at the start of this trailer

Key Cast & Crew

Shayne Carter

Subject

Rick Harvie

Producer

Jackson Harry

Composer

Margaret Gordon

Producer, Director

Patrick McCabe

Editor

James Ellis

Cinematographer