When journalist David Farrier discovered Competitive Endurance Tickling, he thought he had found a perfect subject for a piece on his bizarre stories segment. The more he researched the topic though, the more he realized there was something darker lurking there. He decided to make a chronicle of his investigation, and with co-director Dylan Reeve, made Tickled a thrilling documentary that’s being released in the US, after a successful festival run. I spoke to the filmmakers about homophobia, the film’s open ending and what makes something “bizarre”.

It’s unfortunate to think how timely Tickled is given the mass shooting in Orlando, because they both touch on homophobia, both blatant and internalized, and its repercussions. Have you been thinking about the film in a new light after this?

David Farrier: I think it’s interesting because a few of the people we interview in the film are from Orlando, so that hit home pretty quickly. On a bigger level you’re right, there is a level in the film about homophobia and what it could do. They are very different situations but they are bred in the same environment.

We also see the two different perspectives on tickling, as we have Richard Ivey who proudly showcases it as a fetish, and the Jane O’Brien people who claim it’s a sport. Were you fascinated by how the same thing can mean something different to two completely different audiences?

Dylan Reeve: Jane O’Brien at first was very specific about how the videos they made were not fetish material, not erotica, and were a sport. It was so clear upon watching them that it was not what they were, it was what first drew us to them. It’s unusual to see people denying the reality, it made it very intriguing. It was refreshing to see Richard so comfortable with who he was and what he does.

Did take you down a path of trying to define what exactly makes something a sport?

Dylan Reeve: Not that much, sports have identifiable goals or scores, which wasn’t the case with competitive endurance tickling.

David, as someone who has worked in television for so long, can you share some insight into why broadcasters prefer not to cater at all to a gay demographic? I mean, I’m a proud gay man and the only reason I ever tune in to sports is to watch the hot players. Don’t you think this is a market they’re missing out on?

David Farrier: That was what was unusual when we looked at the videos originally, they were quite homoerotic, but the company didn’t want to encourage gay participants or viewers. There was a dissonance there. Part of the thrill of competitive endurance tickling is that it has to be heterosexual men, the nature of that is revealed in the film. In mainstream sports it’s ridiculous, in New Zealand one of the coaches of a rugby team said he couldn’t wait for the day when they had their first full-back, I’m sure it will happen someday, but sports make it difficult for players to say they’re gay.

Dylan Reeve: There is also the thing that it’s all money and advertising driven, and people are scared of alienating an old audience to bring in a new audience. But society is changing.

One of the things that made me laugh the hardest watching the film was in the first scene when you talk about “the bizarre” and we see an image of Justin Bieber. So I guess my question is, how do you determine what makes something bizarre or worth telling?

David Farrier: I started doing entertainment journalism so if Justin Bieber was in New Zealand I’d try to talk to him, and then in the bizarre stories I focused on people with bizarre stories, whether it’s a survivalist who’s eating a dead frog or a woman who’s obsessed with donkeys. I gravitated to that because no one else was covering it in my station.

There is enough in the film to make a sequel as well, when you set out to make the film did you wish to present us with a resolution, rather than an open ending?

Dylan Reeve: When we started making the film we didn’t know if there would be an end. It was scary for us to embark on this not knowing if we would present an answer. The conclusion we reach in the film gives some sort of closure, but indeed the story has carried on. There were also things we didn’t have room to put in the film.

How did you decide you had to finish the film then?

David Farrier: We ran out of money (laughs) but also in my mind we do have an ending. If you’re left with more questions that’s fine, it’s fun to Google what happened after the film. Other crazy things are happening now about the film but that’s a story for another day.

How would you say that your experience telling stories in two minutes on TV helped when it came to editing the documentary? Is the expansive canvas just another form, or the one you want to stick to from now on?

David Farrier: This lent itself to be told in a longer format, but each format has its strength, it can be fun to make a two minute story. It’s challenging to make a longer story, but I had a great team and over a couple of years we did a film we’re very proud of.

You said you were excited the film was picked by HBO because it would be with your favorite shows. In your ideal world what show will accompany a viewing of Tickled? I personally think it would be a fun thing to watch after Sex and the City…

David Farrier: (Laughs) We were aiming more for the Game of Thrones audience. They’ll be watching Game of Thrones and then there will be tickling. But we love HBO shows, so whatever they end up watching will be a good option.

Dylan Reeve: We’re in good company.

Tickled is now in theaters.