Stark, a 47-year-old Vancouver filmmaker, has spent the last six years and nearly $500,000 putting together a documentary called One Life No Regrets. The documentary explores extreme exposure to fear and Stark is using his own
Stark soon found himself standing at the head of a table, face-to-face with Bono, the Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr.
“Immediately, Bono was very kind ... and he stood up and shook my hand,” said Stark, who then launched into an explanation of his project.
“I said (former U2 producers) Steve Lillywhite was in the movie and so was Daniel Lanois — and that’s when they were really listening.”
Finally, Stark popped the big question: Could he sing on stage with the band this week, conquer his fear, and finally finish his long-standing documentary?
“Maybe a second after I said that, Bono said, ‘Sure’ as if it was the easiest thing in the world. He said, ‘What are you doing Friday night?’ ”
Stark told Bono that he already had a pair of tickets to the show.
“Then he said, ‘Friday night’s the night.’ ”
Stark then gave his contact information to one of U2’s assistants, bid the band farewell, and walked back to his friend waiting at the front of the restaurant.
“I got to pitch the band directly and the answer was ‘yes,’ ” Stark said.
The filmmaker hasn’t been given any details yet and acknowledged there’s very much still a chance the project may not pan out on Friday.
“I do have my (film) crew on standby and on Friday, I will be at the arena,” he said, noting everything else is out of his hands.
“There’s nothing else I can do, other than listen to more U2, read lyrics over and over again and that’s about it.
“I was like, ‘Oh my god. This is really going to happen and I have to face this now.’ ”