Last night, at Gage Roads on Victoria Quay at Fremantle Port, VAM Media’s new six-part documentary series Shipwreck Hunters Australia had its premiere screening to great acclaim.
The series is the first Australian documentary for Disney+, with principal production investment from Screen Australia in association with Screenwest and the Western Australian Screen Fund.
Filming took place off Western Australia’s vast coastline, often referred to as the ‘Treasure Coast’, the resting place for a predicted 1,600 shipwrecks. There, a team of highly skilled divers and underwater filmmakers along with expert maritime archaeologists from the Western Australian Museum, dived into one of the planet’s most spectacular ocean environments, showcasing thrilling discoveries and looking to solve some iconic shipwreck mysteries. Combining new evidence, the latest technologies and archival research, Shipwreck Hunters Australia is a fresh and vibrant journey into the mysterious past led by modern day ocean adventurers.
Director and producer Brendan Hutchens (Drawn to Water) of VAM Media teamed up with the professional divers and underwater filmmakers from Terra Australis to bring these long-lost shipwreck secrets and new discoveries to the screen. They are joined by series producer Katherine Barrett (Aussie Gold Hunters), and executive producer Steve Bibb (former ABC Head of Factual and owner of Barking Mad Productions).
Before filming, producer and director Brendan Hutchens of VAM Media said, “I’m incredibly excited to be working with a unique team of highly skilled divers, master mariners, ocean filmmakers and maritime archaeologists to share these captivating West Australian-based stories with the world. And what a platform to be sharing it on! We’re over the moon to be bringing Shipwreck Hunters Australia to Disney+. We’re grateful for the support from our production funding partners and for the hard work of our brilliant production team. Teaming up with the Western Australian Museum brings another level of expertise to these expeditions which will be action packed and full of adventure. It’s going to be epic.”
Well, last night at Gage Roads the series premiered to great acclaim. The first episode of the 6 parter was shown to a packed house of enthralled patrons.
You won’t want to miss the series, now available on the Disney+ streaming service.
The vision of Fremantle and the Treasure Coast is simply superb.
It makes you want to go and sink a vessel just to get these guys to dive and make a second series soon!
Great work to VAM and all concerned.
* By Michael Barker, Editor, Fremantle Shipping News
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