OUR TEAM
We're a talented bunch of natural history buffs, 'Taswegians', scientists, cinematographers, industry experts and muscians who love sharing the wonders of our blue backyard and are joining forces to bring this ambitious project to life.
Sheree Marris
DIRECTOR/
WRITER
Brett Shorthouse
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER /
CO-PRODUCER
Sheree Marris is a Marine Biologist, author, communicator and one of Australia’s most passionate and dynamic marine ambassadors. Through radio talkback, television appearances and hosting documentaries she has gained a reputation as an expert in her field. An award winning author, Sheree has recently finished her fifth book which has transformed into a documentary for Network Ten; Melbourne Down Under – a marine environment more diverse and colourful than any tropical reef. Preceding this, the highly successful KamaSEAtra - Secrets of Sex in the Sea, a humorous read about the unique reproductive methods of sea creatures and the parallels they share with humans.
As a Director of production organisation Digital Dimensions from1996 - 2012, produced over 25 hours of high quality programs for international broadcasters, the Australian corporate sector and a broad cross section of federal, state and local government departments, and similar corporate programming since 1988. Strong track record of producing and delivering a diverse range of complex projects on schedule and within budget, including many specific target audience programs on health, science, education, indigenous and maritime communications.
Jennifer Bottle
CO-PRODUCER
/WRITER
Jennifer Bottle is a Tasmanian writer, producer, director and presenter with over twenty years’ experience in broadcast and corporate media. She has lived and worked extensively interstate and in 2007 launched Sydney-based digital production service Bottlemedia – creating innovative, results-driven video content and commercials for leading global and Australian brands.
Now returned to Tasmania, Jennifer is passionate about her home state and its natural environment and excited to be part of a team helping reveal its untold stories through film. Jennifer also continues to work with clients locally and abroad through Bottlemedia, and is a senior creative writer for Australian Radio Network’s stations across Tasmania.
Wade Fairley
DOP
CINEMATOGRAPHER
Wade Fairley is a digital media producer, videographer, editor and writer with over 30 years professional practice in broadcast and online media production. He has an extensive background in high-end broadcast media and has contributed to landmark productions for the ABC and BBC natural history units. His cinematography work has been featured in; The Magical Land of Oz - ABC & BBC, Great Migrations - National Geographic, Devil Diaries - Animal Planet & Nine Network Australia, Mawson – Beyond Human Limits - Channel 4 UK & ABC, South Pacific - BBC and the Great Barrier Reef - BBC.
Mark Ferns
SECOND DIRECTOR/
CO-WRITER
Mark Ferns is a zoologist, researcher, writer and director with thirty years experience in television production - specialising in science, environmental and nature documentaries for international broadcasters. Mark started his working life running ecotourism operations in New Zealand, before joining TVNZ. He went on to write and direct international co-productions for Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, National Geographic, PBS (Nature), NDR Germany and NHK Japan. Those projects ranged from Australia's tropical reefs to the deserts of Arizona and from the rainforests of Borneo, Costa Rica and Venezuela to the Arctic tundra.
Jon Shaw ACS
UNDERWATER
CINEMATOGRAPHER
Jon Shaw ACS from Ginclearfilm became a certified diver at 13, commercially trained at 19 and gained his instructor rating at 21. He holds a BSc (Hons) Degree in Marine Biology from the University of Plymouth and was fully accredited by the Australian Cinematographers Society in 2019. He's an Emmy Nominee, has filmed for all the major networks here in Australia and internationally with BBC, ABC, National Geographic and Discovery. His work has won multiple awards including five ACS (Australian Cinematographers Society) Awards and four AACTA’s (Australian Academy for Cinema Television and the Arts) for Cinematography for his work on BLUE, Magical Land of Oz and Australia's Ocean Odyssey. He's experienced in shooting on all formats including IMAX, Dome, 3D, VR, multi camera high resolution and high speed cameras.
Simon Christidis ACS
UNDERWATER
CINEMATOGRAPHER
With over 30 years experience in the industry, Simon is a world expert underwater cinematographer. He pushes technological boundaries and is renowned in the industry as an innovator, custom engineering his own housings. This has given him a platform to capture highly unique footage, which is why he's in demand on complex and large scale projects around the world. His talents have been recognised with many accolades including the Cesar Award and Danish Film Academy Awards for best documentary film, ACS national gold award and national golden tripod award. His work includes high budget feature films such as Thirteen Lives to blue-chip documentaries including Oceans.
Kyle Gardner
DRONE SPECIALIST
Kyle Gardner is the founder of Aerial Vision Australia, one Tasmania's longest established UAV/Drone operators. Kyle has an extensive and varied career in commercial aviation, involving experience on more than 40 aircraft types. His experience has encompassed air transport, aerial photography and precision supply drops into remote areas. He has built and currently operates his own 2 seat amphibian aircraft, and is an active member of the Seaplane Pilots Association. Kyle has considerable experience in computing, electronics and avionics development including experience in custom UAV and electronics design through flight testing to then commercial operations. He enjoys developing systems that will allow his UAV's to conduct operations that are normally not achievable from production UAV's or other traditional methods.
Max Moller
CINEMATOGRAPHER
Max Moller is the Director of Photography with specialisation in Tactical Field Crew (TFC) . He can gain access to some of the most remote areas deep in wildlife habitat. In a previous life, Max served time in the armed special forces with survival skills in high mountain altitudes to deserts and forests, but has since swapped his weapons to shoot with a camera. Unable to shake his love for adrenaline, Max now spends his time hiking, rafting and climbing to remote areas searching for endangered animals or interesting natural areas. Max is fluent in both English and Spanish and approaches everything he does with equally adrenaline pumped enthusiasm. Not only is Max an energetic presenter with footage and service credits including National Geographic, Extreme Fishing, David Attenborough and many others but also as a cameraman and filmmaker he can shoot some of the most interesting and hard to find species with creative and artistic flair.
Prof Jamie Seymour
HIGH SPEED SPECIALIST
Professor Seymour is one of the world’s most well respected marine scientists with an expertise in venomous marine animals and coral reef systems. His skills as a well known global science communicator, researcher and consultant are in high demand which is why you’ll see him featuring in documentaries and advising on big budget movies. His list of talents also include underwater cinematography with a focus on documenting high speed marine animal behaviours never been filmed before.
John Smith
UNDERWATER
CINEMATOGRAPHER
John Smith is an experienced underwater cinematographer based in Tasmania with a background in engineering and the airforce. So not only does he capture unique underwater cinematography and animal behaviours, he knows a thing or two about re-engineering camera equipment to get the best possible shots. His work has featured in documentaries including Melbourne Down Under which has screened multiple times on Network Ten.
Maria Grenfell
TASMANIAN
COMPOSER
Gary Bell
PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHER
Gary Bell is one of the world's most distinguished nature and wildlife photographers. His dedication and passion for capturing moments in nature has won him a string of international awards with work featured in major nature magazines, such as National Geographic, Australian Geographic, advertising campaigns and many other publications. He's published books, calenders, had his imagery featured on stamps, clothing and even coins. Some of these projects have featured Tasmanian wildlife and landscapes above and below the water. Behind this brilliant photographer is a man with a deep respect for wildlife and the environment - with a passion to explore new ecosystems and capture on camera the extraordinary beauty of the natural world. He's won numerous awards including multiple Australasia Underwater Photographer of the Year (He is the only person to have won this award for three consecutive years). Gary is also the founder of Oceanwide Images Stock Photo Library.
Maria's music has been described as “expansive, effusive and energetic”, “magic,” “refreshingly groovy” and “brilliantly crafted.” Her work takes much of its influence from poetic, literary and visual sources and from non-Western music and literature. Winner of the Tasmanian State Award for Ten Suns Ablaze in 2013, and Spirals in
2018 at the Australian Art Music Awards, Maria’s orchestral music has been commissioned, performed or recorded by all the major symphony orchestras in Australia, and her chamber music is played regularly around the world. Born in Malaysia, she completed composition studies in Christchurch, New Zealand before undertaking further studies at the Eastman School
of Music in Rochester, New York, and the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. Maria mentors emerging composers through various composer development programs. She is an Associate Professor and Co-ordinator of Composition at the University of Tasmania Conservatorium of Music. The music for Quoll Farm is her first film soundtrack, composed during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.