Ellies Pearling
Beneath the Surface
Credits
Director
Sam Thies
Producer
Sam Thies
Editor
Sam Thies
Cinematographer
Brendan Shambrook
Underwater Cinematographer
Mark Broadbent
Camera Assistant
Dave Cordell
Assistant Producer
Sarah Ritchie
Drone Operator
Brendan Shambrook
Second Drone Operator
Dave Cordell
Second Camera Assistant
William Edmunds
Sound Engineer
Ross Batten
Photographer
Sam Thies
Second Photographer
Cieran Murphy
BENEATH THE SURFACE
ELLIES PEARLING
2017 – 2019
11°55’04.6″S 136°31’50.5″E
Man-eaters, cyclones, and the bends, race riots, slavery and fortune. The deadly yet lucrative frontier of Broome, Western Australia in the late 1800’s was where it all began for Ellies Pearling, Australia’s oldest South Sea Pearling company.
This film pays homage to the tough early years and deep dives into the company’s current operations by exploring the characters that have brought its story to life.
The contrasts of who have shaped its success are vast, yet there’s an underlying theme of resilience, collaboration and passion that runs through all involved.
From the rugged and remote environment where the pearl is conceived to the modern metropolis of its journey’s end, many cultures and characters are intertwined and ultimately influenced by the romance of the world’s only organically formed gem.
Full-length film screening on Qantas In-flight Entertainment from January to June 2020.
