Archive for July, 2011

2011 Exclusive Final interview with Hal and Di (Part 2)

14. Directorial duties for ‘Sea Patrol’ have been shared between two directors each series. Can you describe the logistics of this when shooting a drama completely out of order?

The shooting of Sea Patrol is dictated by the availability of the Navy Patrol Boat. The Navy gave us roughly 40 days at sea each season. Obviously we needed to choose the best weather window in FNQ and it is September to November each year. Given we never know exactly what we could actually achieve each day at sea, all we could do is schedule all the ‘at sea’ material first and get what we could. Then, figure out how to get the stuff we missed out on.

All the directors agreed this was a very pragmatic way to work and went out each day and gave it their best shot. As the saying goes ‘Some days we ate the bear, other days the bear ate us’. That’s okay. Of course the directors needed to be very experienced and be able to say exactly what shots they wanted for every sequence and do this literally months before they shot the sequence. Amazing ability really. All credit to them. So to complete, we’d fly down to the Gold Coast and shoot all our locations and our various sets and of course all the interiors of the Hammersley (sets built exactly to match) to make up all the missing parts of the jigsaw puzzle.

15. Many contemporary TV dramas seem to use arrangements of popular music to back their shows. What are the reasons for choosing to use all original music in ‘Sea Patrol’?

We felt that Sea Patrol deserved an original score so Les Gock, his son Adam Gock and Dinesh Wicks wrote every note of music you hear, specifically for each scene. What a job! And how well did they do it? Because a song is just a song.

16. How can the Australian Government and/or Australian TV industry best (and most sustainably) assist shows like ‘Sea Patrol’ to continue beyond 65 episodes? What’s the most workable solution to the current Producer Tax Offset situation?

It’s a dilemma really, as the Tax Offset has become a penalty for success. For whatever reason the previous government put a proviso in the original legislation limiting the payment of the 20% rebate up to a total of 65 episodes. Perhaps they didn’t want to extend an open-ended government subsidy to a commercial business like a network. Perhaps they were being democratic – spreading the funds around. Perhaps they thought that if a network really wanted to continue, then they would pay the 20% foregone after 65 episodes. Well, whatever the reason it seems that networks , having received a subsidy (because that’s what it is), decided that when it goes it goes – it’s over.

We respect all these various positions, but as we said, we’ve paid the price of success (i.e. to get past 65 episodes) by being cancelled. Perhaps the 65 episode cap should be lifted? Of course other producers are thrilled that Sea Patrol is over – more for them. That’s showbiz!

17. The way in which you have produced ‘Sea Patrol’ seems to be unprecedented for Australian television. Have you been approached by others in the industry for advice about achieving such a feat? How realistic do you think it is that other producers (or yourselves!) will take on a similarly huge task in the future? From a production point of view, what do you hope will be the ‘Sea Patrol’ legacy?

No, we haven’t been approached by others. There’s not a lot of sharing amongst producers – just ruthless competition. Anyway, who would be that crazy?! We tend not to look backwards, so from a legacy point of view we just mark it on the board with a tick and move on. There’s a saying that ‘You’re only as good as your last picture’. Not true. We’re only as good as our next picture!

18. While it must be extraordinarily sad to say goodbye to ‘Sea Patrol’ is there any part of you that is relieved at being off this roller-coaster? What won’t you miss about producing this show?

While we are sad that the ride is over, of course we’re also relieved. Not having to wake at dawn or in the middle of the night worrying about everyone’s safety at the morning’s shoot. It’s more than a roller-coaster (of just a few minutes duration); it’s been a five-year marathon. So, frankly, it’s sensible to stop and catch our breath.

19. What do you consider your proudest achievement in relation to a particular aspect of your ‘Sea Patrol’ journey?

Just making it – all 68 episodes. It was beyond difficult.

20. Sea Patrol came at a time when Australian drama wasn’t doing too well. Blue Heelers had just finished a great 12 year run, the axe was swinging for McLeods Daughters and All Saints had to do a major revamp just to keep viewers interested. Now after about 4-5 years, many productions that premiered around 2007/ 2008 are starting to disappear, or have unknown futures. What do you attribute this to? The ease (via the Internet and DVD) with which audiences are now exposed to international product? Are viewers becoming more demanding and/or fickle – wanting more and different content quickly? How has the contemporary, convergent media environment changed the way that Networks deal with producers such as yourselves? Do you have to work differently to how you did 10 or 20 years ago?

Big question, no simple, trite answers. But let’s start with truisms. (1)Making television drama is hard and most fail. Yes, fail. (2)Like it or not, with a 100 channel (200-500!!) universe there’s going to be more competition for the attention of viewers. This means the power of the big three networks is being undercut. (3)Not only are there more channels, there are more modes of distribution (DVD/VOD/IPTV/Hulu, etc. etc.). People are time poor and want/expect instant gratification. Young demos want to see what they want to see when they want to see it – like, now! They don’t want to live by someone else’s schedule. Everyone – networks and producers alike – is struggling in this hurricane of change. All we can do is keep running.

21. Where will you be when “One Perfect Day” goes to air? Who will you be with?

We’ll be at home, feet up, glass of good red wine in hand – just the two of us ‘alone’ and quietly happy. P.S. We’ve seen the episode at least 8 times already.

22. The final episode gives us an idea of where the crew are now. What sort of discussion was had about this? How easy or hard was it to determine the future of these characters? Were other ideas thrown around of how to close the show or pay tribute to the crew? Did the cast find out the path you’d chosen for their characters before seeing the episode?

We made these decisions alone and nobody knew until they saw the episode. The choices we made just felt right for the characters we created way back when.

23. What might have happened to our crew in Season 6? What areas in the life of the RAN would you liked to have explored in further seasons? Will any of your planned ideas for Series 6 ever be incorporated into future projects i.e. Do you keep character developments / storylines ‘on the shelf’ for use at a later date?

No, all those ideas are unique to Sea Patrol and its characters and we’d never ever use them elsewhere. As to what might have been? Tomorrow is a mystery until the sun rises.

24. After 5 years, do you have any regrets? A character you wished to see? A storyline you didn’t cover, or any other regret?

We try not to regret anything. Life is a journey, so we always look forward not backward. We’ve loved every minute. Sea Patrol has been a joy to make, and one made all the more joyful by connecting with our fans. Thanks for that. Tribute to Clint Rolfe as Webmaster for running the best fan site ever.

25. As a fan it has been fantastic to hear behind-the-scenes stories, read interviews and get news directly from the producers. Will you offer these exclusives to the online fan community with your next venture?

Yes, we expect so. The whole relationship with an unofficial fan site was a ‘learn as you go’ experience. Frankly at the beginning, given its unofficial birth, both ourselves and Nine (who, as the broadcaster, have their own large website) were a bit leery. But through the good work and sensible communications with Clint Rolfe, we were able to build a trusting relationship – and from that access increased and the fans got their reward for their support and patience. Like all relationships, if they’re founded on trust, they can build and grow.

26.What are your favourite TV shows? Do you watch a lot of drama, or other types of programming?

Believe it or not, we try to see everything. Nowadays that’s not quite possible but Foxtel’s IQ sure helps. Whilst we’ve studied most dramas including Australian drama, we don’t tend to watch them a lot (Downton Abbey – new Upstairs Downstairs – excepted). We tend to relax with variety/talk (Graham Norton, or believe it or not), reality (all the Housewives of, Bethany, Jerseylicious, Jersey Shore, Gypsy Weddings, Grand Designs, Man v Wild), cooking, real estate, etc. But not the shiny floor dancing, singing, skating shows.

However, broadly speaking, if a show is a hit we’ll catch it and try to learn from it. Basically we’re interested in people and how they interact. We’re keen students of human nature.

27. What is next for the McElroy team?

First a visit to LA to meet our first grandchild due late September! As for projects – it’s all top secret. But we’re very excited about one particular show… In some ways its going back (?) or should we say referencing, some of our earlier successes. Enough said. But boy, if we get to make it, it could be a big hit. We’re feeling very good about it. Fingers crossed.

 

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Categories: Interviews

2011 Exclusive Final interview with Hal and Di (Part 1)

1. What have you enjoyed most about making ‘Sea Patrol’? What have you enjoyed least?

It sounds a little glib to say ‘everything’ but it’s true! We loved going to work every day – working with a great bunch of people who worked incredibly hard but loved it too. It’s been hugely rewarding and the best producing experience we’ve ever had. As for the worst – hey, all of the lumps, bumps and problems pale by comparison – they’re part of this crazy world of TV and our role in it. But waking up in the middle of the night listening to the howling wind, knowing in a couple of hours we’d be sending 80 odd people out to sea, was a bit hair-raising.

2. What are your top three favourite episodes from the whole series?

Good question. We’re proud of them all, so hard to say. How about the fans vote for their favourites? We’d love to know how the votes line up.

3. It was reported that ‘Sea Patrol’ is the most expensive Australian TV drama ever made. What was the budget for each episode and how did the budget change over the years? What are the greatest challenges to remaining within budget?

Sea Patrol on a per episode basis was possibly the most expensive Australian produced series. However, if you exclude the Navy costs, our episodic cost would be similar to other Australian shows. And there’s been plenty of American/UK shows made Down Under that have cost more.

The total cost per episode was just over $1 million AUD, however as mentioned above, that included all the Navy’s costs which necessarily were high. Imagine a fully crewed (25 people) Navy Patrol Boat (worth $60 million plus) for 6 – 8 weeks for our use every year. We were so fortunate that succeeding Chiefs of Navy were prepared to recommend the exercise to their Minister each year. But of course it’s been a win/win for Navy too in terms of profile, publicity, politically, explaining what’s ‘involved’, etc. etc.

The greatest challenge was Mother Nature. Going to sea is elemental – you are entirely at the sea’s mercy which could have added to the overall budget if things went wrong. That’s why no-one has ever attempted to do a TV series set and shot on the open sea. It’s crazy, too risky – but that was part of the thrill of it all. Doing the impossible.

4. What was the most difficult scene to shoot during the entire series? Why?

Probably the terrorist bombing of the nightclub which commenced our last season (Series 5). Three different sets, pyrotechnics, fire, hundreds of extras, studio shooting, night shooting, explosions, fire brigade and days and days of shooting to get it right.

5. Are you disappointed that the show didn’t receive more recognition from the TV industry (eg. Logies, AFIs) or the public (eg. ratings) or the media (eg. TV Week coverage)?

Yes and No. We’re very proud of the show and believe it was a very accomplished display of a whole range of talents – acting, writing, directing, design , camera, editing, etc. Technically it was very difficult and dangerous to make. But it seems like the industry and the press kind of felt, ‘So what? You had all that money and you got great ratings, so shut up and be happy, other shows are more deserving’. We accept that outcome, but are sorry for our wonderful cast and crew who deserved the accolades.

6. In five seasons there must have been a lot of practical jokes on the set by members of both cast and crew. Any good ones played on you?

There were sooo many jokes every single day (particularly in the production office – rubber snakes on desks) so we can’t single one out. We like to manage with humour, use a lot of laugher and jokes – it relaxes people during stressful times. For example when things are really, truly horrible (nighttime, cold, wet, middle of the ocean) we all say to each other, ‘The reason we’re in showbiz is for the glamour!!!’

7. Are there any storylines which you would loved to have incorporated into the show but couldn’t? If so, what prevented you from doing this – budget? logistics? not enough seasons in which to do it?

The whole question of border protection has become an increasingly political issue over the eight years we’ve been working on Sea Patrol. Indeed today it’s an incredibly divisive political debate with both sides of politics over-simplifying a complex and very fluid issue. Navy has occasionally been dragged into this debate whereas really they are just doing exactly what the government of the day orders them to do – and doing a very hard job very well. So we started to veer away from too many refugee stories to avoid pouring petrol on the political fire. We did have constraints about relationships on board imposed by Navy initially which made it a little difficult.

8. There has been lots of discussion about the Mike/Kate relationship. Did you ever think that this pairing would be so popular? How long could the relationship have lasted in the event that the show went beyond Series 5?

When we conceive a show then define the characters, and cast the actor to play them, we’re always hoping ‘chemistry’ will occur. The word ‘chemistry’ is shorthand for something mysterious and magical that happens ‘on-screen’ (not always off-screen) between characters. We pray for it, look for it, feed it if we can and hope the actors respond to this, play with it and add to it. If you can ‘organise’ this (wrong word, but…) then it’s pure gold. So we hoped our casting choices would work and largely speaking they all did. Ian and Lisa are such clever actors and committed professionals. Who knows how long they could have danced – all night long?

9. Some long-time fans expressed intense frustration that the Mike/Kate relationship was left unresolved for so long, and because of this they stopped watching during the early part of Series 5. Do you think anything could have been done to retain this group of viewers?

We know we’re facing competition every night we’re on air. We know we win some and we lose some. Whilst we want to be popular and need (to survive) to get good ratings, we can’t chase after every ratings point based on a whim. We have to stick to our guns story-wise and not second guess ourselves. Besides, we had no choice as the show is really ‘A Day in the Life of HMAS Hammersley’, and for Mike and Kate to have a relationship, one of them would have to leave the boat and therefore the show. So we really were caught between a rock and a hard place.

10. ‘Sea Patrol’ has developed such a loyal and passionate fan base. Did you envisage that fans would be so enthusiastic and become so invested in the characters over the long-term?

Television is a powerful medium because it goes right into people’s homes – their living rooms and bedrooms. So, not surprisingly, people get very invested in shows, most often via the characters. That’s why we take such care with how they’re portrayed and how we tell the stories. We all know that audiences have favourites. The trouble is that they are all different – for different reasons! It’s very democratic that way. So we try to share the stories around and keep everyone happy.

11. Some fans are not happy that you’ve killed off popular characters (firstly ET and now Swain); they feel they’ve invested a lot of emotion with them to just have them die. Do you have any regrets about killing characters off?

With a lot invested in characters, it’s not surprising fans get disappointed when a character departs – no matter what the circumstances. However the actor is separate from the character. Actors make all sorts of life choices (as individuals) that are unrelated to their character. If they (the actor) choose to leave, they leave. But how they leave is up to the producers, not the actor. What we try to do if it’s inevitable, is to turn a loss into a win by using a departure to enhance the drama.

Of course this whole relationship between fans and actor (or is it the character?) is a little scary for the actor. Many actors hate the feeling of being captive or hostage to what the fans want or feel. It makes them feel weak or powerless. So they leave to get their power back. Funny isn’t it? Too much love can be destructive. The other important thing to note is that we can usually only contract an actor for a maximum of three years, so we can’t force anyone to stay.

12. There have been some great guest cast members during the five seasons of the show. Which guest characters and/or actors have you particularly loved? Why?

Don’t want to single out a guest actor as we had so so many good ones. We never had any trouble or tantrums from any of them. In fact often they or their agents would write to say that they had the best time, we have the best crew, that our regulars made them feel so welcome, etc. etc. Again, very rewarding for us – we all worked hard to make a tough gig fun.

13. How did you come to choose not to have an overarching Naval storyline throughout Series 4 but then return to that format in Series 5 with the terrorism plot? What factors were considered when deciding on the ‘big’ storyline each season?

The big overarching storyline is necessary if you’re making a mini series (of up to 13 episodes) but not if you’re making 16 episodes as we were for Series 4. Having said that, the selection process for all the big storylines is a combination of research and guesswork, i.e. what stories will people be interested in next year (when it goes to air) and how well will this storyline serve the dramatic needs of all the principal characters and their inter-relationship, and, needless to say, the budget!

Categories: Interviews

2011 Exclusive Final interview with Lisa McCune (XO)

1. What was the funniest experience you had while filming Sea Patrol?

Anyone falling in the water. Classic sight gag – always left me giggling. Did I say Kristian Schmid…..?

2. What was the scariest experience you had while filming Sea Patrol?

Some of the rough seas we worked on. Definitely the most exhilarating moments and thrilling to capture on film, but scary. You start out with a basic shape and then out you go…..thinking caps ON!

3. How did you feel when you found out that Series 5 was going to be the last?

Sea Patrol, from the beginning, has been huge. It was therefore a pleasant surprise to hear we were going each year, for five years. It’s an achievement in Australian drama on so many levels, so I feel proud to have been part of it.

4. What was your greatest personal challenge during filming Sea Patrol? How did you meet or overcome this?

Balancing my work and family. It’s been an intense time, yet brilliant for all of us. Starting with a young family and heading out to sea, 6 days a week with young kids at home on land was always foremost in my mind. And it still is. Balance.

5. What will you treasure most from your time working on Sea Patrol (a) from a professional perspective, and (b) personally?

Professionally, I experienced so many new situations. Drama production is usually filmed in controlled sets or locations. This was not that, and we adjusted, rose to the challenges and ultimately pulled off some incredible stuff. A huge feat for our crew and production team. We’ve captured some iconic footage.

Personally, having the opportunity to travel and experience a unique working environment with my kids. They witnessed, first hand, how a show is put together and they actually worked out what Mum does. I’ve made some great friends and shared more than a barrel of laughs.

6. How would you like Sea Patrol to be remembered?

As a brave, action drama series that will hopefully pave the way for future high-end television.

Categories: Interviews

Everyone’s a critic… Commander Darren Grogan reviews Sea Patrol

The Sydney Morning Herald
The Guide
July 10-17 2011

After five seasons, acclaimed Channel Nine drama Sea Patrol has come to an explosive end.

As the “real life” commanding officer of the first HMAS Hammersley (the former Fremantle class patrol boat HMAS Ipswich), I was at the first day of filming off Dunk Island in far north Queensland. The actors and crew arrived on that overcast, choppy day, unprepared for filming on board. Some of Australia’s finest actors were literally thrown in the deep end. If you look back at the first episode, you will appreciate how these actors have grown into credible mariners. At first, they didn’t know their ports from their starboards but now they could hold their own in any exchange of navy speak. They spent hours working with their counterparts to get their characters right.

The production team arrived with their vast array of technical equipment only to find there is only so much room on board an operational naval vessel.

The frustration when neither I, nor Mother Nature, could give them the right amount of light or wind was always a fun discussion. Director: “Captain, can you please come left a bit so we can get the right light over the back of the boat?” Captain: “I can alter course to port but the rock may foul our propellers.” Director: “I’m confused, you can’t come left?”

But despite the initial challenges, the production teams became more proficient at operating within these limits and produced an amazing product. The storyline was, at times, a little on the edge of belief for navy personnel but that’s to be expected. When ribbed by my colleagues, I had to remind them this was drama, not a training video.

The day-to-day activities of the Hammersley are not what we would consider a standard day at sea (the paperwork alone would keep the crew occupied for months). While the navy is trained to face the challenges the Hammersley crew faced on a regular basis, thankfully the reality rarely comes to pass.

While it was sad to see HMAS Hammersley sail into the sunset, hopefully Commander Flynn or Lieutenant McGregor might return to our screens one day on one of the navy’s Offshore Combatant Vessels of perhaps even a Collins class submarine.

Commander Darren Grogan was commanding officer of the Royal Australian Navy’s HMAS Ipswich during filming of the first series of Sea Patrol. He is now military adviser to the Chief of Joint Operations at Headquarters Joint Operations Command in Bungendore.

Categories: Articles - General (2011)

Series 5 – Review: Episode 13: ‘One Perfect Day’ *Final Episode*

I put off watching the final episode ‘One Perfect Day’ for as long as I could. I hate seeing good Australian drama ending well before its time. I felt the show had plenty more to give, but for many reasons the Nine Network saw things differently. We must, however, thank them for 5 years and 68 episodes of Australian drama that will now take its place next to other top series like ‘Water Rats’ and ‘Blue Heelers’.

But, on with the show…

As the terrorism storyline has been left unresolved, we know it must take centre stage this episode. Our heroes are back to routine boardings, but the one they’re about to make is anything but routine.

On the surface, the first target of the day looks like a ghost ship so the boarding team quickly takes control. Below decks, however, is where the real mystery begins.

Kate finds a geiger counter. When she turns it on, it immediately starts beeping. Kate and Swain follow the direction of the increasingly urgent electronic noises and soon find two men with radiation burns.

When Kate talks to the dying men they confess that they had two passengers with very heavy suitcases.

The hunt is on, and as you would expect, Madelaine and Jim are back. Jim brings with him a proposal for Kate, something that is bound to change their future. This scene between Kate and Jim is really quite sweet and manages to avoid the extreme TV cliches. Lisa and Ditch work efficiently to bring to life the romance of two very pragmatic characters.

Meanwhile, Madelaine is still acting suspiciously, shutting out most of the crew. Her behaviour is starting to gnaw at Dutchy, especially when he attempts to wave the white flag for his earlier mistakes. Madelaine is not very forgiving; indeed she seems to revel in making Dutchy squirm.

Madelaine and Jim explain to Mike and Kate that autopsies of the men discovered traces of caesium in their bodies – an element that creates deadly radioactivity.

With Hammersely hot on the heels of the terrorists, they come across a boat carrying large quantities of semtex explosives. They know that semtex + caesium = a dirty bomb. The question is, who or what is the target?

The action is this episode continues to escalate until the final explosive end that brings devastation to the whole Hammersley team.

The cast is clearly giving it their all, for this one final time! Ian, Lisa, Ditch, Matt and Conrad are all notable, with Lisa’s performance reminiscent of what we saw during ‘In Too Deep’.

The final scenes of ‘One Perfect Day’ are exceptionally moving. There is not a huge amount of dialogue; our skilled cast don’t need words to convey their emotions. We see heartbreak and humanity mixed with professionalism and pride. The atmosphere created is one of peaceful resignation more than destructive loss; of pain but not anger. The mood makes us reflect on the fragility of life and the honourable way that people can act when faced with impossible choices. ‘One Perfect Day’ is about bravery and courage that need not involve physical strength; it’s about utilitarianism achieved through self-sacrifice; it’s about fatalism but not pessimism. I was very moved and thought the calmness/peace overflowing in the final scenes created a fitting, yet ironic, end to an action series. These closing moments are sure to stay with Sea Patrol fans for a long, long time.

The visual structure and editing both helped to enhance these emotion-charged scenes in ‘One Perfect Day’. In fact, I can’t really fault the episode at all. The tone and pace are perfect The balance between action and drama, as well as between the professional and personal, is very fitting for the final episode. This has always been a strong point of the series but the equilibrium demonstrated here is better than ever.

Hal and Di promised that we’d see a resolution and they have delivered. Despite the fact that the end of the series was announced after this season had been written, most fans should feel satisfied by the level of closure this episode brings. As the series has been nearing its end, I was honestly a little doubtful that many things could be resolved satisfactorily but I have been very pleasantly surprised.

So that’s it. 68 episodes. Like all TV series, we’ve seen highs and lows. We’ve witnessed babies born, crew members perish, romance blossom and some amazing vistas of Far North Queensland.

Although it’s impossible to single out a favourite episode from the entire series, ‘One Perfect Day’ is certainly a front-runner. For me, ‘In Too Deep’, ‘Irukandji’ and ‘Dutch Courage’ are also up there.

I want to thank Hal and Di for their extraordinary support. Not just support of these reviews – which have been the highlight for so many fans – but also for providing so many unique insights and opportunities that fans don’t normally get. To have made themselves so available to a website, even while in the midst of shooting the series, is remarkably generous and most sincerely appreciated.

Categories: Exclusive Reviews

Farewell Sea Patrol

TV Week
July 9, 2011

As the Hammersley crew sails off our screens, Ian Stenlake shares his top 10 memories…

1. THE ROMANTIC MOMENTS

One of the perks of Ian’s job was kissing his co-star, Lisa McCune (Kate).

“The kissing was always great. You’re in various states of no clothing and you’re meant to be concentrating on having a nice pash and all you can think about is, ‘I shouldn’t have had that extra burger at lunch,’” he laughs. “But it was a pleasure.”

2. FILMING AT MISSION BEACH

The family man says he’ll miss being on location in Queensland with wife Rachael Beck and their two daughters.

“The memories of being up there with the whole family are forever etched in my mind,” he says. “The kids would have enjoyed having a couple more years up there. Tahlula would have started at a school where you’re not allowed to wear shoes — how about that!”

3. THE GUEST STARS

The show attracted high-profile stars, but one stood out in particular.

“Alan Dale coming back from America was amazing fun,” Ian says. “He was a font of knowledge and very generous. When I think of my career down the road, who knows? I hope I’m still having as much fun as he is.”

4. THE CLOSE BOND WITH CO-STARS

Ian had a blast working with David Lyons — even if the one and only injury Ian sustained was during one of their scenes together.

“I pulled a groin muscle in my last location shot in the first series. David and I were doing a scene in mangroves, and on ‘action’ we had to start running through the mud. My foot was stuck so I started running, but my foot stayed still so something had to give,” he says.

5. FIRST DAY DRAMAS

He recalls his first day as Mike Flynn on set didn’t go to plan. “My first shot was on a tinnie off Dunk Island and I had to motor in to the beach. I hit some coral because the tide went out and the boat stopped dead!”

6. THE REVOLVING CAST

Ian loved new cast members such as Conrad Coleby (Dutchy) joining the fold, but the exits didn’t always sit well. “You get used to people moving on, but it’s very sad,” he says. “On occasion, people left and I begged them to stay. I certainly begged Jeremy Lindsay Taylor (Buffer) to stay!”

7. MIKE AND KATE’S RELATIONSHIP

He agrees with dedicated fans that his character’s five-season-long forbidden love was a winner.

“It was a clever situation where two people are in an environment where they are absolutely not allowed to be together, but I was really glad in the fourth series we did get to convert the try, so to speak!” he says.

8. HAVING AN IRON STOMACH

Ian prided himself on not falling prey to seasickness during the entire shoot.

“I don’t get seasickness, but there were plenty of ginger lollies going around. Ginger’s meant to help you, and people were wearing magnet bracelets and earrings, too.”

9. ACTING WITH TAMMY

He was also pleased to act opposite Tammy MacIntosh.

“Tammy Mac is one of the greatest girls around,” he gushes. “I hadn’t worked with her since Stingers and we didn’t have much to do with each other on screen in that one. We just had a ball working with each other.”

10. THE WRAP PARTY

The cast were sent off in style.

“We certainly had a wrap party!” Ian laughs. “[Show creators] Hal and Di McElroy were inspirational right to the very end and threw easily the best wrap party I’ve ever had. I try to keep in touch with everybody on Facebook. They weren’t just the finest actors in the country, they were also the best people. They are great friends.”

Categories: Articles - General (2011)

2011 Exclusive Final interview with Ian Stenlake (CO)

1. What was the funniest experience you had while filming Sea Patrol?

In my very first shot of Series One I was leading a campaign to drop Dr Morell off at Bright Island and the tinny hit some rocks just below the surface and stopped dead in the water. We all went flying!

2. What was the scariest experience you had while filming Sea Patrol?

At 9.30 pm in the middle of Moreton Bay I was preparing to jump 7 metres from the Bridge Wing into the water. The rescue boats had shark shields, there was a 12 knot current running through the channel, and a sea snake swam through my landing zone. Yikes!

3. How did you feel when you found out that Series 5 was going to be the last?

I felt sad that Series 5 would be the last – but excited that I knew I could throw everything I have into making Series 5 the best.

4. What was your greatest personal challenge during filming Sea Patrol? How did you meet or overcome this?

My wife Rachael and I had two beautiful daughters during the five series, so it is now a very different lifestyle trying to juggle a family with work. We’ve had baby help from our family and great support from our producers, the McElroys.

5. What will you treasure most from your time working on Sea Patrol (a) from a professional perspective, and (b) personally?

(a) Working on another 68 episodes of an Australian drama with such a fantastic main cast and crew and brilliant directors means that I move into the future with a whole lot more experience.

(b) Definitely the friendships that have been forged through shooting Sea Patrol will last a lifetime!

6. How would you like Sea Patrol to be remembered?

It’s great to be involved in a drama that has such a unique setting. Navy has been virtually unexplored in Australia and hopefully we’ll be remembered as the series that inspired a generation of new sailors.

Categories: Interviews

Series 5 – Review: Episode 12: ‘Saving Ryan’

Episode 12 ‘Saving Ryan’ starts off with a hint of the action to come. Hammersley boards what looks like an FFV that has been attacked with automatic weapon fire. There are a few survivors – but they are resistant to help, saying it was the Royal Australian Navy who attacked them.

Back at Navcom, Commander White briefs Mike and Kate. She says the man who attacked the FFV is an ex-SAS solider, Garth Davidson (Jack Campbell), who now runs a local security company. Hammersley is tasked with intercepting Davidson’s boat when it returns to Australian waters.

Maxine snatches a quiet word with Mike. The hospital has updated Maxine with grim news about Stuart. Ryan, who is still AWOL, needs to be found.

Hammersley intercepts Davidson’s boat, confiscating weapons along the way. Whilst searching below decks, Bird finds Ryan hiding. He explains he has joined Davidson’s company, GD Security. He begs her to keep quiet about his presence.

Meanwhile, Kate is struggling to keep her food down. She’s sure she’s just eaten something dodgy but Swain points out that her symptoms are consistent with another possibility – one that Kate’s already considered. This subject leads to a couple of delightfully awkward exchanges between Kate and RO.

When Bird hears of Stuart’s worsening condition, she comes forward about Ryan’s whereabouts and Mike attempts to track him down.

Later, Hammersley is again tasked with escorting the GD Security boat. The job proves far from routine, resulting in a tense and action-packed climax.

Fans who tire of seeing Mike on the bridge all day will be glad to know that with Kate sick, Mike takes her place in leading shore and boarding parties. The action that naturally follows includes a fantastic solo fight scene that trumps Mike’s previous effort in ‘Night of the Long Knives’.

Some heartfelt scenes between Mike and Ryan this episode might broaden the appeal of the father-son storyline, for those who are not sold on it yet.

The combination of action and emotional demands this episode gives Ian the chance to demonstrate his range, as well as show us the third dimension to Mike Flynn that we don’t always see.

Lisa and Tammy assist in raising the emotional stakes for Ian, making the story that much more real.

Dominic Deutscher has had a lot placed on him in the last few episodes, and he continues to show growth here, especially opposite his more seasoned co-stars. At the same time, his scenes with Danielle Horvat (Bird) retain the youthful energy that has become typical of the pair’s interactions.

Campbell, recognisable from ‘All Saints’, plays the suitably tough and gruff ex-SAS solider.

‘Saving Ryan’ really picks up from the slower pace set in Episode 11, and it foreshadows an explosive finale next week!

Categories: Exclusive Reviews