A bit more of the West’s recent history, and a few surprises.
The first episode begins with a shot of a West Australian fisherman, a scene we’ve seen before.
The West Watch trailer has the camera circling the coast of the Australian Capital Territory, showing the view from above the horizon as the boat skims the surface.
In the background, the camera pans up to a group of men, all wearing traditional clothing and carrying a wooden paddle.
They are all wearing red, black and yellow ribbons tied around their necks.
After the fisherman is shown walking to his boat, the viewer is given a close-up of his bow and reel, revealing the distinctive red ribbons.
Then, the crew is shown swimming into a lake, and as they swim, the water swirls around them and then, suddenly, disappears.
A similar effect occurs on a large wave, and the crew swells up to take on the wave.
As the wave crashes against the shore, the audience can see the boats bow bend and the sail break off.
One of the most fascinating aspects of the first episode is the way the show deals with the events of the First World War.
West Australia’s First World Wars are a significant part of Australian life, as they are a reminder of the war that drove people away from the West.
“The West” is an anthology series that focuses on the Australian West during the Second World War and the Korean War.
It features episodes that have been shot over a span of several years, including an episode in 2016 about the Battle of the Coral Sea, and one in 2019 about the battle of Darwin.
Each episode is filmed over a six-week period and is produced by director John McCall.
The WestWatch crew include: Mitch Cavanagh – Director, Producer and Producer-in-Residence.
Dane Deakins – Cinematographer.
Jason O’Brien – Writer.
Beth Naylor – Sound Design and Music.
Tom McBride – Sound Mixing.
Chris Higginson – Sound Effects Supervisor.
Rob Bell – Cinematography.
Kevin Stirling – Cinematic Editor.
James Meehan – Special Effects Supervisor (special effects in motion capture).
Toby Jones – Cinematics Coordinator.
Johan Fjellberg – Technical Supervisor.