The Docks

A dockworker is given a chance at redemption when a woman from his past appears one night with a request to be smuggled onto a ship back to South Africa

  • Richard Todd
    Director
    Dying To Live
  • Dumi Mashinini
    Writer
  • Dumi Mashinini
    Producer
  • Bryn Chapman Parish
    Key Cast
  • Mariama Whitton
    Key Cast
  • Stephanie Senior
    Cinematographers
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Genres:
    drama
  • Runtime:
    10 minutes 32 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    September 1, 2019
  • Production Budget:
    2,000 AUD
  • Country of Origin:
    Australia
  • Country of Filming:
    Australia
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Arri Alexa,Apple Pro-res
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.39:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes
Director Biography - Richard Todd

As a director and cinematographer, Richard Todd is attracted to stories that are complex and challenging, which involve close and personal relationships. His previous credits include Whaleshark Gypsy of the Deep, Schapelle Corby-Ganja Queen and the ABC Compass program, God Made Them Blind, which won Best Documentary at the Sun Valley Film Festival. He has directed, shot and co-produced two feature documentaries: Frackman which was shot over five years and won multiple awards; and Dying To Live, about the lives of five people waiting for an organ transplant, which has screened at numerous national and international film festivals and was described as one of Australia’s top ten feature films for 2018. Richard was nominated for Best Direction in a Documentary feature at the 2019 Australian Director’s Guild Awards.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

As soon as I heard about The Docks I knew this was a story
I wanted to tell. Aesthetically, I could instantly see it being
located on the docks in Fremantle. Furthermore, the
central theme that even in this amazing country of
Australia, some immigrants harbour the desire to always
return home immediately attracted me. With my own
parents coming from Macedonia and Germany, I felt like I
could treat this subject matter with more than just
empathy.

Though I am from a documentary background, I felt this
story deserved a much more traditional cinematic
approach. I worked very closely with our DOP, Stephanie,
where she turned my vision into what I consider a
beautifully shot film. Classically framed locked off shots
using the rule of thirds, dominate the look. Some dollie
and some hand-held shots give the piece movement when
required but are minimal. Movement within the frame by
the actors rather than the camera moving around them
was intentional as it allowed the docks to also become a
character.

The script and story line have inherent moments of
emotion, so it is also important that we pull back the
layers of the emotion in the music composition. The
grading and choice of colour palette also played a part in
setting the tone from warm, to quite steely. It has been an
absolute pleasure working on the film and I hope you
enjoy it.