Blueback: Movie filmed in Bremer Bay enlists help of Edith Cowan University scientists

The film Blueback shot in Bremer Bay used the expertise of Edith Cowan University scientists to ensure its marine biology scenes were scientifically sound. The locally filmed movie, released nationally on January 1, is set in a fictional town but prominently features the coastline of Bremer Bay, where it was shot in 2021. The movie, based on the novel by the same name by Albany-raised author Tim Winton, stars Eric Bana, Radha Mitchell and Mia Wasikowska, who plays a marine biologist inspired to care for the ocean from her childhood interactions with a friendly blue groper. Several scenes where Wasikowska is shown carrying out research were developed in consultation with ECU Associate Dean of Research Science Kathryn McMahon. Ms McMahon was contacted by one of the film’s set designers who asked for assistance in getting equipment for marine biology research scenes for a movie in early 2021. At the time, Ms McMahon was not told what exactly the equipment would be used for — the only details she was given was it was a WA-based production which had Winton and Bana involved. “She wanted to get some details about how experiments were conducted in aquarium tanks, what sort of equipment you use when you went diving underwater for marine research and how to use particular types of scientific equipment,” Ms McMahon said. She and a research student hosted the set designer on campus at ECU, where they showed their aquarium facilities and fieldwork lab. “I also provided her with some videos of our underwater work using the different types of equipment that she was interested in to try capture realistically in the filming,” Ms McMahon said. “In the end she was really happy with the advice that we gave and asked to borrow some of our equipment, so ECU loaned some of our our aquariums, microscopes, lights and other field gear like dive bags and cable ties so they could take it down on set.” Ms McMahon saw the film with her family on its opening day and although she said she was not sure if it was one of hers, spotted a familiar looking microscope in one scene — as well as her name amongst the credits.