The Peachy Keen Colour Team colour graded this observational documentary series about the world of extreme marine salvage and rescue. We worked closely with production company Fredbird, under series producer/ director Colin Thrupp and EP Craig Graham.
Aussie Salvage Squad is classic observational documentary storytelling. The overarching narrative explores the world of marine salvage and rescue and what happens when the Australian landscape collides with home and humanity – and what it takes to keep our coastlines safe. The Geographe Marine Salvage and Rescue (GMSR) team has included owner Luke Purdy, along with Jayde Towers, Ellie Faranda, Dan Miliauskas and Jordan Verrel. Later seasons include Taylor Smith. Their truck “Christopher” is also arguably another star of the show. The salvage squad members come from all over Australia.
Season 3 was set in tropical North Queensland. The grade brief for the show was to make it contrasty, punchy and gritty. The salvage squad do hard work so the grade needed to reflect that. The show has a global audience so the colour grade helped to showcase the best of Australian scenery – stunning blue oceans contrasting with red, barren deserts, contrasting with the green bush scenes. Different cameras needed to look cohesive, with good brightness and contrast levels. Skin tones needed to be kept natural and warm. Skies were blue but not oversaturated.
The first four seasons have been remotely colour graded by the Peachy Colour team of colourists, supervised by Senior Colourist Angela Cerasi in Brisbane. Peachy has graded many observational documentary series with Fredbird (we love their work!) – check out the trailer and stills for Adventure Gold Diggers for another example.
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