Shark thriller Great White already made a splash at Supanova on the Gold Coast and in Melbourne, and before the cast and crew take to the stage in Sydney and Perth, we have the pleasure of premiering an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the upcoming Aussie film!

Check out the video below, followed by an extensive breakdown from director Martin Wilson.

DIRECTOR MARTIN WILSON ON GREAT WHITE:

Journalist Simon Hooper recently described Great White as Jaws meets Hitchcock’s Lifeboat. Like Jaws, the film is an action-adventure, a tense survival thriller with a lurking monster seemingly about to strike at any moment. But with our minimal characters stranded on a life raft, the film becomes an intense character study. A gripping exploration of human nature. As food and water supplies dwindle, as the raft loses air with no rescue in sight, and a relentless shark on their tail, we see human beings coming to terms with the immediate reality of pain and death. They are tested to the extreme, a nightmare where your worst primal fears have become very real. It’s this tension that draws you into the film, and asks you the question yourself: what would you do if placed in that situation?

Shot in vibrant cinematic scope, Great White showcases the northern tropical waters of Australia as vast, beautiful and beguiling, yet what unfolds on the raft is a taut, claustrophobic affair.

Great White is unique in the pantheon of shark films as there are long periods of the film set at night. With the inky black waters closing in from all corners, our heroes stranded on a sinking raft face fears of the unknown that are magnified tenfold. The strange, spooky sounds of the ocean take on another level of terror in the pitch-black night in the middle of the endless sea.

Great White has characters that we care about, that we are invested in and root for their survival at every turn. They are complex, nuanced characters that stay with you. Thematically Great White elevates above mindless genre fodder and deepens character cohesion by touching on some broader topics such as abusive relationships, classism, and environmental pollution.

At the core of Great White, at its heart and soul, is the love story between the two leads, Kaz and Charlie. A likeable, dynamic couple that is joined on their journey by their Pacific Islander friend Benny, and Japanese couple Michelle and Joji, who are there because of their own emotional quest looking for closure.

From a genre perspective, Great White is a rollercoaster ride of classic suspense. It lulls the audience into a sense of comfort and safety by letting them connect with the characters through romance and Benny’s unique humour. Then it creates tension where the audience expects to see the creature, building nerve-racking suspense, and then the creature doesn’t happen – and then it DOES happen. Like what Alfred Hitchcock said, “give them pleasure – the same pleasure they have when they wake up from a nightmare”. It makes me think of a potential tagline… Sharks never sleep and neither will you after seeing Great White. That’s what Great White is all about – by the end of the film, the audience is satisfied and exhausted by the relentless rollercoaster ride.

From an action perspective, there are several thrilling set pieces that put the audience into the heart of the action. Where we use the vast, dangerous ocean as a deadly backdrop to the visceral in-camera action. The audience will wonder how something that looks so gorgeous and inviting can turn deadly so quickly.

From a horror perspective, fans will not be disappointed with several shock and scare moments of shark menace illustrating the great white’s immense power and viciousness, in particular watch for a terrifying breach kill. Great whites are the ultimate killing machines.

Great White is an exciting, terrifying and fresh take on the shark horror genre.

‘Great White’ will be available to buy on all major digital platforms including Apple and YouTube Movies June 30, and on Blu-ray, DVD and digital rental July 7.