Prison Songs
A Documentary exploring the experiences of prisoners living inside the walls of Darwin's Berrimah Prison.
Spear Point Productions
Beyond West
Synopsis
The inmates of a Darwin prison are shown in a unique and completely new light in Australia’s first ever documentary musical. Incarcerated in tropical Northern Territory, over 800 inmates squeeze into the overcrowded spaces of Berrimah Prison. In an Australian first, the inmates share their feelings, faults and experiences in the most extraordinary way – through song.
Photo credit David Silver
Developed and Post Produced in Western Australia
on the Traditional Country of the Noongar Whadjuk peoples
Watch the trailer
Production Information
Writer & Director
Kelrick Martin
Producers
Kelrick Martin
Harry Bardwell
Executive Producers
Harry Bardwell
Ron Saunders
Consulting Executive Producer
Brian Hill
Director of Photography
Torstein Dyrting
Editor and Colourist
Merlin Cornish
Key Locations
Berrimah Prison, Northern Territory
Key WA Crew
Production and Business Supervisor
Gabrielle Jones
Production Manager
Aimee King
Composers
Casey Bennetto
Shellie Morris
Sound Recordist
Glenn Martin
Choreographer
Perun Bonser
Sound Mixer
Kim Lord
Post Sound Facility
Cue Sound
VFX Supervisor
Will Manning
Production Accountant
Mark Wheeler
Post Production Facility
Siamese
Gaffer
David Silvia
Graphics and VFX
Andrew Buckley
Key Grip
Greg Stirling
Location Scout & Unit Manager
Hair & Make Up Designer
Karen Sims
Post Production Facility
Siamese
Post Producer
Francesca Hope
The Power of Music
Music is at the heart of Prison Songs
and at the heart of that music is the much loved Darwin-based multi award-winner singer/songwriter Shellie Morris. She has written literally thousands of songs in collaboration with people living in more than 70 remote Australian communities and has conducted music workshops for women at Berrimah Prison for more than a decade.
Morris worked with songwriter/composer, Casey Bennetto, whose credits include the musical Keating!
Photo credit David Silver
Photo credit David SilverA word from the Director
“To be honest, I’m stirring the pot.”
“I could have made a documentary where the music matched the stories but it would have been morose and no one would have watched. I have been careful not to sugar coat the stories of the inmates in the interviews – I’m certainly not endorsing their crimes – but seeing them have fun and reflect on their lives through music is a way of showing their humanity.”
– Kelrick Martin, Director
Production Gallery
David Silver
David Silver
David Silver
David Silver
David Silver
David Silver
Torstein Dyrting