False Witness (2009) (TV)

Director:

Peter Andrikidis

Writers:

Peter Gawler (written by)
Greg Haddrick (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

24 January 2009 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

An explosive case of international espionage.

Plot:

A British diplomat is arrested on charges of working with Russian mafia. After death threats to his wife, they are taken into protective custody. Then the MI6 shows up with a new piece of the puzzle. |

Plot Keywords:

MI6 | Russian Mafia | Nuclear Bomb | Suicide | Guilt

Awards:

2 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Dougray Scott	...	Ian Porter
Rachael Blake	...	Det. Chief Insp. Julie Hales
Jeremy Lindsay Taylor	...	Mark Wilson
Richard Roxburgh	...	Charles Van Koors
Claire Forlani	...	Pippa Porter
Don Hany	...	Sergei Krousov
Elan Zavelsky	...	Nikolai Krousov
Jonny Pasvolsky	...	Antonio Morelli
Tony Martin	...	Bill Murray
Socratis Otto	...	Shannon Cross
Stephen Curry	...	Det. Sgt. Neil Trent
Alex Menglet	...	Dimitri
Shane Briant	...	Winston Beale
Costa Ronin	...	Vladimir
Alin Sumarwata	...	Yasmin Van Koors
Chris Haywood	...	Browning
Doris Younane	...	Jenny Basheer
Kate Box	...	Rona Hennessy
Anita Hegh	...	Annabelle
Janeth Mayo	...	Sally
Jason Polkinghorne	...	Duncan Young
Lusiana Belle Frost	...	Grace
Tharini Mudaliar	...	D.C. Megan Robinson
Tony Barry	...	The Libertine
Pacharo Mzembe	...	D.C. Terry Ayyar
Maria Matteo	...	Connie
Fergus Whelan	...	Louis Porter
Hugo Whelan	...	Louis Porter
Lindsay Moss	...	NSW Police Officer
Jason Glover	...	Aussie Russian
David Kerslake	...	Funeral Director
Helen Sutermeister	...	Signals Officer
Gerard Webb	...	Bush Camper
Andrew Hunter	...	Bush Camper
Jodine Muir	...	Flight Attendant
Leon Burchill	...	The Didgeridoo Busker
Ilya Melnikoff	...	Tajik State Official
Yiani Andrikidis	...	School Boy
Jacqui Osborne	...	Barmaid
Darryl Cooper	...	Proprietor
Christian Antidormi	...	Street Kid
David Baltins	...	Street Kid
Mark Duncan	...	Gunman
Philip Partridge	...	Gunman (as Phil Partridge)
Igor Breakenback	...	Truck Driver
Neal Horton	...	Russian
Ashley Fairfield	...	Highway Patrol Officer
Nigel Harbach	...	Russian
Normie Daghel	...	Russian (as Norm Daghel)
Aaron Hammond	...	Russian Thug
Bob Mirovic	...	Russian Thug
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Christian Clark	...	Porter look-a-like
Mike Duncan	...	Police Officer (as Michael Duncan)
Val Athanassiou	...	Bar Patron (uncredited)
Leon Gulaptis	...	Uniformed Policeman (uncredited)

Directed by
Peter Andrikidis

Writing credits
Peter Gawler		(written by)
Greg Haddrick		(story) and
Ronan Glennane		(story) and
Nell Greenwood		(story)

Produced by
Peter Andrikidis	....	producer
Justin Bodle	....	executive producer
Richard Mewis	....	development producer
Sam Thompson	....	line producer

Original Music by
Burkhard von Dallwitz		(2008) (as Burkhard Dallwitz)

Cinematography by
Owen McPolin		(director of photography: London and Tajikistan)
Mark Wareham		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Neil Thumpston

Casting by
Ann Robinson

Production Design by
Kim Buddee

Art Direction by
John Wingrove		(as JD Wingrove)

Costume Design by
Louise Wakefield

Makeup Department
Anna Gray	....	hair & makeup artist
Jennifer Lamphee	....	hair/makeup supervisor
Zoe Saleeba	....	makeup assistant

Production Management
Gordon Andersen	....	unit manager
Nat Purdon	....	assistant unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Tremaine Egan	....	third assistant director
Jeremy Grogan	....	second assistant director
Russell Whiteoak	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Mary-Liz Andrews	....	art department coordinator
John King	....	stand-by props
Katie Lenehan	....	assistant stand-by props
Melanie Livermore	....	props buyer (as Mel Livermore)
Melanie Livermore	....	set dresser (as Mel Livermore)
Sam Lukins	....	assistant props buyer
Sam Lukins	....	assistant set dresser
Frazer Moore	....	assistant props buyer
Frazer Moore	....	assistant set dresser
Victoria Williams	....	props buyer
Victoria Williams	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Lucas Bone	....	dialogue editor
Jake Brown	....	boom operator
Justin Dotondo	....	sound assistant
Jared Dwyer	....	sound assistant
Cameron Grant	....	sound effects editor
Jason Hancock	....	foley recordist: Feet 'n Frames
Bronwyn Murphy	....	dialogue editor
Andrew Plain	....	sound supervisor
Peter Purcell	....	sound mixer (as Pete Purcell)
John Simpson	....	foley artist: Feet 'n Frames
Stuart Waller	....	sound recordist
Megan Wedge	....	sound effects editor

Special Effects by
Daniel Bavell	....	titles design
Dave Everett	....	special effects technician
Andrew Hardingham	....	electronics technician
David Trethewey	....	special effects supervisor

Visual Effects by
William O'Connell	....	vfx compositor
Francesca Pascoe	....	computer graphics

Stunts
Ray Anthony	....	stunts
Raelene Chapman	....	stunts
Paul Doyle	....	stunts
Mark Duncan	....	stunts
Dean Gould	....	stunt coordinator
Sarah Grieve	....	stunts
Brian Grogan	....	stunts
Goran Jakovski	....	stunts
Ingrid Kleinig	....	stunt performer
Ingrid Kleinig	....	stunts
Marc Le Cornu	....	stunts (as Mark Le Cornu)
Tony Lynch	....	stunts
Scott McLean	....	stunts
Philip Partridge	....	stunts (as Phil Partridge)
Leon Stripp	....	stunt performer
Leon Stripp	....	stunts
Gordon Waddell	....	stunts
Mark Duncan	....	stunt double: Jeremy Lindsay Taylor (uncredited)
Mike Duncan	....	stunt double: Dougray Scott (uncredited)
Mike Duncan	....	stunt double: Richard Roxburgh (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Craig Bartlett-Sweiger	....	grip
Stephen Brack	....	still photographer (as Steve Brack)
Wei-Ching Chong	....	b focus puller
Jason Ewart	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Stephen Harding	....	grip assistant (as Stephen Harding Jr.)
Carl Mullin	....	grip assistant
Michael Pedder	....	best boy
Toby Petch	....	clapper loader
Nino Tamburri	....	focus puller: "a" camera
Matthew Temple	....	camera c operator
Aron Walker	....	key grip (as Aaron Walker)
Simon Williams	....	gaffer
Jimmy Pozarik	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Casting Department
Ann Robinson	....	casting
Gary Davy	....	casting: uk (uncredited)
Grant Thompson	....	extras casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Bernadette Croft	....	assistant costume stand-by
Xanthe Heubel	....	additional costume
Amanda Irving	....	costume supervisor
Samantha Morley	....	costume standby

Editorial Department
Annelie Chapple	....	colorist (as Annelle Chapple)
Simon Dibbs	....	picture editor: Island Films
Prue Fletcher	....	high-definition post production: The LaB Sydney
Margi Hoy	....	assistant editor
William O'Connell	....	on-line editor

Music Department
David Herzog	....	musician: acoustic and electric guitars
Michael Letho	....	music mixer
Michael Letho	....	music recordist
Jess Moore	....	music supervisor

Transportation Department
Adam Pinnock	....	vehicle coordinator

Other crew
K.J. Andersen	....	unit assistant (as KJ 'Kage' Andersen)
Tony Andersen	....	unit assistant
Kingston Anderson	....	location manager
Robert Bailey	....	catering assistant
Teresa Barker	....	production coordinator (as Terésa Barker)
Carl Beaumont	....	unit assistant
Pat Breese	....	unit publicity: Strut PR & Events
Anni Browning	....	completion guarantor: Film Finances
Jean Paul Bruneteau	....	catering supervisor
Anthony Cogin	....	adr loop group (as Tony Cogin)
Emma Cohen	....	unit nurse
Trish Davidson	....	post-production accountant
Patrick Elkington	....	unit assistant
Karen Farrell	....	unit publicity: Strut PR & Events
Emma Fletcher	....	production secretary
Tony Garland	....	armorer
Tony Gibbs	....	insurance: HW Wood Australia
Ian Gledhill	....	head of finance: Screentime
Dean Gould	....	safety supervisor
Louise Johnson	....	script supervisor
Melinda Kuhl	....	travel services: Encore Travel
Peter Lamb	....	technical advisor
Reezy Miller	....	post-production script
Reza Mokhtar	....	catering supervisor
Ian Seymour	....	unit assistant
Sotiri Sotiropoulos	....	safety supervisor
James Weinert	....	catering assistant
Christopher Wheeler	....	on-set location manager
Cherie Whyte	....	production accountant
Sandy Willis	....	legal and business affairs: Screentime
Di Adams	....	adr loop group (uncredited)
Amanda Bishop	....	adr loop group (uncredited)
Emma Buzo	....	adr loop group (uncredited)
Darren Gilshenan	....	adr loop group (uncredited)
Sophie Gregg	....	adr loop group (uncredited)
Slava Orel	....	adr loop group (uncredited)
Nils Pedotti	....	production runner (uncredited)
Costa Ronin	....	adr loop group (uncredited)
Andrew Saareste	....	accounting assistant (uncredited)
Justin Smith	....	adr loop group (uncredited)
John Xintavelonis	....	adr loop group (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Screen Australia (presents)
• Power (in association with)
• New South Wales Film and Television Office, The (in association with) (as NSW Film and Television Office)
• Screentime Pty. Ltd. (as A Screentime Production)
• UKTV (for)

Distributors

• Sonar Entertainment (II) (2009-) (worldwide) (all media)
• Roadshow Entertainment (2010) (Australia) (DVD)
• ION Television (2009) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Pony Canyon (2009) (Japan) (DVD)
• Super! Drama TV (2010) (Japan) (TV)
• WoWow (2010) (Japan) (TV)

Other Companies

• Animal House  animals supplied by
• Empire Film Services  make-up and wardrobe vehicles
• Encore Travel  travel services
• Feet 'n Frames  foley
• Film Cars Australia  action vehicles supplied by
• Film Finance  completion guarantor (as Film Finances Inc.)
• Film Finances  completion guarantor
• HW Wood Australia  insurance
• Huzzah Sound  audio post-production facility
• Image Bank Films by Getty Images  footage supplied by
• Island Films  picture editing facilities
• Kollage Catering  catering by
• LaB Sydney, The  high-definition post production
• Level Two  music supervision
• Moneypenny Services  production accounting
• Movieworx  make-up and wardrobe vehicles
• Mullinars Casting  casting (as Mullinars Casting Consultants)
• New South Wales Film & Television Office  produced with assistance from
• PPost & Deliver  post management
• Panavision Australia  camera hire
• Screen Australia  financed with the assistance of
• Strut PR & Events  unit publicity
• Uniteers  unit vehicles
• Who Dares  security and traffic control
• Zealot Productions  EPK produced by

Also Known As:

Runtime:

Australia:94 min (part 1)

Country:

Australia | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:M (some episodes) | Australia:M | Australia:MA (some episodes) | Australia:MA (2010) | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

Kings Cross, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Company:

Screen Australia

Quotes:

Ian Porter:I am innocent!

A Good But Cumbersome European Espionage Effort

This long and more intellectually convoluted espionage television mini-series incorporates the strong European tradition of subdued mystery and moral angst that skews the more uplifting, positive energy of American action-thrillers. The script and special camera work overreach themselves in their attempt to be smart and intriguing, though a careful read will reveal a rather irritating editing and irregular flow of the storyline with a number of gaps in the plot continuity. There is a heavy dose of emotional guilt and suffering, strangely analogous to Eastern cultural humble and suffering sacrifice philosophies. The TV series never quite reaches the potential for really potent enlightening, though it does mightily in its effort to push those notes of inspiration. A hard movie to sit through, The Diplomat though still presents a qualitatively superior substantive performance.