I Was Actually There

Last updated

I Was Actually There
Genre documentary series
Created by
  • Kirk Docker
  • Aaron Smith
  • Jon Casimir
Directed byKirk Docker
Country of originAustralia
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes7
Production
Executive producerKirk Docker
Producers
  • Loni Cooper
  • Josh Schmidt
  • Jess Skinner
Production locationAustralia
Production companyDocker Media
Original release
Network ABC TV
Release9 July 2024 (2024-07-09) 
present
Related
You Can't Ask That

I Was Actually There is an Australian TV documentary series created by ABC Television which first premiered on 9 July 2024. [1]

Contents

Description

The documentary series explores major moments in our recent history through the eyes, ears and voices of those who witnessed them firsthand. [2]

Production

The series was created by the creators of You Can't Ask That , Kirk Docker, Aaron Smith and Jon Casimir. [3] It is produced by Docker Media for the ABC. [4] Docker is also the director and executive producer of the series, while Loni Cooper, Josh Schmidt and Jess Skinner serve as producers. [1] A second series will premiere on 7 October 2025. [5]

Podcast

A companion podcast with the same name also aired on 9 July 2024, hosted by Kirk Docker and will give an in depth interview with an individual that appears on the TV series. [6]

Season overview

SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
Season premiereSeason finale
1 69 July 2024 [7] 13 August 2024
2 7 October 202511 November 2025

Episodes

Season 1 (2024)

No. in seriesNo. in seasonTitleOriginal airdate
11"Port Arthur massacre: 28 April 1996"9 July 2024
22"Boxing Day tsunami: 26 December 2004"16 July 2024
33"AFL footballer Nicky Winmar’s stand against racism: 17 April 1993"23 July 2024
44"The Beatles’ world record-breaking Adelaide visit: 12 June 1964"30 July 2024
55"Woomera Detention Centre breakout: 29 March 2002"6 August 2024
66"Beaconsfield mine rescue: 9 May 2006"13 August 2024

Season 2 (2025)

No. in seriesNo. in seasonTitleOriginal airdate
71"Black Saturday bushfires: 7 February 2009"7 October 2025
82"September 11 Terroists Attack: 11 September 2001"14 October 2025
93"The Dismissal: 11 November 1975"21 October 2025
104"Cronulla Riots: 11 December 2005"28 October 2025
115"Fairlie Arrow Abduction Hoax: 1991"4 November 2025
126"Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race Tragedy: 27 December 1998"11 November 2025

Reception

Graeme Blundell of The Australian wrote, "Docker has again created a kind of hybrid form, a marriage of the art of storytelling and the art of journalism, an entertaining attempt to make drama out of the observable world of real people, real places and real events.", about the series being created by Kirk Docker in a hybrid form. [8]

References

  1. 1 2 Knox, David (9 June 2024). "Airdate: I Was Actually There". TV Tonight . Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  2. Laidlaw, Kyle (8 June 2024). "Airdate: Factual series I Was Actually There premiers this July on ABC". TV Blackbox. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  3. Quinn, Karl (5 July 2024). "From Port Arthur to racism in sport, You Can't Ask That creators tackle Australia's biggest moments" . The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  4. "'I Was Actually There' (Trailer)". IF Magazine. 5 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  5. Knox, David (7 October 2025). "Returning: I Was Actually There". TV Tonight. Retrieved 9 September 2025.
  6. Siemienowicz, Rochelle (13 June 2024). "I Was Actually There, ABC iview – streaming preview". ScreenHub. Creative Hubs Group. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  7. Knox, David (5 July 2024). "I Was Actually There: July 9". TV Tonight . Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  8. Blundell, Graeme (6 July 2024). "Witnesses to Port Arthur massacre tell their story" . First Watch. The Australian. Sydney: News Corp Australia. p. 12. ProQuest   3075787548 . Retrieved 9 July 2024.