Bali 2002 EXCLUSIVE: What it’s really like on the set of Stan’s highly anticipated miniseries
On October 12, 2002, the world was rocked by the news of a series of terrorist bombings in Bali, Indonesia.
Two separate bombs had detonated in the tourist area of Kuta and a third in Denpasar, tragically killing 202 people including 88 Australians.
Stan’s newest series, Bali 2002, is focused on the stories of those who perished, the survivors who lived to tell the tale, and the Australian Federal Police officers and Indonesian authorities tasked with investigating the devastating attacks.
Daily Mail Australia has visited the set of Stan Original miniseries Bali 2002 in Sydney’s Rosehill, where the modern streets were transformed into Kuta, 2002, the morning after the bombings had taken place
Bali 2002, starring Australia’s own Richard Roxburgh and Rachel Griffiths, as well as Bridgerton actress Claudia Jessie, will be released on September 25, weeks ahead of the 20th anniversary of the bombings.
In March, Daily Mail Australia visited the set of the miniseries in Sydney’s Rosehill, where the modern streets were transformed into Kuta, 2002, the morning after the bombings had taken place.
There was smoke wafting in the air, burnt out cars and collapsed buildings, Balinese market stalls and buildings that had survived the devastating explosions – all expertly recreated by an ingenious production team.
The miniseries was directed by Katrina Irawati Graham and Peter Andrikidis (pictured on set)
The production team also painstakingly recreated the signs that hung on the same buildings in Kuta exactly 20 years ago.
Cast and crew were seen filming a scene involving a group of Australian police officers, lead by Roxburgh who played officer Graham Ashton, investigating the aftermath of the bombings and speaking with actors playing Balinese locals.
While on set, Daily Mail Australia spoke with series director Katrina Irawati Graham, executive producer Tim Pye and series production designer Tim Ferrier.
The series, starring Australia’s own Richard Roxburgh and Rachel Griffiths, as well as Bridgerton actress Claudia Jessie, will be released on September 25, weeks ahead of the 20th anniversary of the bombings
‘We had a duty of care to do it (the series) as truthfully as we can,’ said Tim Pye before speaking about the reaction of survivors to the production of the series.
‘People wanted to tell their stories. Experience living through that shocking response.’
Two survivors of the bombings came to the set after expressing a desire to visit.
The set featured burnt out cars and collapsed buildings, Balinese market stalls (pictured) – all expertly recreated by an ingenious production team
‘They were really quite moved by it,’ Mr Pye recalled. ‘It was moving for me and moving for them.’
The crew also revealed that the two survivors, strangely enough, were eager about getting a photograph with the actor playing the bomber.
Bali 2002 had been in development for 15 months, with construction of the Kuta set beginning in December.
Cast and crew were also seen filming a scene involving a group of Australian police officers, lead by Roxburgh who played officer Graham Ashton (pictured), investigating the aftermath of the bombings and speaking with actors playing Balinese locals
The scene involved Australian Federal Police officers and a forensics team investigating the aftermath of the bombings and speaking with Balinese locals
There was an attempt to film a series based on the bombings back in 2005 in Indonesia, with many of the same crew members involved.
But a week before shooting was to begin, another terrorist attack happened in Bali. A series of bombs were detonated in Kuta and Jimbaran beach resort, killing 23 including the three bombers involved.
The bombings ironically caused production of the earlier series to shut down and eventually be scrapped entirely.
Bali 2002 had been in development for 15 months. There was an attempt to film a show based on the bombings back in 2005 in Indonesia but production was shut down after the 2005 Bali bombings
Stan green-lit a new miniseries based on the 2002 bombings 17 years later, with director Katrina Irawati Graham explaining that a decision was made to film in Australia rather than Indonesia as it was more ‘reliable’.
Series production designer Tim Ferrier, the mastermind behind the construction of the sets, pulled the original plans, along with some props and set pieces from the 2005 production for the new one.
He’d built an identical set outside Jakarta – the capital of Indonesia – for the 2005 series and was about to throw the props away when he was called up about coming on board as production designer for the new show last year.
Series production designer Tim Ferrier pictured on the set of Bali 2002. Mr Ferrier had painstakingly recreated the site of the bombings
Construction of the set had began in December after the series was green-lit by Stan. Up to 60 people worked on building it with Mr Ferrier
‘We tried to be accurate as possible to the street and the signage,’ he said on re-creating the site of the bombings.
‘I was adamant to keep it as true to the place.’
Mr Ferrier explained that he was forced to ‘take a bit of license’ for the set as he couldn’t ‘possibly get the scale of the devastation’.
Mr Ferrier explained that he was ‘adamant’ about being as accurate as possible and keeping ‘true’ to the location
There were between 20 to 30 people working on the set at any one time, with up to 60 builders at one point.
Mr Ferrier remarked that it was ‘good’ for his ‘soul’ to recreate the set due to his connection to the original show.
He recalled the reaction of two survivors who visited the set he had built with his own two hands.
‘It was cathartic and exciting for them,’ he said.
Bali 2002 is available to stream on Stan from September 25 2022.
Bali 2002 is available to stream on Stan from September 25 2022
