Stan Original feature film Whale Shark Jack, developed by a team of West Australian creatives and celebrating the Exmouth region and its rare creatures has made its Australian debut, with Stage23 delivering a complex blend of CG creatures, storm-driven ocean environments and seamless visual effects.

Set in the visually arresting West Australian Ningaloo region, the story revolves around the coastal town of Exmouth, where the red desert meets the sea. Exmouth is a gateway to both the Ningaloo Marine Park and Cape Range National Park, making it a hub for eco-tourism and marine adventure. The environmental narrative centres on the ‘Jacks’, the eight metre whale shark Big Jack and Juvenile Jack and ‘Baby’ Jack. 

Whale Shark Jack is the directorial debut for sibling co-directors Miranda and Khrob Edmonds. They state that the personal and environmentally conscious film is “our love letter to Exmouth and the magnificent whale sharks of Ningaloo Reef.” Describing the film as both a celebration of the natural world and a call to action, the film positions the Exmouth Gulf and its depths of natural living assets as precious and in peril.

With a narrative that explores salient messages on conservation, preservation of endangered species and bio-diverse areas and delves into First Nations’ connection to Country in this specific geography, the visual resonance was vital. For Stage23, the challenge was not just technical but seamlessly honouring the location and its unique creatures.

At the centre of Stage23’s work were two fully realised CG characters: the eight‑metre adult whale shark Big Jack, and Juvenile Jack, a juvenile whose design presented an exceptional creative and scientific challenge. The rendering of the Juvenile Jack demanded a careful balance of research, anatomical accuracy and cinematic expression as these creature have rarely been filmed.

Speaking on the complexity of weaving VFX into this highly cinematic underwater natural universe, Khrob Edmonds said:

“You get some imaginative leeway with weird and alien creatures, as we don’t know what they look like, but whale sharks are real animals, so you’ve really got to get the details right.”

Particular attention was paid to close‑up anatomy, including the shark eye, where the CG asset needed to hold up under intimate scrutiny, while integrating seamlessly with live-action footage shot alongside real whale sharks at Ningaloo.

“From the creature modelling, to the surfacing and the rig, the team at Stage23 have made a completely believable animal. One of the bits of animation that fills my heart every time I see it is simply the flowing animation of Jack’s gills. Hand-animated to natural perfection,” added Edmonds.

Beyond creature work, Stage23 delivered extensive environment and effects sequences that broaden the film’s scale and tension. The studio created storm-driven ocean systems, wild weather effects, matte paintings, sky and water replacements, and CG cloud fly‑throughs that expand the natural world beyond what could be captured on location.

“On set, they say never work with kids or animals. In VFX, it’s never work with water. Stage23 apparently didn’t get that memo, as they smashed ocean sims, rain, cloud sims and one *big* fish. We had to be judicious with our storm scenes – being a family film, we had to tread a fine line of scary and scale, and Stage23 were able to deliver first passes of extremely high quality, and then iterate with us to get the balance of everything just right.”

Khrob Edmonds, Co-Director of Whale Shark Jack

In one key sequence, a dinghy battered by heavy swell and driving rain was shot on bluescreen, with Stage23 constructing a fully digital ocean environment around the action. In another, the team realised a night-time storm sequence featuring a yacht overwhelmed by a massive wave, a completely CG shot combining water simulation, rain, lighting and atmosphere.

Edmonds explained that elements of the narrative placed key character, Big Jack, into complex and dangerous scenarios that could never be filmed in entirety with real whale sharks.

“By filming with [the whale sharks] and combining Stage23’s immaculate roto, animation, rendering and comping skills, the team brought the ‘Rescuing Jack’ scene together perfectly.”

Khrob Edmonds, Co-Director of Whale Shark Jack

A key underwater scene was filmed in the controlled environment of Perth’s ERGT pool, with a puppet Big Jack extensively augmented with CG taking centre stage during a pivotal moment in the story.

“From our favourite transition where the whale shark spots become stars, to the wilds of the storm and the epic sweeping movements of Big Jack, Stage23 brought this film to life with skill, artistry and technical excellence. They were an integral part of the team and we can’t wait to work together again soon,” Edmonds said.

Whale Shark Jack is produced by Cottesloe Films and Southern Light Films, as part of the Australian Children’s Television Foundation (ACTF) / Stan Family Film partnership and was written by WA author and screenwriter Kathryn Lefroy.