Apple’s recent production of the local crime drama series *Last Seen* has highlighted both the creative process behind its making and the growing opportunities for female talent in the film industry. The six-part series was filmed over 100 days in locations including Portland and Warrnambool, offering a distinctly Australian setting brought to a global audience through streaming platforms.

Cinematographer Tess Elliott, who led the visual direction of the series, detailed the extensive preparation involved in maintaining a consistent vision throughout the production. She emphasized the importance of multiple site visits to understand how lighting and camera work would interact with each setting, collaborating closely with the director and core creative team to build a coherent visual narrative. Elliott described the process as akin to crafting "six complex short stories that become a novel together," highlighting the balance of individual episode arcs within the overall series.

To communicate her vision effectively, Elliott developed mood boards not only for principal characters and key locations but also for each individual scene, drawing inspiration from her own photographs, influential films, fine art photography, and painting. Although she acknowledged that creating so many mood boards was a “slightly crazy undertaking,” she said it proved useful in aligning the entire production team behind the stylistic ambitions of the series.

Elliott also spoke to broader industry trends, particularly the advancement of female cinematographers. She noted the significance of a female cinematographer winning an Oscar last year and the increasing presence of Australian women nominated for the award in previous years. Staffed with a largely gender-balanced camera crew on this project, Elliott believes that greater representation behind the camera leads to more diverse creative ideas and opportunities within the industry.

Apple’s commissioning of *Last Seen* marked the company’s first locally produced drama in Australia, a development Elliott welcomed as it provides substantial resources and global reach for Australian stories. She expressed enthusiasm about filming in familiar landscapes and presenting compelling narratives to audiences worldwide, suggesting that such investments could help open the door for more female creatives on high-profile productions both domestically and internationally.