BORROWED AIR
Borrowed Air is a short documentary by filmmaker Noemi Merz, following Pak Well, a former compressor diver from a Bajau community in West Sumbawa, Indonesia.
After losing his father to compressor diving, Pak Well stepped away from the practice. His younger brother continues to dive, relying on borrowed air beneath the surface to support his family.
Morii Media joined the project as executive producers, helping Noemi shape the material into a finished short film and supporting the production through post-production and its first steps towards an audience.
Challenge.
The project began with a powerful personal story and footage captured within the community, but producing an independent documentary requires more than the filming itself.
The team needed support to:
Shape the material into a focused short documentary.
Protect the intimacy of Pak Well’s story without losing its emotional weight.
Bring local crew into the production and formalise their involvement.
Clarify roles, rights and ownership across the producing team.
Manage feedback and decisions throughout the edit.
Prepare the film, trailer and supporting materials for festivals.
Find a path for the film to reach audiences beyond the community where it was made.
Solution.
The Morii Media team supported the film through development, production management and post-production, while keeping Noemi’s relationship with Pak Well and his family at the centre of the process.
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We worked with Noemi to refine the structure, identify the film’s emotional centre and make decisions about what the audience needed to understand. This included reviewing edits, discussing pacing and reducing explanatory material so Pak Well and his family remained at the heart of the story.
Creative feedback was approached as a conversation, with Noemi retaining ownership of the film’s voice, tone and direction.
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As the project grew, we brought additional producing and local expertise into the team. Indonesian producer Prema Ananda joined the project, bringing local knowledge and supporting permits and production requirements.
We also formalised project roles, ownership and producer agreements, creating a clearer structure for completing and releasing the film.
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As the film moved towards completion, we reviewed the cut, refined its on-screen message and shaped supporting material, including the trailer. Each decision was made to protect the personal nature of the story.
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We identified suitable festivals and considered how the film should be positioned for different audiences. This included preparing the film and its supporting materials for submissions and planning its pathway beyond completion.
Results.
Completed an intimate 11-minute documentary that remained true to the director’s vision.
Built a producing team combining creative, production and local knowledge.
Established clear roles, agreements and ownership across the project.
Completed the film, trailer and supporting festival materials.
Selected to have its Australian premiere at the Fremantle Underwater Film Festival in October 2026.
Created a strong foundation for further festival submissions and audience opportunities.
Let us help bring your story together.
Whether you have an early idea, footage already captured or a film that needs help reaching the finish line, Morii Media can provide the production support needed to move it forward while keeping your vision at the centre.