Producer Sarah Shaw shares how Docklands Studios Melbourne’s filmmaker-first approach helped bring indie film, Saccharine, from concept to screen.
Whether it’s prosthetics, practical effects, stunt work, visual effects or multiple working set builds, horror filmmakers ideally need all departments operating side by side.
It’s one reason why several horror films have recently chosen to shoot at Docklands Studios Melbourne, including Together, Hotel Hotel Hotel Hotel and Insidious 6: Into the Further.
And for the newly released body horror Saccharine, producer Sarah Shaw says the decision to film at Docklands Studios Melbourne came down to this flexible, efficient layout and hands-on support.
Sarah Shaw has worked with her Carver Films co-founder Anna McLeish for nearly two decades after being introduced by writer, director and producer Rob Connolly.
“Anna and I have been business and creative partners for nearly 17 years,” says Shaw. “We share the journey of our projects and the challenges and successes of indie producing.”
Through Carver Films, the pair have built a reputation for bold storytelling and creative risk-taking, producing stories designed to connect with audiences around the world.
Saccharine reunited Carver Films with Victorian writer-director Natalie Erika James following their collaboration on Relic.
“Like Relic, Saccharine stems from something deeply personal,” Shaw explains. “It’s an intimate look at one woman’s struggle with body image, self-worth and shame-driven compulsion, told through a horror lens.”
“For Saccharine, we knew early on the studio’s facilities would be ideal for our needs,” says Shaw. “(Studio CEO) Antony Tulloch moved mountains to help us get into the studios.”
“The ability to have art, costume, production, make-up and prosthetics under one roof was essential,” she says. “Given the complexity of Hana’s body transformation, practical effects and set builds, being at the studio made a huge difference.”
“We built Hana’s hero apartment, connecting hallways, a garbage chute, a ‘ketamine basement’ – watch the film to find out! – and dedicated green/blue screen setups for daily SFX/VFX work,” Shaw explains.
“Shooting in Stage 6 (the facility’s super stage) gave us the flexibility to run multiple sets simultaneously, often with a second unit shooting in parallel.”
Beyond the logistical advantages, the studio environment played a role in supporting cast and crew.
Lead actor Midori Francis underwent extensive prosthetics throughout the production, requiring long preparation times and controlled working conditions.
“Midori had three or four hours of intensive prosthetics most days. Being able to give her a private room and keep everything in a temperature-controlled environment during the heat of summer was so important.”
“For an ambitious independent film, the flexibility and support of having all departments under one roof was a gamechanger,” Shaw says.
“Selfishly, we’re hoping we can house many of Carver’s future projects there.”
Saccharine premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2026, with a US theatrical release in May 2026 and a scheduled release in Australia in July.
The film follows Hana, a lovelorn medical student terrorized by a sinister force after taking part in an obscure weight loss craze: eating human ashes.
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