[citation needed] Sarkies began making short films as a teenager with fellow filmmaker Simon Perkins and Lindsay Chalmers.

Some of those living in Aramoana expressed opposition to the film being made; others who lost people in the tragedy agreed to do interviews with scriptwriters Sarkies and Graeme Tetley.

[citation needed] The series centres around a man (played by Charles Mesure) who wakes up with no knowledge of the woman he appears to be married to, his children or job.

The award-winning film, which went to air in 2014,[2][6] is based on the true story of Louise Nicholas, who was raped by a group of police officers as a teenager and took them to court as an adult, securing convictions.

[citation needed] Before making Out of the Blue, the Sarkies brothers collaborated on the script for a proposed fantasy film called The Magnificent Magic Fingers.