Kirk Docker

Seasoned storyteller Kirk Docker (OTG 1998) describes You Can’t Ask That (2016-2022), his high-rating ABC interview-style docuseries as “an exercise in trying to understand Australians who are misunderstood or marginalised, by asking them the taboo questions”.   

“I wanted to suggest to the audience that it’s ‘okay’ to ask challenging questions of people, if you do it from a place of care, rather than voyeurism or judgement,” he said.   

“I learnt that what holds us back from asking questions is our fear of how they’ll be received.  Whereas, if your intention is genuine, people will answer anything.” 

During school, Kirk says that curiosity was a real driving force for him.  

“Trinity was transformative,” he said.    

“It opened my eyes to new possibilities. I was a kid on a scholarship, so at times I felt like a fish out of water, but I was always interested in being involved and trying things oTut. I studied [everything from] Physics to Literature to Art in Year 12”.  

After graduating Kirk pursued a creative path, seeking out as many new and varied experiences as he could. He studied media, working, travelling and volunteering around the world, building a diverse collection of friends and contacts along the way.  

He moved to Sydney, first working for TV producer Andrew Denton before pitching and making TV shows of his own. 

Having experienced the ins-and-outs of the Australian media landscape, Kirk says that the industry isn’t always one of security and stability. Rather, he describes it as “dynamic and constantly evolving, provid[ing] opportunities to tell stories that impact the way people see the world.”   

“The trick for me has been staying the course, maintaining the vision of what I wanted for myself [rather than] jettisoning for a safer route when being rejected or when opportunities dried up”.   

Kirk attests to the value of having a network and a community to lean on, especially during the phases of early career. After connecting at a recent Trinity reunion, recent AFTRS (Australian Film, TV and Radio School) graduate Denis Curnow (OTG 2017) joined Kirk on set as he navigates the next steps. 

Kirk says that when it comes to creative pursuits, timing is everything.  

“Sometimes an idea isn’t bad, you’re just a tiny bit early or late,” he said.  

His advice is to “be tenacious, and don’t give up.”  

“Be generous with your time and energy and find ways to inject playfulness into what you do”.  

Next for Kirk is the July launch of his new ABC series, I Was Actually There. Each episode explores significant moments in Australian history told from the perspectives of the people who witnessed them, from Nicky Winmar’s stand against racism to the 350,000 fans greeting The Beatles in Adelaide in 1964.  

During the production phase, Kirk connected with friend and fellow alum Roland Bourke (OTG 1998), a history scholar at La Trobe University, for support in how to best approach the verbal history element, testament to the value of connections made along the way.  

“I think of my job as one where I get to interview the most interesting people in the world and ask them the most honest, personal, at times gut-wrenching questions about who they are, and then I get to listen and learn from them,” he said. 

“Creating content that challenges me and my audience is an exciting way to live”.