Dominic Allen (born 20 November 1980) is an award-winning Australian director and producer whose diverse body of work spans short and feature films, music videos, commercials, virtual reality, and television documentaries. Dominic graduated with a degree in fine arts, majoring in art history, and completed an honors thesis on Melbourne street art. He began his filmmaking career with "Estudio 101," a documentary capturing The Cat Empire recording their album in Havana’s famous EGREM studios in 2005. This project was subsequently broadcast nationally by Network 10.
The following year, Dominic produced "One Cup," a documentary that explored the Fairtrade coffee industry in East Timor. This film was broadcast in Australia and internationally on the Australia Network. His work continued with diverse projects, including the viral video "Take You To The Movies" with Sudanese rapper Bangs, and "Two Men," a short film set in the Kimberley desert that tackles complex themes of masculinity, isolation, and friendship. "Two Men" received international acclaim and contributed to Dominic winning the 2009 MIFF Australian Emerging Filmmaker award and the Inside Film Australian Rising Talent Prize.
In 2009, Dominic also served as second unit director and co-producer on Josh Whiteman's film about artist and filmmaker Anton Corbijn. This intimate documentary provided a look at the life and career of the celebrated visual artist, rock photographer, and film director, featuring interviews with iconic figures such as Bono, Chris Martin, Michael Stipe, Dave Gahan, and Bernard Sumner.
In 2011, Dominic produced "Grey Matter" with Rwandan director Kivu Ruhorahoza. The film was a notable presence at the Tribeca Film Festival, where it was nominated for the Jury Award for Best Narrative Feature, won the Jury Award for Best Actor in a Narrative Feature by Ramadhan Bizimana, and received a Special Mention for New Narrative Director for Kivu Ruhorahoza.
In 2012, Dominic produced "Eli the Invincible," a film written and directed by Miranda Nation. The film won the SBS TV Award and was selected to screen on the network, garnering significant acclaim for its engaging narrative and production quality.
In 2013, Dominic joined Dentsu, where he acted as Executive Producer and Creative Director at Dentsu Aegis Network’s Isobar and Storylab. Here, he worked on high-impact projects for clients such as the Air Force, David Jones, Red Bull, Maybelline, Ford, and Holden, as well as charitable organizations including Save the Children and Oxfam. At David Jones, he directed brand documentaries featuring leading Australian designers Zimmerman, Josh Goot, and ambassador Miranda Kerr. Dominic has also directed television commercials for Guilty in Melbourne, including a major campaign on diversity for SBS.
In the music realm, Dominic has produced high-impact music videos for artists such as Cat Empire, Spinifex Gum, Rose Riebl, and Roller One, and has shot music documentaries featuring talents such as Midnight Oil frontman Peter Garrett, Emma Donovan, and charity work with Tex Perkins. He has guest-directed twice for the Sideshow Alley series, founded by Ty Johnson, Dave Budge, and Selwyn Cozens. This series is driven by a passion for honest and direct storytelling, embracing genuine intimacy through documentary film and improvised outdoor music video series. Dominic directed clips for Felix Riebl and the Australian Ballet within this series.
Beyond the screen, Dominic has showcased his creativity on stage by producing visuals for the award-winning Spinifex Gum Aboriginal Girls Choir, Marliya, and two featurettes for the Lume in Melbourne, the largest immersive projection space in the southern hemisphere. These works highlighted the dance group Bangarra and Yindjibarndi creation mythology. Spinifex Gum is a musical collaboration featuring the voices of Marliya Choir, an all-female group of Indigenous singers from Cairns conducted by Lyn Williams and accompanied by Felix Riebl and Ollie McGill of The Cat Empire. The project is celebrated for its vibrant and emotive performances that mix traditional and contemporary sounds, highlighting significant social issues affecting Indigenous Australians.
Responding to a growth in immersive technologies, and keen to explore new platforms for storytelling, Dominic founded ReddogsVR. Its flagship VR experience, "Carriberrie," achieved international recognition, was showcased at the 71st Cannes Film Festival, and won Gold at the 2019 Award Awards. "Carriberrie" is a multi-platform immersive journey across Australia celebrating the depth and diversity of Indigenous dance and song from the traditional to the contemporary. From the heart of the country at Uluru, actor and performer David Gulpilil welcomes viewers to a journey through time and space across Australia, featuring 150 dancers across 9 locations and multiple language groups, from traditional ceremonial dance and song towards intrinsically contemporary and modern expressions. "Carriberrie" was also adapted into a fulldome version screened in planetariums across Australia and Europe.
In 2023, Dominic co-founded Sky Flyk with Australian energy pioneer Andy Evans. Based in Australia, with offices in Byron Bay, Melbourne, and Brussels, Sky Flyk is a documentary film production company renowned for their 2023 documentary "Planet Wind," which explores the global impact of offshore wind energy, with Evans as the host. The team is currently developing the sequel, "Planet Sun," which focuses on humanity’s relationship with the sun.
