It was a stellar night for Photoplay at the 2023 MADC Creative Awards, with Gold wins for Michael Gupta and Chris Budgeon.
Michael Gupta won Gold in Craft: Non-charity Direction for his music video, Easy, for band, Winter Swim.
The atmospheric, cinematic video explores the traditional themes of identity, family and growing apart – with a vampire twist, and dropped (aptly) on Halloween. Its story of a woman who nurses a baby vampire to maturity includes all the usual trials and tribulations of raising a teenage daughter with the slight additional predicament if her unquenchable thirst for human blood.
Gupta was given full creative licence to write and direct it in line with the moody tempo and pace of the track after the band saw his Melbourne International Film Festival 2021 official selection film, The Echo.
Gupta commented, “A huge thanks to MADC for the recognition. Sharing this with DP, Gregoire Liere; designer, Bethany Ryan; and Photoplay Films, who made it all worthwhile.”
Credits:
Director: Michael Gupta
Production Company: Photoplay Playtime
Executive Producer: Oliver Lawrance
Producer: Yiani Andrikidis
DOP Gregoire Liere
Production Designer: Bethany Ryan
Colourist: Fergus Rotherham
Chris Budgeon won Photoplay’s second Gold in Design & Photography Craft: Non-Charity Direction for Mini Legends.
The NAB Mini Legends campaign, now in its sixth year, has become a highlight of the AFL and AFLW seasons, highlighting NAB’s commitment to supporting football and championing the NAB AFL Auskick (youth) program.
It was the first year for TBWA\Melbourne and Budgeon to create the campaign that featured “mini versions of players, Aliir Aliir, Madison Prespakis, Daniel Rich, Nina Morrison and Aaron Naughton.
Budegon commented, “What a lovely honour from the MADC recognising the work produced for this year’s NAB Mini Legends stills campaign. I’ll be honest and say that we haven’t laughed that hard on a photographic shoot in ages, literally rolling in the aisles. All our amazing child talent were so brilliantly cast, with each one totally imbuing the full character of their famous football doppelgängers. Stellar performances from all of them. Mini super stars!
“Thank you to the entire supportive team at TBWA Melb, Photoplay, and a great client in NAB who had the confidence to let us create such a memorable piece of work. A special shout out to Nat Burley for her amazing makeup work with the kids.”
Credits:
Client: NAB
Agency: TBWA\Melbourne
Production Company: Photoplay
Photographer: Chris Budgeon
Producers: Alison Lydiard & Ross Colebatch
