Most of the work I do sits across stills and film, and I like when both come together. It allows for a much more cohesive result.

On paper, this was a simple campaign, but it quickly turned into something much bigger. The creative and client wanted to shoot inside the original underground cellars at Seppelt Great Western in Victoria. These tunnels, known as The Drives, aren’t really used in the same way anymore, so just getting access was a job in itself. Limited power, tough conditions, and a lot of gear to move through a pretty unforgiving space.

We initially approached it as a stills campaign, but once we got down there it became obvious how rich the environment was. The texture, the scale, the atmosphere, even the styling, it all had depth. It felt too good to only capture in stills.

So we expanded into motion. What started as print moved into a small film, which felt like the right response to the space and the story.

The winery carries a great history. Mark Twain visited Great Western in the 1890s. Dame Nellie Melba has her champagne bath legend, with the rumour that more bottles came out than went in. And Hans Irvine’s sparkling wine won gold at the 1900 Paris Exhibition. It’s that mix of serious wine history, folklore, and a bit of marketing spin that gives the place its character. We tried to capture all of it.

It felt like too good an opportunity to stop at stills. Moving into film, the camera just ate up the slow motion, all that texture and richness in the space we’d created.

There was something quite magic about being down there. We had a band playing live. Everything happened for real. It was hot, tight, and not exactly friendly. Spider webs everywhere, cables running through the tunnels, a proper grind.

But visually it was incredible. The production and styling were so well considered that every frame felt designed. Texture, depth, layers. Constant candy for the eye.

Easily one of my favourite projects. And honestly, what’s wrong with a bit of job satisfaction.