csanz 25’

This project document’s my client’s presence at the 74th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand — a two-day internal communications piece constructed around professionalism, connection, and the momentum of the high-stakes medical industry.

Shot solo across Brisbane — a city I’d never worked in before, in which the project required deliberate planning, generous buffers, and an airtight logistical rhythm. Across three key moments (Expo Day 1, the Medical Education Dinner, and Expo Day 2), the aim was simple; document how the team shows up, collaborates, and represents their culture in real time.

The result is a documentary-style Hero Film which threads together movement, focus, and humanity - observed through our vérité methodology.

The project was planned around a dual-lens protocol: the 16-35mm GM and the 70-200mm GM II. Though I rarely shoot wider than 35mm on vérité projects, the aim was to anchor the view in the scale and atmosphere of the exhibition. At 16mm, the scenes carried a sense of grandiose and spatial immersion that served as the backbone of the narrative.

The 35mm handled the environmental mediums and textural inserts with a natural depth. Whereas the 70-200mm allowed for unobtrusive observation — surgical close-ups, elegant compression, and intentional separation. Together, these lenses shaped a visual language which balanced intimacy with human detail.

Following the Discovery Call, the project naturally resolved into a three-act structure spanning nine scenes.

Act I followed the setup and early flow of the expo — a “calm-before-the-storm” rooted in collaboration and momentum.
Act II shifted into the warmth of the medical education dinner — a reflective intermission between two high-tempo days.
Act III closed with the peak energy of Expo Day 2 — the busiest, most dynamic chapter, and the emotional climax of the project.

This structure allowed the viewer to experience the event as the team lived it: measured, immersive, and a natural flow.

Two tonal worlds shaped the final piece.

Acts I & III leaned into neutral palettes paired with clean, cinematic contrast — professional, modern, and subtly accented with cool shadows to echo themes of medicine, technology, and precision.

Act II, filmed at Bacchus, South Bank — lived-in warm amber hues, candle-lit accents, deep woody tones, and a cozy visual intimacy. Its contrast to the cooler acts helped position it as the emotional centrepiece; a moment of human pauses in an otherwise clinical environment.

The tonal juxtaposition strengthened the film’s rhythm, and reinforced the team’s dual nature — technical excellence supported by an authentic connection.

Sound design is generally treated as secondary in corporate work — but not here.

Every project consists of a Sound Checklist: key atmospheres, interactions, speeches, and cues mapped out per act. These soundbites anchor the viewer inside the scene.

At the dinner event, I captured and integrated the host’s opening remarks as a narrative bridge. This moment gave the film credibility and immediacy — and was one of the first elements the client praised.

Beneath the industry, credentials, and formality — is a team built on warmth.

This story revolved around the quiet laughter between colleagues, small gestures of support, the curious look of emerging breakthroughs, and the casual conversations that reveal the true culture of a workplace.

Professionalism isn’t just efficacy and efficiency — it’s lifelong learning, care for the craft, and the relationships that sustain momentum.

Corporate filmmaking doesn’t need to be colourless, static, or devoid of soul.

My intention with this piece was to challenge that stereotype — to bring cinematic principals, intentional sound design, and our vérité ethos into a world that often defaults to “good enough.”

By retaining my visual signature, scene mapping, and weaving human moments into the narrative, the final film became more than documentation — but a cultural artefact for the team.

The result was a polished, immersive three-act piece which reflected not only the event, but the spirit behind it.

“You made audio transitions with voices and music — I love it.”
Sound design was the first thing the client noticed after the initial draft.

It goes to show that the subtle layers are what elevate the final film to a piece of meaningful storytelling.

Personally — I left the project inspired. The medical field is often portrayed as serious and stoic, yet I found warmth, humour, curiosity, and a team who are willing to learn in any setting. That duality was a privilege to witness.