Tropical North Queensland redefines paradise in a brand new campaign via SapientNitro Brisbane
Scuba-skydiving and couch surfing in the rainforest are among the experiences documented by Australian filmmakers as part of a creative project to promote Tropical North Queensland, created by SapientNitro Brisbane for Tourism & Events Queensland.
The “1 Day in Paradise” campaign is live today, with 20 films now on a dedicated YouTube channel by 20 Australian filmmakers and storytellers with an impressive list of credits and achievements.
Says Ralph Barnett, creative director at SapientNitro: “Our challenge was to entice Australians up to Tropical North Queensland to experience the incredible diversity of adventurous activities on offer. By creating real, relatable and shareable content built on a foundation of engaging human stories enabled us to showcase the beauty of the region – and provide people with a tangible reason to visit.
“The challenge to 20 of Australia’s most exciting filmmakers was to create quality content and authentic human stories that engage and create desire, and redefine what it means to be in ‘paradise’.”
The films were made with the support of local tourism operators who provided time and resources to help showcase the vast array of locations and experiences in Tropical North Queensland. SapientNitro and Tourism & Events Queensland also provided on-the-ground support and collaborated with each filmmaker about their story and how best to create it.
Storytellers taking part in the competition had to adhere to the single entry requirement: to shoot all footage on a wearable GoPro camera.
Says Rob Giason, CEO of Tropical North Queensland: “By enforcing the rule of shooting only on a GoPro, this challenge has stripped away all the bells and whistles filmmakers traditionally rely on and forced them to really test their creativity to its limits. What we’ve ended up with are 20 wildly different but utterly compelling films.”
The GoPro films – by storytellers including Australian Tropfest and film industry award winners – re-establish and evolve the Tropical North Queensland brand story, and its “Adventurous by Nature” positioning.
GoPro technology has revolutionised face of filmmaking through its ability to be strapped to people or devices to capture extraordinary footage. For “1 Day in Paradise” this technology helps bring to life the region’s diverse experiences by tapping into this thirst for immersive, first-person narrative.
Experiences documented in the short films range from the extreme to the sublime, including a gymnastic display in the heart of the ancient Daintree National Park and a story which follows the real-life Life of Pi – a 14 year-old boy who has lived much of his life on a boat. The filmmakers themselves come from all walks of life and include a jobbing stuntman, a former taxi driver and a “shark Cowboy” famous for pioneering the technique of lassoing sharks.
The public can view and share the films from today (15 May), and a series of pop-up cinema screenings in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney will take the films on the road later this week – details on the Explore Tropical North Queensland Facebook page.
A panel of experts will judge the films in June and award the $75,000 prize money. Judges include film journalist Sandy George – a past judge of Australian Tropfest and current presenter of films on SBS One – and Dr Rachel Landers, head of documentary at AFTRS (Australian Film Television and Radio School).
As well as the pop-up screenings, SapientNitro has created some cinema, TV and online marketing support for the campaign.
Client: Tourism & Events Queensland
Agency: SapientNitro
Strategy Planner: Amanda Windus
Creative Director: Ralph Barnett
Copywriter: Jon Pickersgill
Art Director: Sarah Chernishov
Group Account Director: Christine Gannon
Account Manager: Bec Kennedy
Producer: Mel Ashman
Post Production: The Post Effect & The Post Lounge
Media: Mitchell & Partners
25 Comments
Me likey!
So it’s BMW films meets Race Around the World?
ooh – good content
I’d go there
Yep, this is cool.
Nice
20 x 2min films for $75k prize money. What a bargain!
Why would I brief out my next job when I can just hold a competition?
Awesome.
Well done guys…credit where it is due.
For once you have some “real” tourism footage and a unique view of a destination and an experience.
More than I can say for that other crap for the Sunshine Coast that recently launched
Thank god it’s not another cliche montage tourism ad. Nice work.
some of those films are really sweet. refreshing to see watchable content.
DOPE! The trick shots one is MINT!
Guitar man should help attract Hipsters in the droves.
Let’s see – real people (even though they’re directors) having real fun in a real way.
Should mean real results for Queensland
Good on yas sapient
At last real reality in tourism work.
Great content and yes makes me want to go!
Interesting variety in music tracks, gives a very different feel.
Love the skydiver stuff.
I actually just went onto the YouTube channel and watched about 10 videos.
I never do that.
Awesome campaign, well done all.
A lot of suspiciously positive comments on here compared to usual… Before we all break out the backslapping, be interested to see if anyone outside of advertising and film industries takes notice of this.
By creating real, relatable and shareable content built on a foundation of engaging human stories enabled us to showcase the beauty of the region – and provide people with a tangible reason to visit.
Much better than the Sunny Coast ad from The Hallway.
Well done Sapient.
Can all the Sapient crew stop posting now please.
its pretty tragic that any comments not bagging the shit out of someones work on here are assumed to be fake
Its a great campaign – why try and act like its not?
I like it.
I just watched 20 minutes of NQ footage.
I have 2 school mates in different entries.
I still like it.
Awesome content and a great idea!
Promoting it to the right people will be the key to its success.
Too many times we see clients pay to build this stuff, but forget they have to tell people about it.
I loved “Not the Leyland Brothers”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pg5tSOMB9qE&list=PLag8-Nuzp354qU9taSv1SOxxGMJ468MeJ&index=15
I saw the trailer for this at the cinema and couldn’t stop watching once I started. So many great perspectives. I’ll definitely be booking a fnq holiday soon 🙂