"Firecracker of Raw Talent" Directing Duo PHC Joins Academy Roster

PHC is the creative collaboration between director / cinematographer John Angus Stewart and producer Max Coles where authentic and unique characters lie at the heart of their brand of raw  and visceral storytelling. 

Their commercial work debut came in 2023 for iconic Australian brand Crumpler, with PHC acting as agency, production company, writer and director. The launch took them to Tokyo to unearth rarely seen subcultures. The massive success of the campaign led to a follow up in 2024 in Melbourne. 

A multi-faceted duo, together PHC have produced seven narrative short films which have screened at global film festivals including Clermont-Ferrand, Hamburg, Frame-Line and the BFI London Film Festival.  

They have also created music videos for artists like King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Amyl and the Sniffers, and DJ Shadow. Their promo for Amyl, ‘Hertz’, was nominated for a ‘Best Video’ ARIA Award in 2022. 

 

Their feature documentary ‘Chunky Shrapnel’ followed King Gizzard on tour in Europe. In 2020 it was ranked number one in Letterbox’s ‘Official 500 Greatest Movies of All Time’ list. It has since screened in dozens of cinemas across the USA, Europe and Australia. 

Academy executive producer Darapen Vongsa-Nga had this to say of the new signing: "PHC are an absolute firecracker of raw talent. Their unique tone of voice and their ability to unearth  subcultures just leapt off the screen and slapped us in the face along with their insatiable hunger to create commercials to really affect & move people. They're the real deal and we can't wait to get  them out into the world."

PHC said: “Landing amongst a community of filmmakers with the pedigree of Academy’s roster is like being told it’s an open bar with top shelf included.”  

Academy co-owner Simon Cooper adds: "I really believe Academy have the most exciting emerging roster in town and PHC are a perfect addition to this pool of under-tapped excellence. Jackson Lee Forsythe, Xavier Tera, Eugen Merher, GRANDMAS, Sophia Ray, Frederick Paxton and Zhang & Knight all bring a singular brilliance and unique energy to their filmmaking, and PHC have both in  abundance. "

As well as a directing unit, PHC is a techno focused record label selling thousands of vinyl records  over three releases so far. 

John and Max are currently in development on two narrative feature films.