Young Filmmakers Shine in TAC’s Road Safety Film Competition

For the sixth year running, the competition has given aspiring filmmakers and content creators aged between 18-30 the chance to submit ideas for a short film, focusing on two themes: driving tired and seatbelt usage.

Led by TABOO, the creators were guided through the filmmaking process, collaborating with TRUCE, MonkeyStack, Manimal and Rumble to help realise their winning ideas.

A real Hyundai i35 car wreckage (from the TAC’s current Fatigue TVC) took centre stage projecting the winning films to a live audience of friends, family and industry. The wreckage served as a stark reminder to young filmmakers of the realities of unsafe driving.

This year’s competition expanded with a prize for young multicultural content creators, fostering fresh perspectives, and providing a platform for more inclusive storytelling. This resulted in the competition's first foray into animation, which featured comedian Zach Ruane from Aunty Donna as the voice of ‘Captain Buckle’.

Almost 140 applicants submitted concepts with Rhys Delios Callanan and Olivia Hartanto taking home the competition and receiving a $5,000 cash prize and a $35,000 production budget to bring their story to life in collaboration with TABOO and production partners TRUCE Films.

“I was inspired by the quote ‘fashionably late’ which was first documented at around 1840 and wanted to attach it to the road safety message about driving tired. Hopefully it comes to life in an unexpected setting that is still very much relevant to the modern day,” said winner, Rhys Delios Callanan.

"In some countries like mine (Indonesia), the law does not require backseat passengers to wear a seatbelt so I wanted to target this issue and I hope my peers will treat seatbelt usage and safe driving more seriously here in Australia,” said winner, Olivia Hartanto.

TAC head of community, Jacqui Sampson said, “We're constantly looking for new, innovative ways to get the road safety message through. Both Rhys and Olivia’s films were so different in their creative approach but equally as powerful in their message. Their creativity has the power to influence the attitudes and behaviours among their peers and make a change in road safety awareness in Victoria.”

TABOO’s James Mackinnon said, “As makers and creatives, we know that the future of innovation lies in the hands of the next generation of creators, so giving them the platform to express their ideas isn’t just about fresh perspectives - it’s about empowering them to drive change.”