PHC, a creative collaboration between director/cinematographer John Angus Stewart and producer Max Coles, is known for their authentic and unique storytelling that centers around raw and visceral characters. In 2023, PHC made their commercial debut with iconic Australian brand Crumpler, taking them to Tokyo to showcase rarely seen subcultures. The success of this campaign led to a follow-up in Melbourne in 2024.
Together, PHC has produced seven narrative short films that have been screened at global film festivals such as 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 work on Amyl’s ‘Hertz’ was even nominated for a ‘Best Video’ ARIA Award in 2022.
One of their notable projects includes the feature documentary ‘Chunky Shrapnel,’ which followed King Gizzard on tour in Europe. This documentary ranked number one on Letterbox’s ‘Official 500 Greatest Movies of All Time’ list in 2020 and has since been screened in cinemas across the USA, Europe, and Australia.
Academy executive producer Darapen Vongsa-Nga praised PHC for their raw talent and unique storytelling abilities, while Academy co-owner Simon Cooper expressed excitement about having PHC join their roster of talented filmmakers. PHC, in turn, expressed their enthusiasm for joining Academy and being amongst a community of filmmakers with such pedigree.
In addition to their directing work, PHC also operates a techno-focused record label that has sold thousands of vinyl records over three releases. Currently, John and Max are in development on two narrative feature films, expanding their creative endeavors even further.
