The Art of Translating In-Person Energy to On-Screen Synergy
Known for amplifying the stories of Australian artists, Maddy King has spent her career so far proudly championing talent from home and abroad, naturally drawn towards authentic coming-of-age stories and the youthful energy they exude. Here, LBB’s April Summers dives into the work that made her, retracing the steps that led the filmmaker to this well-deserved position in the spotlight.
Growing up among the natural beauty and scenic vistas of New South Wales, inspiration was never too hard to find, and Maddy developed a director’s eye early on. Fine-tuning her skills at the International Film School Sydney, Maddy’s penchant for storytelling was blended with her passion for new music, sparking an interest in music video direction, a creative venture she harnessed by connecting with up and coming musicians online.
In her work with these artists - many of whom she had been introduced to on Soundcloud and other social media platforms - Maddy developed a creative ritual which took her on long drives out of the city. She would roll down the windows and crank up the music, playing a song on repeat as she waited for inspiration to strike. Guided by the music, it was on these drives that Maddy was able to visualise the look and feel of a project, piecing together the film frame by frame.
Given Maddy’s passion and dedication to her craft, it was only a matter of time before things took off, which happened when she was approached by an A&R from Universal Music. This introduction blossomed into a fruitful relationship with Universal that saw her directing music videos for Australian music acts, including Yuma X, Coterie and Anfa Rose – her work for the latter winning a Gold in the music video category at the Australian Cinematography Awards in 2017.
It was a year later, in 2018, that Maddy’s music video work first received widespread recognition, with her directorial film for Moza ‘GOLD’ being chosen as a Vimeo Staff Pick, amplifying her status as a filmmaker.
Since joining MOFA, a production company focused on the Australia and New Zealand regions, in 2021, Maddy has discovered the magnanimous bounty of adland. Bolstered by the encouragement of MOFA co-founders, Llew Griffiths and Nick Kelly - “they’re both incredibly supportive, nurturing and relentless at pursuing quality work” - she began exploring the commercial space.
Maddy’s seamless segue into the commercial space is further proof of her diverse creative capabilities. Having developed a distinctly cinematic style, the natural next step is to direct a feature film, an ambition of hers that has the backing of both Llew and Nick. With every faith in her versatility as a filmmaker, the co-founders are looking forward to what comes next. “We are really excited to be on this journey with Maddy,” says Llew proudly. “Her talent and ambition shone through in her work when we first met in 2021. Since then she has used those natural skills and the knowledge of her craft gained from music video experience, in her approach to TVCs to incredible effect.”
