NARRATIVE DRAMA BASED ON MY RØDE REEL WINNING SCRIPT

BUGGED

Synopsis

Michael returns to his inner-city flat after a late shift to find the lights out. His flatmate Karl is acting weird. Is Karl simply paranoid, or have they been…bugged? As Michael’s unease grows, the boundary between everyday routine and hidden surveillance begins to blur. A simple apartment becomes the site of whispered questions: Who’s listening? What’s being watched? And are they already too late to act?

Production Approach

• Bugged is the winning entry of the 2018 My RØDE Reel competition, after script-writing winner Dawson Heistad was flown to Sydney to shoot his concept locally.

• Directed by Clara Chong, lensed by acclaimed cinematographer Ben Allan ACS CSI, and produced by Main Course Films, Bugged was shot on location in Sydney.

• Co-produced in collaboration with RØDE Microphones, the project doubled as an educational-driven production: behind-the-scenes content captured training sequences on sound recording, camera prep, and creative workflow for emerging filmmakers.

Innovation & Craft

• The film leverages cutting-edge audio production by RØDE Microphones, integrating sound as storytelling element: the very idea of being “bugged” is frequently grounded in the unseen squeak, scrape or faint hum.

• Despite its 3-minute runtime, the film demonstrates cinematic lighting, blocking and tension-building in a constrained domestic setting.

• Shot efficiently on location in Sydney, the production exemplifies how high-end craft (performance, camera, sound, color) can be achieved within the constraints of a micro-budget, deadline-driven competition fim.

Impact & Recognition

• Selected as the official RØDE entry for My Røde Reel 2018, the film stands as a flagship project in the company’s global short-film initiative.

• Behind-the-scenes documentation of the production has been acted upon as a learning resource for filmmakers, highlighting collaboration between technology brand (RØDE) and the independent production house (Main Course Films).

• The fil continues to be used in RØDE’s creative-community outreach as an example of “script to screen in days, with full professional teams, minimal infrastructure”.

Credits

A Main Course Films production

Cast: Jesse Hyde • Callan Colley

Crew: Director/Editor: Clara Chong • Producer/Cinematographer/Colorist: Ben Allan ACS CSI • Additional Camera/Crew: Warwick Field ACS, Emma Paine, Madison Heinze, Pieter De Vries, Jose Many Hanham, Lee Herbet, Adam Adam Venckus • Additional Footage courtesy ARRI Australia, Blackmagic Design, RØDE Microphones & The ACS Technology Committee