The client need

The Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute needed a campaign film to inspire female high school students and school leavers to see maths as exciting, relevant and full of possibility. Unlike the individual profile films, this piece needed to work as a broader manifesto for the CHOOSEMATHS campaign.

What I created

I created a cinematic visual poem delivered by Cassie Pennicuik, combining studio cinematography, scripted narration and carefully selected stock footage. The film positioned maths as a shared language behind science, medicine, technology, transport, artificial intelligence, global connection and some of the world’s biggest challenges.

The approach

The creative approach was built around a poetic, high-energy delivery style inspired by Jason Silva, with Cassie speaking directly to camera in a controlled studio environment. Cinematic lighting, framing and performance direction gave the piece a strong, focused centre.

To expand the world of the film beyond the studio, I used stock footage to illustrate ideas that could not be practically filmed within the project scope, including space, agriculture, medicine, data, technology and global systems. This made the film feel bigger and more ambitious while still being achievable through writing, lighting, editing and careful image selection.

Credits

Client: Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute (AMSI)

Producer: Kristin Marriner

Camera Assistant: Bryce Padovan

Presented by Cassie Pennicuik

Written and directed by Filip Laureys