Shell Weiss | Motion Designer - Camp Mograph Australia 2024

Camp Mograph Australia 2024

EVENT PLANNING, COMMUNITY BUILDING

The story of Camp Mograph Australia began in 2022. It was my first overseas trip since the major world events of 2020, a blend of work/exploration, and team building. My fearless producer, studio manager, and dear friend, Steph Walsh, joined me, and we set off for the USA.

Part of the trip saw me heading solo to Virginia Beach to attend an event I'd heard whispers of, but never experienced myself: Camp Mograph. I arrived knowing almost no one and absolutely no idea of what to expect.

By day two, I was all in. I asked the team if they'd consider bringing the event to Australia, and to my surprise, they not only entertained the idea but also encouraged me to pursue it.

So I did.

A few months later, after enduring my endless Camp anecdotes throughout the rest of our US trip, Steph decided to join me in hosting the inaugural Australian edition. We began scouting locations and fell in love with the setting and the people at PGL Kindilan, located in the picturesque Redland Bay in southeast Queensland.

From the beginning, it was important to honor the ethos of Camp USA, disconnect to connect. Camp exists to provide a nurturing space where creatives can recharge through play, curiosity, and shared experience. Instead of the noisy conversations at a rushed networking event, meaningful relationships are formed naturally, in workshops, over meals, on hikes, or even on a zip-line.

We were intentional with the programming, curating a wide variety of speakers and workshop hosts across disciplines and perspectives. Topics ranged from running a studio to pipe-cleaner character design, AR, sound design, traditional animation, discovering your spark, handmade typography, and even neuroscience.

Beyond the talks, Campers pushed their boundaries through a variety of activities. From traditional summer camp fare like archery, zip-lines, and the leap of faith, to impromptu discussions with industry leaders about the tools we use every day. With an open bar each night, the fireside chats were acommpanies with late-night karaoke, crafting (beading with Nissa and drawing sessions were a standout), along with organised events like the legendary Bingo night.

Having never organized an in-person event before, it was certainly ambitious for my first one to be a 3-night, 4-day all-inclusive experience. I couldn't have done it without the support of Steph and the expert guidance and hands-on efforts of the Camp Mograph USA team. I'm grateful for the trust they had in Steph and me to allow us to pull off the first-of-its-kind creative retreat for the Aussie Motion community.

Special Thanks

Fireside Chat (Keynote) speakers
Olivia Chen | Studio ChenChen (AUS)
Ben Marriott | Ben Marriott (AUS)
PJ Richardson | Laundry (USA)

Workshop Hosts
Prof. Selena Bartlett | Become the Boss of Your Brain
EJ Hassenfratz | Shape Shiftin' Frame Flippin'
Jess Herrera | Crafting Characters
Patience Hodgson | Tactile Typography
Helena Papageorgiou | ARventure Time!
Cae Rale | Sound Design for Motion
Matt Taylor | Rekindle Creativity and Purpose Workshop

M.C.
Gareth O'Brien | BUCK (AUS)

Camp Mograph AU team:
Steph Walsh
Shell Weiss

Camp Mograph USA Team:
Mark Cernosia
Matt Milstead
Dave Koss
Julie Bennett

Photographer:
Jason Poley

Volunteers:
Mathias Omotola
Nissa Roberts
Byron Stanford

Sponsors:
Mograph.com
OTOY
Maxon
Plugin Everything
Smoosh Workstations
Stash
RevThink
HelloLuxx

And of course, the biggest appreciation goes to the campers - we had attendees from all over the world, many who had never attended Camp (USA) before, and who trusted us, and made the investment to join this inaugral Aussie event. We appreciate every single one of you!

Camp Mograph Australia Title Sequence

It’s impossible to talk about Camp Mograph Australia without mentioning the incredible title sequence that opened the event.

Early in the planning process, Duncan Elms reached out to gauge my interest in having him direct a title for Camp. Traditionally, Camp doesn’t feature a title sequence, but we jumped at the chance to collaborate with Duncan and the team he assembled, comprising some of the top talent in the motion design industry.

It was my first experience being the client on a motion project, and it couldn’t have been more special. From the outset, I wanted the team to have full creative freedom. What they created was a true passion project, and I’ll always be grateful for the care and craft they poured into it.

Pressing play to a room full of mostly first-time campers and hearing the collective gasp is a moment I won’t forget.

The sequence went on to win multiple prestigious awards and is now included in the permanent archive of the Department of Film at The Museum of Modern Art, New York.

Awards and Recognition:

European Design Awards 2025 - Animated Storytelling GOLD

2025 AICP Awards - Motion Graphics & Design WINNER

AEAF 2025 - Event Openers SILVER

ADC Awards 2025 - Craft in Motion / Film / Animation MERIT

D&AD Awards 2025 - Animation / Motion Design SHORTLIST

SHOTS 2025 - Ad of the Year: Animation (3D) and Stop Motion SHORTLIST

Vimeo Staff Pick

Stash Feature

Motionographer Feature

Directed By:
Duncan Elms

3D Artists:
Hyunsup Ahn
Ethem Cem
Mert Ercin
Harrison Grant
Thanos Kagkalos
Mehmet Kızılay
Mert Kizilay
Renato Marques
Daniel Moreno
Brandon Parvini
Amando Rosales
Min Shi
Ilya Tselyutin
Yeti

Edit:
Jessica Ledoux

Music + Sound Design:
James O'Connell

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