Western Bulldogs | DOGMA
CASE STUDY
“People. Place. Pride.
We want to focus our biggest lens and our most flattering lights on these three things.”
The brief
When we got word that Levoi Consulting was developing a new Museum for the Western Bulldogs, we got excited. When we found out they wanted US to make a film for said Museum, well – what can I say, we did a little dance.
The brief, in a nutshell, was to highlight the importance of community to the to the club’s narrative and to explore what it means to be part of the Bulldogs family.
Our Approach
In the coat pocket of this project, like a torn ticket stub to the 1954 VFL Grand Final, sat a thrilling possibility – to share this story like no one else could. This was not a news story. This was not a football story. This was a Western Bulldogs story.
With the clubs’ origins stretching back over a century, there was a profound calling to bring its rich and storied history into sharp focus. But what if, we thought, we could travel through time with archival footage alone, propelled purely by the stories of three superfans?
So, we set out to find three true (red white and) blue Bulldogs fans, hoping to peek inside the doors of their hearts and homes to discover what makes the Western Bulldogs a club worth belonging to. As keen as they were to take our call, Irene, Carlos, and Sharon may not have fully realised what they were signing up for. We did not want a quick interview for the seven o’clock news after all, we wanted to get to know them. We wanted their stories to be a time machine. Having spent countless hours with each of them – generously welcomed into their homes and inner worlds – we can tell you one thing for sure. We could not have hoped to find three better Bulldogs fans.
What followed was an all-in, research-intensive, caffeine-fuelled labour of love. Put another way, we drank from the Bulldogs Kool-Aid cup, and it tasted good. Real good. The Tiny Empire team got proper dusty as we trawled through archives of articles, photographs, news footage and lovingly preserved VHS tapes (nice one Irene), all carefully catalogued on their way to the editing room. The undertaking, both in size and responsibility, was huge. But with each cut and cup of coffee, the picture became clearer – the story more tangible. Like the roar of a crowd growing louder, the individual voices of sportscasters, news reporters, footballers and fans began to harmonise into a collective chorus.
For Tiny Empire, DOGMA reflects both the scale and intimacy of footy fandom – how a club can be a mirror for a community, and a lifeline for its people.
Behind the Scenes
Watch the trailer below, or if you’ve got a spare half an hour - stay for the full feature!
WESTERN BULLDOGS | DOGMA (TRAILER)
WESTERN BULLDOGS | DOGMA (FEATURE)
