Path to Paris was a race against time from concept to execution. The web series was born from a casual conversation my co-producer, Jake Holroyd, and I had with Screen Australia’s team during AIDC 2024—held just four months before the Olympics kicked off. At that point, we had a few tentative yeses, a concept, and a very clear understanding of just how much we couldn’t film.
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In a blur of thirty days, we transformed that initial idea into a full project: locking in athletes, assembling a team, and submitting our grant application. By the start of June, with official greenlight in hand, we charged ahead, knowing we had only a few weeks until we had to get boots on the ground in Paris.
From June through to the start of the Games in July, production was a hybrid of pre-production and active filming. While mapping out the series, we were simultaneously capturing scenes with our athletes before they left to compete. This demanded incredible flexibility from our directors and crew, as we navigated tight, ever-changing schedules—always respecting that, above all else, our athletes' focus had to be on their upcoming competitions. It was a testament to our directors, Stephanie Dower, Merryn Trescott, and Jake Holroyd, that they were able to further their relationships with their respective athletes, and understand the barriers and mental commitmet that the games were placing on each athlete.
From the outset, we knew we were working within a very limited access window. With the natural filming restrictions around the Olympics and Paralympics, and the tight schedules of our athletes, we decided to treat these limitations as creative opportunities. That’s where we coined the term “the scrapbook approach”—actively leaning into Path to Paris being a web series to help piece together the narrative in a fresh, dynamic way. By combining photos, vlogging, social media posts, and the moments we were able to capture on the ground, we wove together a multimedia tapestry to tell the story of each athlete’s once-in-a-lifetime achievement. The final piece of this puzzle—and the one we were most excited to include—was the animation and design work created by 21-19. This became the visual glue that tied all the athletes’ episodes together, helping bridge the gap between what we could film and what we couldn’t.
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When it came to the main event—filming in Paris during the Olympics and Paralympics—we setn two separate crews to cover each respective event. Our teams were made up of emerging practitioners, many of whom were experiencing their first overseas shoot. In the absolute chaos and energy of the Games, our crews had to be incredibly flexible and quick on their feet. Filming opportunities would often change on a whim, and when and where filming could happen was entirely up to the athletes’ discretion. One of the best scenes in the entire series, in my opinion, came about purely by chance: our crew was out filming B-roll in the city when they got a text that one of the athletes was just a few streets away and keen to shoot. It was this fly-on-the-wall approach, paired with a deep respect for the athletes’ time and commitments, that allowed us to create authentic windows of opportunity to capture their stories.
This careful balancing of schedules continued even after the Games, as we filmed four additional episodes with the athletes coming together in Brisbane. These sessions gave them a chance to reflect on their experiences in Paris and share their thoughts on Australia’s turn to host in 2032. These final shoots felt almost cathartic—once we wrapped that day, the whirlwind of production finally came to an end, and we could move fully into post-production.
Path to Paris is a real example of the incredible opportunities now being created as screen agencies embrace and fund digital-first storytelling. A project like this—led by an emerging team—would have been far less likely to happen through traditional pathways, making it an unforgettable and career-defining experience for everyone involved. I'm so grateful for the backing of Screen Australia and Screen Queensland, and for the support of industry veterans like 21–19 and The Post Lounge, who brought their incredible expertise and passion to the table.
Watch Path to Paris via Simply Stories Docs Instagram feed here.
PRESS RELEASE
The Olympic and Paralympic Games represent the pinnacle of athletic achievement—dreamed of by many, reached by few. The stories of Australian feats on these grand stages are woven into the fabric of our national identity. Path to Paris, the latest web series from Brisbane-based production company Simply Stories Docs (Jaden Bowen and Jake Holroyd), shines a light on this journey from the perspective of athletes making their debut—writing a new chapter in the country’s sporting history.
Funded by Screen Australia’s Online Production Fund and supported by Screen Queensland, Path to Paris is a 16-part web series that invites viewers to follow a select group of Australian athletes as they prepare for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. With an eye on the horizon of Brisbane 2032, the series aims to inspire the next generation.
Premiering May 5th across Simply Stories Docs’ social media channels, the series tells the stories of three remarkable athletes who represent the diversity and determination that define modern Australia. Jeff Dunne, the nation’s first male Olympic breakdancer, makes history as the sport debuts in Paris. Eithen Lead, one of the youngest players in the Aussie Rollers, proudly carries his family name into international competition. And Marissa Pohlman’s journey—from homelessness to boxing greatness—is a powerful testament to resilience.
The series embraces a dynamic, multimedia format—blending traditional documentary with archival footage, vlogs, photography, and bold animation and graphic design by
Melbourne-based studio 21-19 Brand & Moving Image. The result is a visually distinct series built for modern audiences. Additionally, Brisbane-based post-production house The Post Lounge contributed to the final post elements of the series, adding their expert touch to create a polished, professional finish.
Beyond the screen, Path to Paris serves as a launchpad for emerging creatives within Australia’s dynamic digital storytelling landscape. Directors Jake Holroyd, Merryn Trescott, and Stephanie Dower each bring a distinct voice to their athlete’s journey, crafting intimate, emotionally resonant narratives that capture the spirit of sport. Under the guidance of producer Jaden Bowen and executive producer Sam Price, the small Queensland-based team took on the ambitious task of filming across Australia’s East Coast and on location in Paris during one of the world’s largest sporting events. For early-career practitioners, working on a project of this scale offered a rare and invaluable opportunity to develop their craft—underscoring the important role screen agencies play in supporting ambitious online storytelling.
Launching in early May, Path to Paris celebrates the achievements of three remarkable athletes and spotlights a fresh, innovative approach to documentary storytelling—crafted for today’s digital-first audiences.