High Rising: Stories From Above

Round 3 Films produced High Rising documentary web series as part of Australia's largest community arts project — winning Best International Factual Show at New Zealand Web Fest.

The Challenge

The Collingwood Housing Estate was undergoing a massive transformation. Artist Matt Adnate, working with Juddy Roller and the Victorian Government, would paint the tallest mural in the Southern Hemisphere on the 20-storey tower — featuring portraits of four residents.

But the mural alone wouldn't tell the full story. The people living in these towers — their experiences, struggles, and humanity — deserved more than representation on a wall. They needed their voices heard.

Our challenge: tell these stories authentically during rising anti-immigrant sentiment, working with an extraordinarily diverse community whilst avoiding exploitation or "poverty porn" narratives.

Our Approach

Creative pivot: Originally commissioned for one short documentary, we advocated for a multi-episode series after recognising the community's diversity deserved deeper exploration. These apartment towers weren't monoliths — they were vertical villages.

Months of trust-building: We invested months meeting residents, building rapport, and earning trust before filming. Documentary ethics demand this patience.

25+ interviews: We spoke with residents across generations, cultures, and backgrounds — recent immigrants, long-term tenants, families, elderly residents.

Dignity-first storytelling: Every editorial decision prioritised resident dignity and agency. We weren't documenting "subjects to be pitied" — we were collaborating with complex humans navigating systemic challenges.

The Results

Best International Factual Show — New Zealand Web Fest

International festival recognition: Official selections at Gold Coast Film Festival, Copenhagen Web Fest, Seoul Web Fest, Rio Web Fest, Melbourne Web Fest, and St Kilda Film Festival.

Stigma challenged: The series successfully pushed audiences to see past stigma placed against public housing residents by telling real stories from real people.

Cultural document created: High Rising created a permanent record of this community at a specific moment — preserving resident stories as public housing faces ongoing policy debates and transformation.

The Community Arts Project

One of Australia's largest community arts projects saw the Collingwood Housing Estate transformed by Matt Adnate's mural — the Southern Hemisphere's tallest, featuring resident portraits.

Round 3's documentary series ensured the project's impact extended beyond the visual. The mural captured attention; our storytelling sustained it and deepened understanding.

Production Details

Location: Collingwood Housing Estate, Melbourne. Production: Multiple months (relationship-building + filming). Interviews: 25+ residents across diverse backgrounds. Format: Multi-episode documentary web series.

Deliverables: Multi-episode documentary series, festival formats, social media cutdowns, and community screening versions.

Partners: Juddy Roller (community arts), Artist Matt Adnate, Victorian Government, and Collingwood Estate residents.

Services Used

Documentary Production — Full series production and development. Community documentary — ethical storytelling with vulnerable communities. Interview-led documentary — 25+ testimonials across diverse subjects. Series production — multi-episode structure and character development.