Revolver director Richard Bullock shoots captivating film ‘There’s Something in the Water’ for the Super Rugby Pacific 2024 season

Rugby Australia and New Zealand Rugby have launched a gripping campaign to celebrate the 2024 season of Super Rugby Pacific, written and directed by Revolver’s Richard Bullock.

Working directly with Rugby Australia and New Zealand Rugby, the campaign features twenty-four players from twelve teams; stars of the Super Rugby Pacific, and pays tribute to the binding force between the nations involved, the Pacific Ocean itself.

Says Bullock: “I was thinking about how this part of the world manages to produce these amazing athletes who have permeated the entire world of Rugby. This competition is the source of all that talent.  Maybe ‘There was something in the water’ in the Pacific. It was a short step then to players literally competing in the Pacific Ocean. Early dreams of traveling to Samoa or Fiji for some fun in the sun were immediately challenged by getting players from 12 regional teams to the same place on the same day.”

The work was shot in both Australia and New Zealand.  All the action and stunts are performed by the players themselves. Their ability to pass, tackle and even run underwater- a testament to their talent and ability on land.

Says Matt McGrath of Rugby Australia: “Richard took the ‘game they play in heaven’ and played it under the ocean to create something truly magic. The Power of the Pacific idea had been there on the website banner since the competition began – it took a great director like Richard to find it and bring it to life and make this amazing and spectacular film.”

The campaign has launched in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.

Click here to view Richard Bullock’s reel.

Client: Rugby Australia
Rugby Australia- Head of Brand and Innovation: Matt McGrath
Rugby Australia- Head of Marketing SRP, SRCs, Community: Dan Wilkins
New Zealand Rugby – Senior Marketing Manager: Megan Cameron
New Zealand Rugby – Marketing Co-ordinator: Danielle Bason
NZR- Stills and Video Content Interviewer: Mac Leesburg
NZRPA – Communications Manager: Kylie Devlin-Sousa
Rugby Australia- Content Capture: Jack McGrath
Rugby Australia- Content Producer: Nick Holland

Production Company: Revolver
Director: Richard Bullock
Concept: Richard Bullock
Managing Director/Co-Owner: Michael Ritchie
Executive Producer/Partner: Pip Smart
Producer: Nicole Crozier
Director of Photography: Stefan José
Underwater Operator: Murray Milne

Post Production: Heckler
ECD: Jamie Watson
Executive Producer: Steven Marolho
Head of Production: Amy Jarman
Lead Editor: Andrew Holmes
Flame Online: Julian Ford
Compositors: Ran Xie, Troy Darben
Colourist: Fergus Rotherham

Sound: Heckler Sound
Sound Designer: Dave Robertson
Executive Producer: Dave Kelly