Watch Run Club on Instagram
The ultimate guide to the new Aussie hit series, Run Club
After months of work, Run Club is finally here. Thanks to the support of Screen Australia and Screen Queensland, I was able to bring this twisted, sweat-drenched murder mystery to life, and now it’s live on Instagram. But we’re not stopping here! Season 2 is already in development alongside another short form comedy series.
Natyse Chan in Run Club
Edgy and twisted: how a Brisbane Female Director’s dark aesthetic makes for a new kind of comedy
Let’s face it - my aesthetic was never going to suit the likes of ‘The Office’. Made alongside my longterm collaborator, the multi-ACS-award-winning DOP Kevin Khang Nguyen, Run Club reflects our shared desire to make work that is bold, creative and pushes the boundaries of what’s possible. Never ones to shy away from a challenge, we were up until 3am most nights yammering about everything from the exact time of nautical twilight to the intensity of the colour red. Filming in Brisbane’s Summer months was far from easy, especially when paired with our love of moody visuals, but the challenge gave us an opportunity to create a visual style that took into account the conditions we were faced with (i.e. scorching sun and intermittent thunderstorms), while remaining true to our passion for crafting imagery that looks ‘sh!t hot’.
The lowdown on this female-led comedy set in Brisbane
For those who haven’t laced up yet, here’s the long synopsis:
After being banned from the city’s most exclusive gym thanks to her best friend and housemate Tash, Nat refuses to let a minor scandal ruin her image. Determined to maintain her relevance in an elite clique, she pivots and launches Run Club, a social running collective perfectly positioned on Brisbane’s riverfront. It’s an instant success, attracting fitness junkies, wannabe entrepreneurs, and the city’s most unhinged personalities.
Fresh off a failed bodybuilding phase and still riding the high of being exiled for turning the sauna into her personal vape lounge, Tash isn’t exactly there for fitness, but she is there for her friend. While Nat is focused on growing the club, Tash thinks they should be a little more selective about their members…
There’s Bradyn, a self-proclaimed ‘alpha’ pushing his supplement brand on social media (which is totally not an MLM); Bianca and Francis, a toxic couple of former Olympic hopefuls whose bitch fights can be heard from Moreton Bay; Olympia, Newstead’s ‘it’ girl who cares less about socialising and more about her Strava score; and Isaac, a red-pilled finance bro who joined because he’s too cheap for Bumble Gold.
Week by week, Run Club’s members begin to dwindle, and Nat finds herself in the centre of a murder mystery. With a serial killer on the loose and a slew of bad press, she scrambles to protect her reputation. While her sexy sidekick Tash starts more like a suspect, the real threat is the unassuming (and painfully handsome) Teddy, a ruthless real estate agent with a killer instinct and a plan to secure prime rental listings, no matter the cost.
Brisbane writer director takes on a 5 episode comedy series
Here’s an overview of Brisbane director Grace Julia’s new comedy series, Run Club.
Episode 1: Mile-High Murder
Nat is passionate about growing her run club, but her housemate Tash thinks it should be more exclusive. Nat is stopped in her tracks when she discovers one of her members has been taken out of the race for good.
Episode 2: Dead Heat
The team jogs along, having gained a few new recruits. Nat and Tash are forced to break up a heated argument between two of its star members, but the run club drama doesn’t end there.
Episode 3: Murder Marathon
With the news of the death now public, Tash suggests a dash to the police, but Nat is in it for the long run. She tries to regain control, but loses yet another, albeit problematic, run club member.
Episode 4: Deadly Detour
With the mystery murderer dubbed the Run Club Killer, Nat’s dwindling group makes headlines for all the wrong reasons. Tash is finally gaining pace and the culprit clocks a personal best.
Episode 5: Fatal Finish Line
Confronted with another slaying, Nat chases down Tash, certain she’s behind the killings. But the murderer takes it in their stride, revealing the truth behind this deadly marathon.
Brisbane’s next big thing: watch this viral female-led Aussie comedy on Instagram now
As a Queensland film director, I’m always looking for opportunities to promote our local film industry, especially for emerging creatives, and I have a feeling this comedy web series made in collaboration with Laughlines AU is just the beginning of what will be a growing trend of content made in Brisbane for Aussie audiences. Follow @laughlinesau to watch the full series.
