Colebee – PHORIA x Tribal Warrior

In 2025, PHORIA reached out to us about a unique project, COLEBEE. The animation of four Gadigal-based stories that will not only be shown on Tribal Warrior’s cultural cruises on Sydney Harbour, but also delivered as an immersive VR experience for education and institutions. What a treat!

We worked closely with Phoria and Uncle Shane Phillips to script up three stories – The Eel and the Valley; Whale and Sky; and Bennelong, and consulted with Angeline Penrith and Bronwyn Penrith to write a fourth story, The Women of Warrane.

Creating animation for VR was a first for Studio Gilay and our crew learned immensely. It was a massive team effort.

In 2025, Australian XR Festival awarded this project, ‘Best in Victoria’ as well ‘Best Educational Virtual Reality Experience’.

Check our socials for more information on where you can watch these beautiful stories as it is distributed throughout the coming year.

Development process

Concept Art

 

Storyboarding

Production

Animation

 

VR and Motion Capture

 

 

Credits

STORY 1 – THE EEL & THE VALLEY

Creative Director – Jake Duczynski (Gomeroi / Mandandanji)

Writer – Jake Duczynski (Gomeroi / Mandandanji), Joseph Purdam

Story – Uncle Shane Phillips

Producer – Melissa Azizi

Line Producer – Isaiah Stewart (Kuku Yalanji and Wemba Wemba)

Character and Background Design – Emily Hestelow, Zoë Velonas

Storyboards – Emily Hestelow

Animatic – Emily Hestelow

Animation/Compositing – Jalamara Towney (Wiradjuri), Paul Carlton, Chris Tan,

Edit – Paul Carlton, Jake Duczynski (Gomeroi / Mandandanji)

Colour Grade – Chris Tan

Sound Post House – Wawili Sound Solutions – Petris – Jinunyili – Torres

‘Colebee’ Voice Over – Mark Coles Smith

STORY 2 – WHALE & SKY STORIES

Creative Director – Jake Duczynski (Gomeroi / Mandandanji)

Writer – Jake Duczynski (Gomeroi / Mandandanji), Joseph Purdam

Story – Uncle Shane Phillips

Producer – Melissa Azizi

Line Producer – Isaiah Stewart (Kuku Yalanji and Wemba Wemba)

Character and Background Design – Emily Hestelow, Zoë Velonas

Storyboards – Emily Hestelow

Animatic – Emily Hestelow

Animation/Compositing – Jalamara Towney (Wiradjuri), Paul Carlton, Chris Tan, Isaiah Stewart (Kuku Yalanji and Wemba Wemba)

Edit – Paul Carlton, Jake Duczynski (Gomeroi / Mandandanji)

Colour Grade – Chris Tan

Sound Post House – Wawili Sound Solutions – Petris – Jinunyili – Torres

‘Colebee’ Voice Over – Mark Coles Smith

STORY 3 – WOMEN OF WARRANE

Creative Director – Jake Duczynski (Gomeroi / Mandandanji)

Writer – Aaliyah-Jade Bradbury

Story – Uncle Shane Phillips

Story Consultation – Aunty Bronwyn Penrith, Angeline Penrith

Producer – Melissa Azizi

Line Producer – Isaiah Stewart (Kuku Yalanji and Wemba Wemba)

Character and Background Design – Emily Hestelow, Zoë Velonas

Storyboards – Emily Hestelow

Animatic – Emily Hestelow

Animation/Compositing – Jalamara Towney (Wiradjuri), Chris Tan,

Edit –  Jake Duczynski (Gomeroi / Mandandanji),  Jalamara Towney (Wiradjuri)

Colour Grade – Chris Tan,  Jalamara Towney (Wiradjuri)

Sound Post House – Wawili Sound Solutions – Petris – Jinunyili – Torres

‘Barangaroo’ Voice Over – Angeline Penrith

STORY 4 – BENNELONG

Creative Director – Jake Duczynski (Gomeroi / Mandandanji)

Writer – Jake Duczynski (Gomeroi / Mandandanji), Joseph Purdam

Story – Uncle Shane Phillips

Producer – Melissa Azizi

Line Producer – Isaiah Stewart (Kuku Yalanji and Wemba Wemba)

Character and Background Design – Emily Hestelow, Zoë Velonas

Storyboards – Emily Hestelow

Animatic – Emily Hestelow

Animation/Compositing – Jalamara Towney (Wiradjuri), Paul Carlton, Chris Tan, Isaiah Stewart (Kuku Yalanji and Wemba Wemba),  Emily Hestelow

Edit – Paul Carlton, Jake Duczynski (Gomeroi / Mandandanji)

Colour Grade – Chris Tan

Sound Post House – Wawili Sound Solutions – Petris – Jinunyili – Torres

‘Colebee’ Voice Over – Mark Coles Smith

VR PRODUCT

3D Character Model – Jalamara Towney (Wiradjuri)

3D Texture and UV – Zoe Velonas

3D Character Rigging – Vishus Productions

PHORIA XR 

Director – Joseph Purdam

Producer – Cassandra Gray

Creative Producer – Aaron McDougall

Spatial Designer – Travis Gemmill

Lead Developer – Mark Arrebola

Senior Animator – Aileen Milton

3D Environmental Artist – Ayla Kotch

Technical Artist – Sana Siddiqui

Video Content Manager – Jay Harrison

UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY

Research Lead – Jasper Garay (Darkinjung / Ngarigo)

TRIBAL WARRIOR

Uncle Shane Phillips

Michelle Grattan