Stellar scripts for James Boag's and a consistent approach to producing has catapulted Revolver from its previous finalist position to land top honours as the 2009 winner of the Hotshop Production category, reports Heather Jennings.

Revolver has arrived. Praised as consistent yet varied in its creative projects, judges were particularly impressed with Revolver’s efforts in 2009. Revolver “had an outstanding year – the variety and consistency especially this year, was seamless”, the judges said.

Revolver attributes some of its 2009 success to a couple of golden scripts thrown its way from Publicis Mojo Sydney. Director Steve Rogers produced the Boag's Draught folklore-style ‘Pure Waters’ TVC, which told of the “transformative powers” of the beer and scored a Gold Lion at Cannes and Gold at AWARD.

Later in the year, Revolver recruited American commercial and film director Noam Murro, in his first ever work for an Australian production company, to produce its next Boag's script for premium beer Boag's Pure. The TVC features a series of strange natural phenomena occurring in the Tasmanian wilderness.

As well as keeping busy with beer ads, Revolver also beefed up its director roster, adding Simon McQuoid of Xbox Halo fame and assigning his first task to directing Saatchi & Saatchi’s Hahn Beer TVC. McQuoid began his career in Perth before moving to the US in 1995, eventually becoming group creative director at TBWA/Chiat/Day New York and then moving into directing in 2003.

Internationally, Revolver was recognised by the New York Festivals by winning the International Production Company of the Year award, which executive producer Michael Ritchie accepted at the award show in Shanghai. Ritchie was also elected as one of the founding board members of the Communications Council launched late last year.

Revolver also continued to impress locally, forming a collaborative partnership with The Glue Society, allowing for a number of unique projects to be born, including a music video for Lithuanian electro group Metal on Metal.

Finalists:

The Sweet Shop