Newsletter #3 - Gladiators, Whips and Kimchi Pancakes

Damien here.
I’ve fallen a little behind on our monthly newsletter, so there’s plenty to catch up on. Let’s dive in.

New Digs in Surry Hills

We’re into week four at our new Buckingham St office in Surry Hills, and it’s everything we hoped for: loads of space for our gear, a balcony overlooking the tram line, and the legendary City’s Edge sandwiches (shoutout Tommy) just a short stroll away. We’ve met our office neighbours, and most importantly, our trusty coffee machine made the journey from Brisbane St unscathed.

Hugh also brought in a whiskey ice cube tray, which I’ve promptly commandeered for iced lattes. Sipping one of those beauties on the balcony this morning, it hit me—the Machine is really purring now.

Normal: Kink Kit

Over the past couple of months, we’ve had some fantastic projects, but Normal’s Kink Kit deserves a special shoutout. Hugh directed and shot an engaging conversational series featuring the prolific Abbie Chatfield, Demon Derrière, and Georgia aka GSpot.

Together, they broke down what “kink” means in a way that’s fun, inclusive, and accessible for everyone, while showcasing the exciting Kink Kit product line. Rory, our editing powerhouse, worked his magic to piece together the series while gaining some in-depth knowledge about the benefits of whips and blindfolds.

Demon Derriere and Georgia aka G-Spot on set for the Normal Kink Kit shoot.

Glued: What I’m Watching

This past weekend, I hit an 11:00 am session of Gladiator 2 at the IMAX.

SEMI-SPOILER ALERT.

From the opening scene, the film throws you headfirst into the carnage of the Circus Maximus. The stunning Roman cityscapes, the opulence of the emperors, the roar of the Colosseum—it all reminded me why I devoured Mike Duncan’s History of Rome podcast. And yes, Russell, I was entertained.

That said, the film rests heavily on the laurels (excuse the pun) of the original. Maybe it’s because I’ve seen Gladiator over a dozen times, but the constant callbacks to Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe) got a bit old. It’s crammed with fan service and some overly expositional scenes, but I guess that’s the challenge when creating a sequel over twenty years later. Overall, it lacked the tone of the original, but I still enjoyed it. Fred Hechinger as Emperor Caracalla was a highlight performance.

If you’ve never done a pre-noon cinema session, I highly recommend it. Walking out of the IMAX into a bustling Darling Square, fired up after witnessing multiple gladiator bouts, I was ready to smash some noodles.

We capped it off with a feast at Korean restaurant Hansang, where the crispy kimchi pancake delivered. It was crunchy, spicy, and hit hard; much like the cabbage-throwing mob in Gladiator 2.

Hit me up on email or Instagram—I’d love to hear what you think about Gladiator 2.

Stay caffeinated,
Damien