Stories that sing

Since helping establish Bond University’s children’s holiday camp, alumnus Andrew MacAlpine has gone on to make Aussie workplaces more accessible and share important cultural stories with the world.

Andrew MacAlpine may be in the movie business, but his own 'love at first sight’ story is not one you’ll catch on-screen. The CEO of global creative company Entropico first came to Bond University as a high schooler competing in the national mooting competition. After spending a few days on campus, Andrew and his schoolmates left with a resolve.

“As soon as we returned, we knew — we had to go to Bond University,” recalls Andrew. “We thought it was the best place in the world.”

Little did Andrew know what started as a teen vow would set him on track to change lives and positively impact hundreds of Australian families.

Making an impact

Andrew and his friends’ appeal resulted in the inaugural Bond Sony Foundation Children’s Holiday Camp, which this year marks its 15^th event. Over two days in December, children with disabilities are invited to campus, paired with a student carer, and enjoy a stay filled with fun and safe activities.

Andrew says it provides an opportunity for the kids to make friends and great memories, all while giving their parents or carers some respite. “We've had some parents say the camp gave them their first break in five or 10 years. It can be a golden moment where they’ve had the chance to reconnect with their partner or enjoy some downtime — it’s a huge experience,” he says.

While for Bond’s student carers, it can be one of the hardest things they’ve ever done, and often the most rewarding. “Looking after children with disabilities can be emotionally and sometimes physically challenging for students who’ve never experienced it before,” explains Andrew.

From banks to the showbiz ‘big time’

After graduating from Bond and working as a management consultant at some of Australia’s biggest financial firms, Andrew started moonlighting to help his friends grow their business.

“One of my friends started a business not long out of school and asked if I could help from a ‘sweat equity’ perspective, with funding and advice.

“As it grew, more partners joined him in the journey and wanted to form a new company, Entropico. I came on officially as a silent co-founder, trying to help the business grow after hours and on weekends.

“Then, once it was big enough for me to leave my day job, I jumped ship and joined the business full-time; I am incredibly proud of what it has become.”

Entropico is a creative studio with offices in Sydney, Los Angeles, and New York, creating everything from Netflix documentaries to television commercials and ‘everything in between’.

“Our team includes animators, designers, editors, producers and more. We create brand campaigns, we tell stories through documentaries, moving between advertising and entertainment. The creative industry was not one I was familiar with at university, but having fallen into it, I’ve realised how exciting it is,” he says.

Storytelling that matters

Entropico’s biggest showpiece to date is its Netflix documentary on the rise of Australia's first drill rap stars, ONEFOUR: Against All Odds, which hit the second most-watched movie in Australia on the platform upon its release.

“We were doing the music videos for Onefour and started to see the bigger story; getting snippets of what was going on behind the scenes with the artists and the group, including the persecution they were experiencing as Pacific Islanders in Sydney’s western suburbs,” recalls Andrew.

"We believed their story should be told in full. And the benefit of telling the story of musicians is you can underlay it with their music because it's all connected — there is a track that represents each part of their life.

“We could not be prouder of the success of ONEFOUR: Against All Odds and how it resonated globally, especially in the drill music scene and the broader industry. It was well-received as an incredible insight into Australian culture.”

The stacked slate

Since the success of its Netflix documentary, Entropico has opened a long-form arm of its studio, which focuses on a range of development opportunities.

“We’re hoping to make an announcement very soon on a long-form movie we’ll be moving into production,” says Andrew.

“A few final agreements need to be made but we’re super close to announcing the details of this second feature, which will hopefully go into production this year.

“Stay tuned."