Daniel Johns

In 1994, when Daniel Johns was just 15 years old, he became one of the biggest music stars in Australia. ‘What if the Future Never Happened?’ is a semi-autobiographical short film on the life of Daniel Johns, soundtracked by his second solo album ‘FutureNever' (2022).

‘What if the Future Never Happened?’ is a fictional version of 1994. This time Johns hasn’t become the teenage rockstar he turned out to be. His future changes when he meets a mysterious figure while he is trying to escape three local bullies. The film is about Johns’ teenage years and the possibility of alternate paths he could have taken in life. What might have happened if things turned out differently?

Headjam’s Luke Kellett exclusively photographed behind-the-scenes of the production of ‘What if the Future Never Happened?’.

It was always Luke’s dream to photograph Silverchair and Daniel Johns. As a gesture of appreciation for the opportunity, some behind-the-scenes portraits were printed large scale and a zine was compiled, printed and given as gifts to the production team.

To position the short film as a thought-provoking and unique cinematic experience.

Long-time fans of Silverchair and Daniel Johns, including a newer generation of fans that could relate to him and his work.

Past, present, and future with Daniel Johns.

“Watching this makes me feel even more nostalgic and excited for the future of Daniel's career.”

With the aim of creating a visually appealing experience for his fans, we created a series of graphic assets to promote the film. Taking inspiration from the 80/90s aesthetic, we incorporated iconic references and neon elements from Daniel Johns and Silverchair's album art. The animation was influenced by the flickering TV in the film's trailer, featuring scan lines, blurs, colour shifts, and noise.

To attract both existing fans and a new audience, we created an outdoor media campaign including print and digital billboards in major and regional cities in Australia, as well as international billboards in New York and Los Angeles. Merchandise designs were developed to mimic the flickering and reflective light qualities of the animation.

Analogue photography using Kodak Portra film was used to capture portraits of the cast, emphasising the quality and texture of film from that era. We also took behind-the-scenes photography to serve as promotional material and a time capsule.

A one-page website was designed to host the film's trailer, which also features the title graphics designed for the short film.

A stand-alone 6-month exhibition was held in Melbourne’s CBD showcasing assets Headjam created for the film promotion alongside items from Daniel’s personal life.

With Daniel Johns' personal reflections and multidisciplinary approach in mind, Headjam was able to create a campaign with assets that would continue to charge the themes of past-present-future that are infused within Johns’ new body of work.