Gaming and Content organisation PWR (pronounced power) has announced the release of a three-part documentary titled ‘Making of a Champion’ providing an exclusive and never-before-seen look into the rapidly growing gaming and content creation industry.
The project, directed by Oliver Marshall is supported by Screen Australia and YouTube Australia through the Skip Ahead initiative and follows the key stories of PWR Founder Lachlan Power; Australia’s first gaming YouTuber to reach 10 million subscribers, and 16-year-old Alex Richmond (Sydney, Australia) an up-and-coming YouTube star, and Australia’s best Fortnite player alongside the PWR Fortnite roster including Austin ‘Worthy’ King (Perth, WA), Sebastian ‘Looter’ Olle (Melbourne, Australia) and Baran ‘Volx’ Ercan (Melbourne, Australia). The documentary also features fellow PWR owner Kathleen ‘Loserfruit’ Belsten, and Australian content creator Lannan ‘Lazarbeam’ Eacott.
Director of Narrative Content at Screen Australia Louise Gough said: “Skip Ahead provides a unique opportunity for content creators to expand their audience and impact. Using the skills from the workshop the dynamic creative team behind Making of a Champion have developed a compelling documentary that offers an insight into the expanding world of Esports and gaming, wrapped up in a story of camaraderie, competition and family that I’m sure will connect with audiences on YouTube.”
Set in 2024, Making of a Champion follows the PWR Fortnite Team in their path for glory at the Esports World Cup in Riyadh, as well as the Fortnite Global Championships contested by the best 100 Fortnite players from around the world.
“Through this documentary we really wanted to be able to provide a unique look behind the scenes into what it really takes to make it to the top in the gaming and content industry,” Lachlan Power, executive producer and founder of PWR said.
“Gaming and digital content creation is one of the fastest growing industries in the world… Even from where I started on YouTube even 10 years ago, the growth has been exponential - but nothing really exists to show you what this world looks like; and I think Making of a Champion helps delve into that,” Power added.
With one of the top career aspirations for young people aged 12-15 now listed as ‘YouTuber or TikToker’ the documentary provides perfect insight into the nature of both Fortnite competitive and content creation, and what it takes to make it in the rapidly growing world of digital entertainment and gaming.
“Growing up, young people aspired to be a sports star, or doctor, or like myself, an astronaut… but more and more through the expansion of the digital world, we are seeing a rise in the growth of online content creation, and professional gaming, so we feel it’s important to showcase both the challenges and rewards of this industry,” Lachlan added.
Ed Miles, Head of YouTube Australia, also said: “The evolution of gaming on YouTube has been phenomenal, with billions of views and millions of uploads annually. Our platform has become a vital home for everything from immersive storytelling to the world's largest esports events. We are immensely proud to support the Making of a Champion documentary series through Skip Ahead. We eagerly anticipate that audiences worldwide will gain a rare glimpse into this dynamic world through the unique perspectives presented by the documentary team, inspiring the next generation of storytellers.”
Director Oliver Marshall also added, “When I was first asked to direct Making of a Champion, I saw it as an opportunity to showcase a different side to PWR and the esports landscape that hadn’t been shown.”
“With so many young people now saying they want to be YouTubers when they grow up, I think it’s more important than ever that stories like this are told. PWR is at the forefront of this shift, helping shape what the future of this industry could look like. I hope this project resonates with both PWR’s fans and with parents, opening up conversations about what it means to pursue this path - and how we can better support young people who choose it. It’s a vision that both PWR and I strongly believe in, and I’m incredibly grateful they welcomed me into their world to help tell this story.”
Making of a Champion is set for release on PWR’s YouTube channel as follows:
- Thursday 26 June 11pm (AEST)
- Episode one: Introducing PWR and the Pros
- Saturday 28 June 11pm (AEST)
- Episode two: OCE against the world - Esports World Cup
- Monday 30 June 11pm (AEST)
- Episode three: PWR goes Global - FNCS Global Championships
Synopsis: Making of a Champion
A three part episodic documentary profiling the explosive world of competitive gaming and content creation culture from the perspectives of some of Australia’s biggest names in YouTube including Lachlan Power, and professional Fortnite players Alex, Worthy, Looter and Volx. The documentary also features perspectives and insights from influential content figures like Kathleen Belsten 'Loserfruit', Lannan Eacott ‘Lazarbeam’ and is narrated by Australia’s top gaming Twitch streamer AussieAntics.
Credits: Making of a Champion is directed by Oliver Marshall, and co-written by Victoria Bush, Oliver Marshall, and Bryce Holloway, produced by Genevieve Larin, Clint Gough, and Kathleen Belsten, with Victoria Bush and YouTube creator Lachlan Power executive producing, with post-production managed by Chop Shop and 3P. The series will be released on the PWR YouTube channel.
Background information on PWR and Lachlan Power
As Australia’s first gaming YouTuber to reach 10 million subscribers and one of the country’s most prominent digital creators, Lachlan’s ability to drive authentic engagement and influence is undeniable. As the founder of PWR—a global gaming, entertainment, and apparel brand that connects with millions of fans each month through YouTube and digital content, Lachlan has been pivotal in shaping the Australian and global gaming content industry.
Background information on Skip Ahead
First established in 2014, the Skip Ahead initiative aims to help storytellers with an existing audience on YouTube expand their creative ambitions. Since launching, Skip Ahead has supported 41 teams with over $5.2 million to develop their skills and build sustainable careers, with alumni including Lyanna Kea (4.6M subscribers), Never Too Small (2.9M subscribers), timtimfed’s Michael Shanks (204K subscribers), Tibees aka Toby Hendy (1.29M), and RackaRacka’s Danny and Michael Philippou (6.8M subscribers).
Four projects, including Making of a Champion, share in $580,000 of production funding for the ninth instalment of the Skip Ahead initiative. The other recipients include brothers Lachlan and Austin Macfarlane (The Macfarlane Bros), comedian Jenny Tian (nomnomjenny) and children’s YouTube creators Amy Parry, Sara Taghaode and Emma Dean (Rainbow Bop).
