Events, pop-ups and shoots: Meet Melbourne’s newest collaborative creative space

“It is the perfect backdrop for someone to come in and curate the space for the purpose needed.”

Fitzroy has long been heralded as a creative meeting hub for Melburnians. Among the heritage terraces and natural wine bars is a bubbling community of like-minded individuals who’ve flocked to the north. 

With many of us chasing creative pursuits, working on our five-to-nines and wrangling with side hustles, Brunswick Street makes the perfect backdrop to host in-person gatherings. Two people who intimately understand this are creative consultant Chloe Naughton and film director Alexander Naughton.

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The married couple (who yes, live together and work together full-time), have recently expanded from solely running a-n studio, a film production studio, to opening up the downstairs area of their studio. Aptly named ‘downstairs’, Chloe and Alexander are giving the opportunity for fellow creatives to rent out the space. 

Pressed onto the glass windows of 415 Brunswick Street are sans-serif suggestions of how the light-filled space can be utilised: events, studio hire and photo studio, to name a few. The possibilities, though, are endless. 

From pop-up shops, workshops and product launches, all the way to intimate dinners, exhibitions, installations and performances, ‘downstairs’ is a shape-shifting space with the ability to cater to even the wildest of ideas. Here, Chloe shares the journey of how this creative venture came to be. 

Tell me about your relationship with Alexander. How did you two meet?

We actually have a very cute little story. We met at a New Year’s Eve party hosted in Jamison on a friend’s paddock. We moved in together six months later and engaged not long thereafter. Now we’ve been together for six years. This New Year’s will be going on seven years together. We really so lucky in so many ways.

Photography by Annika Kafcaloudis

Tell me about the production house a-n studio, how did it all begin?

We started a-n studio as a boutique film production studio based in Melbourne in response to the increased hunger for more approachable, high-quality, end-to-end film production.

Alex had been working in the space as a director/cinematographer for a few years. We now curate films that span the kaleidoscopic worlds of narrative, commercials, fashion, music, and culture. While we are ambitious in our scope, a core value is that we remain approachable and inclusive, with a strong focus on our clients and collaborators.

We offer a full array of services for clients and agencies alike, from the creative genesis of an idea to the final cut. We’re also happy to offer our specialised skills to larger, more established production houses that may need a helping hand. By fostering a spirit of cooperation, everyone remains aligned, which leads to very rewarding outcomes (and very happy clients). This makes us uniquely adaptable in our field.

Our aim is to cultivate an open and inclusive atmosphere. We share a mutual passion for what we do, yet we recognise that the key to excellence lies in collaborative effort and clear communication. Effective communication throughout the production is essential, and Jack, our producer, has been incredible at refining that experience. We could not be more proud of how we operate and prioritise a positive experience on set.

From inception to fruition, we are committed to pushing ourselves, both in the films we create and the relationships we build. It’s all part of our ongoing journey to craft truly remarkable films and client experiences.

Now you’ve opened up a new collaborative space called ‘downstairs’. Where did the idea come from?

We have taken on a lease of a beautiful double-storey terrace on Brunswick Street, where a-n studio operates. Whilst we work upstairs, we are opening downstairs as a collaborative space for people to come in and occupy it based on their needs and vision.

The name came organically. We always referred to the space as ‘downstairs’, which we felt was a natural fit (even though the space itself is technically on the ground floor and facing Brunswick Street).

We originally reserved ‘downstairs’ as a space to shoot in; however, with most of our productions happening off-site, we had the idea to open the space to our local community. The area itself is beautiful in its simplicity. It is the perfect backdrop for someone to come in and curate the space for the purpose needed. 

The types of events we envisioned would be product launches, photography and film shoots, self-produced exhibitions, workshops, performances, pop-up shops, installations, talks, screenings and showrooms.

What can people expect from the space?

We want to cultivate an inclusive sense of culture and a creative safe space while maintaining a sophisticated and elevated feel. The space comes alive, especially as it is right on Brunswick Street with a tram stop outside our front door. 

We want it to feel elevated in a way that is adaptable to various needs. It has beautiful 4.5m high ceilings, polished concrete floors, 50sqm of space that is flooded with natural light, an all-glass window frontage that faces Brunswick Street, a private dressing room/office/storeroom [and] access to a back courtyard with laneway access.

One beautiful feature is our roof-mounted projector that is displayed on the back wall, which is an immersive visual feature for events and overnight installations. We also include a complete lighting package, so stylised lighting can be achieved without hiring additional gear.

We have six trestle tables, a 2.4m long black meeting table, a beautiful leather couch, clothing racks and hangers, a 120cm long stainless-steel drinks bar, 30 black metal stools, and speakers for music – all included for ease.

The space looks so chic! What was the design process like?

The design process was relatively simple; we [let] the beautiful heritage terrace building [do the] hard work. With a black façade, raw concrete floors, matte grey interior walls and black metal and leather furnishings, it’s the perfect foundation to build from. While we wanted an austere backdrop, we also wanted it to feel as though the space had been considered and still had character, even when not in use.

What’s your working relationship with Alexander like? How is it working so closely on a project together?

We get asked this question all the time. I can completely understand that working full-time and living with your partner isn’t for everyone; however, we feel lucky that we are aligned in that aspect. Somehow, it works.

Alex and I are both aligned in that we both don’t mind a long day’s work, especially as what we are doing and working on excites us. It also probably works well that we have a small degree of separation; Alex is mainly focused on the production side of a-n studio, and I am looking after running the ‘downstairs’ space.

What would the process be if someone wanted to book the space?

The best way to book the space is to get in touch. You can see all the information about ‘downstairs’ at a-n.studio.com/downstairs [and can] follow us [at] both @a.n.studio__ [and] @downstairs_by_an_studio. To book, you can reach us at hello@a-n.studio.

To find out more about the production side of a-n studio, head here.