Dynamic Duos: From online storytelling to sharing a true White Lotus moment
This week in Dynamic Duos, we hear from Amplify's creative director Michelle Melky, and Hayley Adams, group operations and growth manager.
In Dynamic Duos, Mumbrella each week asks two colleagues with a professional and personal affiliation to share with readers the importance of workplace relationships in an increasingly hybridised world of work.
Michelle Melky:
Hayley and I met through the web series community in Melbourne. We were both young producers who shared a common love – fangirling. We are seriously just insane fan girls. We have travelled overseas together — more than once — for the sake of a fandom. That sort of connection makes fast friends.
We ended up working together at a small production company in Melbourne, which is where we collaborated for the first time on the project – Love Songs. Love Songs was the world’s first Tiktok series and for us, a huge success. I started at Amplify in 2020 and then was lucky enough to have Hayley join the team in 2022.
I think Hayley and I keep being drawn towards each other because we care about the same things. We both love fandoms and online cultures. I’ve done probably the nerdiest things I’ve ever done with Hayley in tow. And we both really, really care about the work we do. Probably too much! When either one of us is having a hard day or we’re in a tough situation, we can call the other and work through it together.
Hayley is definitely the logical one between us and I’m the more emotional one. She’s all about process and problem solving and I’m usually stirring up problems to be solved! I think that’s why our partnership has worked. There’s a lot of balance in our skills and at the end of the day – a huge amount of trust. Trust that we’ll get the job done, but also we really trust and value each other’s opinions. That’s a pretty hard thing to find for two perfectionists like us.
Hayley Adams:
Michelle and I met thanks to a web series she’d produced. I was invited to a screening of the pilot before the whole season was finished, and when I found out the first episode was 30 minutes long, I’ll admit, I was nervous. Producing 30 minutes of narrative on basically no budget is incredibly tough, and for emerging filmmakers, the final product isn’t always… polished. But I quickly realised I had nothing to worry about – the first episode blew me away.
Over a year later, Michelle reached out again, having finished the whole season. Knowing she’d produced around two hours of content with virtually no money, I knew she was one to watch. The real connection, though, came after a screening of her series. I offhandedly mentioned being into online fandoms and we immediately launched into a tangent about pop culture, Tumblr, and online forums. Recognising a fellow fangirl, I knew I wanted to work with Michelle, and luckily, that happened soon after at a Melbourne production company.
Our first collaboration was on a world-first Tiktok narrative series called Love Songs. It was a game-changer for both of our careers and it’s where I truly understood how well Michelle and I meshed. We’re both do-ers, absolutely, but our approaches are very different.
Michelle’s story sense is incredible and her brand of creativity just clicks with me. I, on the other hand, am more of a spreadsheets-and-schedules kind of person. While we’re both natural leaders, dividing up the work has always been seamless which is why we’ve worked together ever since.
I think a major reason we collaborate so well is our mutual respect for each other’s skills and working style. We both hold ourselves to high standards and I always know Michelle is giving her all on any project, no matter what it is. That means we can be incredibly honest with each other and when problems pop up, we support each other quickly and effectively.
And honestly, I just love working with fellow fans. In my experience, people who are passionate enough about a book series, musician, or TV show to join online fandoms bring that energy to their work. They’re dedicated and enthusiastic, which makes them such fun collaborators. Michelle has always been that way to work with and our collaborations have been consistently exciting.
Michelle on Hayley:
Most memorable moment with Hayley: There have been so many bizarre and wonderful moments over the years! I’ll pick a recent one for fun – a few weeks ago we worked the Season 3 premiere of The White Lotus in Bangkok. Hayley and I somehow ended up at the after party, brushing shoulders with Hollywood execs and celebrities.
It was another one of those moments (of which I’m lucky to have had many at Amplify) where you look at each other and go ‘how did we get here?? What are we doing here?!’ But that’s how it’s gone so far – lots of unbelievable opportunities that usually end with us giggling in a corner.
Best word to describe her: I think this would be no surprise to anyone that knows Hayley – reliable.
Most annoying habit or endearing behaviour she has: The most endearing thing about Hayley is that she always shows up. She’s not a particularly outwardly emotional person but if there’s a birthday, a baby shower, a race, whatever you’re doing – Hayley is always gonna show up. Like I said, she is Miss. Reliable! But gun to my head, the annoying habit – always having to be right about directions. (To be fair, she’s usually right and I’m usually wrong.)
Hayley on Michelle:
Most memorable moment with Michelle: When I work with Michelle, I never know what we’re going to create next. It could be for a completely new platform, in a brand new format, or even in a different country altogether!
A perfect example of this was producing an Audible Original audiobook last year, a format we were completely new to. But with our shared passion for the rom-com audience and the backing of Amplify’s creator network to cast and market the audiobook, it felt like a natural fit.
I remember leading up to the recording thinking, ‘How did we get here?’ But the truth is, I’ve had that thought a lot while working on projects with Michelle, and it’s always worked out for us!
Best word to describe her: Michelle balances so many qualities that you don’t often find in one person; the best word to describe her is ‘dynamic’. She’s both incredibly creative and deeply practical, a strong leader and delegator within a team, yet also comfortable working solo and tackling any small task needed to get the job done. And she’s always evolving, eagerly taking on new challenges.
Most annoying habit or endearing behaviour she has: One of the most baffling things about Michelle is her ability to get so much done, seemingly running off a to-do list in her head. I suspect she occasionally writes things down, but she’ll readily admit that she dislikes using project management software. As an organisation app enthusiast, this totally perplexes me! That being said, she never misses a deadline.
Something truly endearing is her ability to throw herself wholeheartedly into a new obsession, sometimes sparked by just one Tiktok edit. When Michelle loves something, she loves it with an intensity most people reserve for their one true passion – but Michelle has room for many.
Keep up to date with the latest in media and marketing
Got a tip?
Lauren McNamara is the associate editor at Mumbrella, covering the agency beat. She joined in November 2022 as editorial assistant, after completing a Bachelor of Communications (Journalism) at UTS.
Linkedin
Have your say