Work / Shangri-La Mactan, Cebu
Shangri-La Mactan,
Cebu
The brief
Tell the story of the resort through the people who stay there — not a list of its facilities.
Shangri-La Mactan, Cebu is one of the Philippines’ flagship beach resorts. We built the brand film around a simple, three-act story: a day in the life of two sets of guests — a couple and a family — moving through the resort, from quiet early-morning room and service moments to the experiences that fill the day.
Shot on location over several filming days in January 2026, the project paired a cinematic brand film with a full set of social reels covering the resort’s signature experiences — the spa, diving, the children’s adventure zone, the evening show and more — all drawn from a single shoot. Aerial and underwater footage were woven in, and every frame was made to the resort’s own photography guidelines so the films sat naturally alongside the Shangri-La brand.
The approach
The pacing was deliberate: slower, elegant moments at the open and close, a brighter and more dynamic middle as the day unfolds. For sound we went for coastal elegance — calm, ambient music that’s felt rather than heard, carried by natural sound design of waves, birds and gentle movement, with nothing rushed. The aim was to make the resort feel like itself at its best, rather than advertise it.
A story, not a list
A couple and a family, one day, three acts — structure before scenery.
Felt, not heard
Ambient music and natural sound design over heavy beats — coastal calm throughout.
One shoot, a season of content
A brand film plus a full set of reels, all from a single visit.
Frames
Frames from the resort film — coastal calm, story first.
How it was used
The brand film was selected for the resort’s stand at a travel exhibition in Australia, alongside website and social use — with the reels rolled out across the resort’s own channels through the season.