Clockwork Films is proud to partner with The Brand Agency and the Department of Transport & Major Infrastructure WA on Tom’s Story — a haunting campaign urging young drivers to take road safety seriously.
The film builds on the “Red Plate. One Mate.” initiative introduced in 2024, following the crash that killed 15-year-old Tom Saffioti. With legislation now in effect limiting passengers for P-plate drivers, Tom’s Story goes further — shifting from rules to raw human truth.
Tom had a family who adored him, a tight group of mates, and a future waiting. Until one car ride changed everything. Featuring his mother Samantha and best friend Ben, the campaign uses personal testimony, photos, and videos to immerse us in Tom’s final day. It’s a visceral reminder that those first months of driving solo — when freedom feels intoxicating — are also when young drivers are at their most vulnerable.
Director Melle Branson says: “As a director, I’ve always been acutely aware of how our relationship with media and memory transforms when filtered through the lens of grief and time… By projecting Tom’s own camera roll across the room’s surfaces, we give form to the invisible weight of grief that Tom loved ones’ carry every single day… My hope is that by creating this memory cave, we’re not just informing viewers about the importance of road safety – we’re feeling the irreversible devastation that one preventable accident creates in a family’s life, and in doing so, inspiring genuine change through empathy, rather than fear.”
As The Brand Agency’s Strategy Director Daniella Chadinha notes, “Statistics can feel distant… until you hear a mum describe the last day she saw her son. Or you see the look in a best mate’s eyes when they talk about the moment everything changed.”
Tom’s Story launched on August 25 across cinema, outdoor, press, radio, digital, social, influencer and activations. It leaves us with a line that lingers long after the screen fades: “Drive like your mate’s life depends on it. Because it does.”
