Filmmaker reflects on validation of Business Awards win

HEBRON Films’ co-founder and creative director Caleb Maxwell was “still riding the high” earlier this week after the “epic honor” of receiving the Creative Industries Award at the 2025 Bendigo Bank and Be.Bendigo Bendigo Business Excellence Awards.

His video production company specialises in creating strategic, story-driven films for businesses, organisations and community groups and is based at the bustling Emporium Creative Hub in Mitchell Street.

Some of the significant work Hebron has delivered locally include projects for the Royal Australian Survey Corps, WISE Employment, the Bendigo Military Museum, Court Services Victoria, Bendigo Venues and Events, the Bendigo Art Gallery and Central Deborah Gold Mine.

“I feel really validated and that we’re going in the right direction, which is really, really cool,” he said.

“It’s a great honor to take out the Award specifically in this category, because it’s an industry full of incredibly talented people, (who) we often partner with.”

Mr Maxwell said the benefit of being one of the winners on the night is that it puts Hebron among other “great businesses that won their own categories.”

“It gives us access to be able to reach out to them and say, hey, congratulations on your award, let me platform your success and tell your business story through our marketing channel,” he said.

“I’ve already seen that the win and the award has given us a massive publicity boost. I’m getting inundated with opportunities and discovery calls this week, which is wonderful. It just shows that the Awards Program is really well publicised.”

He said he’d certainly recommend that other businesses get involved in the Program in the future.

“Throughout the process, becoming a finalist and then winning, I’ve had multiple friends and acquaintances who run businesses reach out and ask about the process and whether it’s worth it.

“And to those people, I’ve said most definitely.

“It’s worth it even just to go through the application and judging process.

“(Plus), the opportunity to be recognised in front of your peers on that level of a stage is really powerful, and it’s only going to do good things for whoever’s able to get that far.”