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Moving with the times
By Rachel Gleeson
Film, television and radio are essential to the Australian way of life and we are very fortunate to have outstanding professionals providing us with top quality shows and productions.
So where do our best and brightest talents come from?
The Australian Film, Television and Radio School (AFTRS) has produced many of Australia's most successful and recognised producers, directors, screenwriters, editors, cinematographers and broadcast program makers.
The feature film industry has benefited from the work of graduates like Jane Campion (Oscar winner for The Piano ), Gillian Armstrong ( Oscar and Lucinda and My Brilliant Career ), Cate Shortland ( Somersault ), and cinematographers like Andrew Lesnie (Oscar winner for Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring ).
The animation industry has also benefited from the creations of graduates like Melanie Coombes (producer of the Oscar winner Harvie Krumpet ) and Sejong Park and Andrew Gregory (Oscar nominees for Birthday Boy ).
A constant challenge for the AFTRS is operating in a dynamic environment, which requires keeping up-to-date with evolving technologies and teaching methods.
To assist the school in meeting these demands the Australian Government has provided additional funding so AFTRS can maintain its leading position both locally and internationally.
The Government has also announced its intention for the school to be strategically relocated closer to the screen industry hub in Sydney. In recent years the broadcasting and digital media industries have consolidated near the inner city, providing an exciting environment for students to perfect their skills.
The school has been located in North Ryde for more than 16 years, a period during which the industry has changed dramatically.
‘Although the exact site has yet to be decided, the new location will certainly position the school alongside the cutting edge of industry advancement,' said the AFTRS council chair Danny Gilbert.
The relocation will allow students access to high quality, state-of-the-art equipment and facilities. It will maximise opportunities for practitioner mentoring, encourage industry participation in short courses and will develop apprenticeship opportunities.
As the AFTRS director Malcolm Long explains, ‘this relocation is part of the bigger picture which is to expand the delivery of AFTRS services around the nation'.
The AFTRS' Melbourne office has also recently moved to the exciting Docklands precinct, which places it near facilities like the cutting edge Docklands Film and Television Studio, Telstra's research labs, and Channel 7's digital resources.
The AFTRS Melbourne office will also house a new national Centre for Screen Business. The centre will develop and deliver advanced business skills to Australian screen industry professionals and full-time AFTRS students, equipping them with the skills needed to thrive in the industry.
The Australian Government is providing the AFTRS with $3 million a year for the next three years to fund the new Centre for Screen Business and to produce courses to enhance and extend AFTRS' digital media training programs.
These measures are designed to ensure that AFTRS can continue to produce world class, internationally recognised film and broadcasting professionals.
Visit www.aftrs.edu.au for more information on AFTRS.