The Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS) formerly Australian Film and Television School, is Australia's national screen arts and broadcast school. The school is a Commonwealth Government
statutory authority
A statutory body or statutory authority is a body set up by law (statute) that is authorised to implement certain legislation on behalf of the relevant country or state, sometimes by being Primary and secondary legislation, empowered or deleg ...
.
History
Established in 1972 as the Australian Film and Television School, as part of the
Commonwealth Government
The Australian Government, also known as the Commonwealth Government, is the national government of Australia, a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy. Like other Westminster-style systems of government, the Australian Government ...
's strategy to promote the development of Australia's cultural activity, AFTRS was opened to students in 1973, with the first intake of 12 students including directors
Gillian Armstrong
Gillian May Armstrong (born 18 December 1950) is an Australian feature film and documentary director, who specializes in period drama. Her films often feature female perspectives and protagonists. Many of her movies are historical dramas.
Ea ...
,
Phillip Noyce
Phillip Noyce (born 29 April 1950) is an Australian filmmaker. Since 1977, he has directed over 19 feature films in various genres, including historical drama (''Newsfront'', ''Rabbit-Proof Fence'', ''The Quiet American''); thrillers (''Dead Cal ...
and
Chris Noonan
Chris Noonan (born 14 November 1952) is an Australian Film director, filmmaker and actor. He is best known for the family film ''Babe (film), Babe'' (1995), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director and Academy Award f ...
.
In 1973
Jerzy Toeplitz
Jerzy Toeplitz AO (24 November 190924 July 1995) was a Polish film educator and theorist. He was the co-founder of the Polish Film School, and later took up an appointment in Australia for the Australian Film, Television and Radio School.
Bet ...
was appointed Foundation Director of the School and after six years in the role was awarded the
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of the Australian Gove ...
and the AFI's
Longford Lyell Award
The Longford Lyell Award is a lifetime achievement award presented by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA), a non-profit organisation whose aim is "to identify, award, promote and celebrate Australia's greatest achievements ...
.
In 1975
Gough Whitlam
Edward Gough Whitlam (11 July 191621 October 2014) was the 21st prime minister of Australia, serving from 1972 to 1975. The longest-serving federal leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) from 1967 to 1977, he was notable for being the he ...
helped to create funding agencies to support the film school.
Campus
For many years AFTRS was located in purpose-built premises at
North Ryde
North Ryde is a suburb located in the Northern Sydney region of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. North Ryde is located 15 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City ...
, Sydney. In 2008 the school relocated to a purpose-built facility adjacent to
Fox Studios
20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...
, located inside the Entertainment Quarter in
Moore Park, Sydney.
![AFTRS studio](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f6/AFTRS_studio.jpg)
AFTRS is the only screen and broadcast school in the world to cater for all of the specialisations under the one roof. The campus includes: a full-size 5.1 sound theatre (seats 126), state-of-the-art mix theatre, two large professional film and television studios, film studios, state-of-the-art sound recording studios, and a host of other facilities and equipment.
Also located on campus is the Jerzy Toeplitz Library.
Courses and admission
Admission into AFTRS degree courses is competitive and based on merit selection. Places are limited. offerings include:
*Master of Arts Screen in 10 disciplines (full-time)
*Master of Arts Screen: Business and Leadership (full-time)
*Graduate Diploma in Radio and Podcasting (full-time or part-time)
*Undergraduate degree: Bachelor of Arts Screen: Production (full-time)
Governance
As a statutory body, AFTRS is governed by the ''Australian Film, Television and Radio School Act 1973'' with its Council responsible to the Minister for the Arts, representing the
Federal Parliament
The Parliament of Australia (officially the Federal Parliament, also called the Commonwealth Parliament) is the legislative branch of the government of Australia. It consists of three elements: the monarch (represented by the governor-gen ...
. There are nine members of the Council:
* three appointed by the
Governor-General of Australia
The governor-general of Australia is the representative of the monarch, currently King Charles III, in Australia.[Chief Executive Officer
A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...](_blank)
;
* one staff member elected by staff annually; and
* one student member elected by students annually.
,
Russel Howcroft is chair of the council,
[ while the CEO is Nell Greenwood.
The school is a member of ]ARTS8
Performing arts education in Australia refers to the teaching of different styles of creative activity that are performed publicly. The performing arts in Australia encompasses many disciplines including music, dance, theatre, musical theatre, circ ...
: the Australian Roundtable for Arts Training Excellence, a group of arts training organisations funded by the federal government.
AFTRS International VR Award
Amanda Duthie
Amanda Duthie, Scottish-born
(6 July 2012) ''Interview with Amanda Duthie''. Retrieved ...
, Adelaide Film Festival
The Adelaide Film Festival (AFF, formerly ADLFF) is film festival usually held for two weeks in mid-October in cinemas in Adelaide, South Australia. Originally presented biennially in March from 2003, since 2013 AFF has been held in October ...
artistic Director and virtual reality
Virtual reality (VR) is a simulated experience that employs pose tracking and 3D near-eye displays to give the user an immersive feel of a virtual world. Applications of virtual reality include entertainment (particularly video games), educ ...
champion, along with Google Creative Technologist Mathew Tizard and AFTRS Head of Documentary Rachel Landers, sat on the jury for the inaugural AFTRS International VR Award in 2017. ''Nothing Happens'', by Michelle and Uri Kranot, won the award, while ''The Other Dakar'' by Selly Raby, based on Senegal
Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 井仆井內丐中五 (Senegaali); Arabic: 塈堻媞塈 ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''R矇ewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 井仆不丐仆不五 ...
ese mythology, received a Special Mention. ''The Unknown Patient'', by Australian director Michael Beets
Michael may refer to:
People
* Michael (given name), a given name
* Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael
Given name "Michael"
* Michael (archangel), ''first'' of God's archangels in the Jewish, Christian an ...
won the award in 2018.
Academy Award success
four AFTRS student films had been nominated for Academy Awards
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
:
*'Inja' (2000), directed by Steve Pasvolsky, produced by Joanne Weatherstone
*'Birthday Boy' (2003), directed by Sejong Park, produced by Andrew Gregory
*'The Saviour', directed by Peter Templeman, produced by Stuart Parkyn
*'Emily' Student Academy Award (2010), directed by Ben Mathews, produced by Simon Moore
Six AFTRS Alumni winners of Academy Awards簧 *Jane Campion: Best Original Screenplay,'The Piano' *Andrew Lesnie: Best Achievement in Cinematography,'The Lord of the Rings' *Dion Beebe: Best Achievement in Cinematography,'Memoirs of a Geisha' *Margaret Sixel: Best Film Editing, 'Mad Max: Fury Road' *David White: Best Sound Editing, 'Mad Max: Fury Road' *Peter Grace: Best Sound Mixing, 'Hacksaw Ridge' Five AFTRS alumni nominated for Academy Awards簧 *Dion Beebe: Best Achievement in Cinematography,'Chicago' *Jane Campion: Best Director, 'The Power of the Dog' *Chris Noonan: Best Director, 'Babe' *Pip Karmel Best Editing, 'Shine' *Tony McNamara: Best Original Screenplay, 'The Favourite'
Alumni
The entire list of AFTRS graduates by year, from 1973 to now, can be viewed on the School's website.
Directing
*Mario Andreacchio
Mario Andreacchio (born 1 January 1955) is an Australian film producer/director.
Born in Leigh Creek, South Australia to Italians, Italian parents, Andreacchio graduated from Flinders University with a degree in Psychology (after originally go ...
*Gillian Armstrong
Gillian May Armstrong (born 18 December 1950) is an Australian feature film and documentary director, who specializes in period drama. Her films often feature female perspectives and protagonists. Many of her movies are historical dramas.
Ea ...
*Jane Campion
Dame Elizabeth Jane Campion (born 30 April 1954) is a New Zealand filmmaker. She is best known for writing and directing the critically acclaimed films ''The Piano'' (1993) and '' The Power of the Dog'' (2021), for which she has received a tot ...
*Alister Grierson
Alister Grierson (born 1969) is an Australian film director and scriptwriter.
Early life and education
Born in Canberra, he completed his secondary schooling at Canberra Grammar, graduated in Economics and Arts from the Australian National U ...
*Rolf de Heer
Rolf de Heer (born 4 May 1951) is a Dutch Australian film director. De Heer was born in Heemskerk in the Netherlands but migrated to Sydney when he was eight years old.
*Daniel Krige
Daniel Krige (born 16 July 1970) is a writer, director and actor. Born in Cape Town, South Africa, he grew up in Australia. Krige began working as a writer at the age of sixteen for Grundy Television.
History
He attended the Australian Film ...
*Jocelyn Moorhouse
Jocelyn Denise Moorhouse (born 4 September 1960) is an Australian screenwriter and film director. She has directed films such as ''Proof (1991 film), Proof'', ''How to Make an American Quilt'', ''A Thousand Acres (film), A Thousand Acres'' and ...
*Chris Noonan
Chris Noonan (born 14 November 1952) is an Australian Film director, filmmaker and actor. He is best known for the family film ''Babe (film), Babe'' (1995), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director and Academy Award f ...
*Phillip Noyce
Phillip Noyce (born 29 April 1950) is an Australian filmmaker. Since 1977, he has directed over 19 feature films in various genres, including historical drama (''Newsfront'', ''Rabbit-Proof Fence'', ''The Quiet American''); thrillers (''Dead Cal ...
*Rachel Perkins
Rachel Perkins (born 1970) is an Australian film and television director, producer, and screenwriter. She directed the films ''Radiance'' (1998), ''One Night the Moon'' (2001), ''Bran Nue Dae'' (2010), and ''Jasper Jones'' (2017). Perkins is an ...
*Alex Proyas
Alexander Proyas (; Greek: 弇峟徆帢彖帤怷 帠庣帢; born 23 September 1963) is an Australian filmmaker of Greek descent. Proyas is best known for directing the films ''The Crow'' (1994), '' Dark City'' (1998), ''I, Robot'' (2004), ' ...
*Michael James Rowland
Michael James Rowland (born 15 January 1964) is an Australian film director.
Early years
Prior to his screen career, Rowland studied graphic design at the North Adelaide School of Art in South Australia and started his early working life as a ...
*Ivan Sen
Ivan Sen (born 1972) is an Indigenous Australian filmmaker. He is a director, screenwriter and cinematographer, as well as an editor, composer and sound designer. He is co-founder and director of Bunya Productions.
Early life
Ivan Sen was born ...
*Cate Shortland
Cate Shortland (born 10 August 1968) is an Australian screenwriter, film director, television director, and television writer. She received international acclaim for her 2004 romantic drama film '' Somersault'', her 2012 historical drama film ' ...
*Kriv Stenders
Kriv Stenders is an Australian writer, producer and director best known for the film '' Red Dog'' and the thriller film ''Kill Me Three Times''.
He started off directing music videos for many famous Australian bands, including Go Betweens, M ...
*Warwick Thornton
Warwick Thornton (born 1970) is an Australian film director, screenwriter and cinematographer. His debut feature film ''Samson and Delilah'' won the Cam矇ra d'Or at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival and the award for Best Film at the Asia Pacific Sc ...
*Rowan Woods
Rowan Woods (born 1959) is an Australian AACTA Award-winning film and television director, actor and screenwriter.
Career
Film
Woods directed '' The Boys'' in 1998 and won an ACCTA Award for Best Direction. The film was also entered into the 4 ...
Producing
* Peter Rees
Screenwriting
*Billy Marshall Stoneking
William Randolph Marshall (31 August 1947 15 July 2016), better known as Billy Marshall Stoneking, was an American-Australian poet, playwright, filmmaker, and teacher. His son C.W. Stoneking is a musician.
Childhood and education
William Rand ...
* Tony McNamara
*Justin Davis Justin Davis may refer to:
*Justin Davis (soccer) (born 1988), American soccer player
* Justin Davis (gridiron football) (born 1995), American football player
*Justin Davis, guitarist in the country duo Striking Matches
*Justin Davis, bassist of the ...
Cinematography
*Andrew Lesnie
Andrew Lesnie ACS ASC (1 January 1956 27 April 2015) was an Australian cinematographer. He was best known as the cinematographer for ''The Lord of the Rings'' trilogy (20012003) and its prequel ''The Hobbit'' trilogy (20122014), bo ...
*Dion Beebe
Dion Beebe A.C.S. A.S.C. ( ; born 18 May 1968) is an Australian-South African cinematographer. Originally from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, his family moved to Cape Town, South Africa in 1972. Dion studied cinematography at the Australia ...
Editing
* Pip Karmel
*Margaret Sixel
Margaret Sixel is an Australian and South African film editor. She is best known for her work as editor on her husband George Miller's films, including '' Babe: Pig in the City'' (1998), ''Happy Feet'' (2006), and '' Mad Max: Fury Road'' (2015) ...
Composing
* Amanda Brown
*Benjamin Speed
Benjamin Peter Speed (born 27 June 1979) is an Australian musician who composes scores for film, television and theatre. He performs and records as Mister Speed and was vocalist and songwriter in the Australian alternative, electronic and hi ...
* Matteo Zingales
*Antony Partos
Antony Michael Partos (born 1 August 1968) is an Australian film and TV composer. He specialises in creating scores that blend both acoustic and electronic elements with a mix of world musical instruments. His feature film credits include '' Ani ...
* Caitlin Yeo
Design
* Felicity Abbott
*Melinda Doring
''Melinda Doring'' is an Australian production designer and former costume designer. She has won the AACTA Award for Best Production Design four times and been nominated twice more.
Career
In reviews of ''Home Song Stories'' (2007), ''Variety' ...
Radio
* Stuart Bocking
* Reuben Mourad
* Jason Morrison
*Chris Page
Chris Page is a radio presenter, previously with Triple M Sydney.
Page originally worked for NXFM announcer and then moved to SAFM. On 6 December 2009 Page moved to Sydney's 2Day FM, following the top rated Kyle and Jackie O Show. Page has fi ...
* Kent Small
*Simon Marnie
Simon Marnie is an Australian radio and television presenter.
Career
Radio
Marnie was a student of the inaugural radio course at the Australian Film, Television and Radio School.
Prior to joining ABC Radio Sydney, he worked at Triple J st ...
*David Spears
David Spears (born 21 December 1963) is a Canadian former cyclist. He competed in the team time trial at the 1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad () and commonly known as S ...
Notes
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Australian Film Television And Radio School
Film Television and Radio School
Performing arts education in Australia
Commonwealth Government agencies of Australia
Film schools in Australia
Philip Cox buildings
Educational institutions established in 1973
1973 establishments in Australia
Buildings and structures in Sydney