Aussie with Aspirations
 

G'day everyone,

I've joined this forum primarily regarding some camera research, but upon looking around, am thinking it's going to be useful for a load of other reasons too.

In '07 I completed an undergrad degree in film/tv at Griffith University in Brisbane. I loved it! We had access to Sony DV Cams (DSR300, PD150 and PD170, and XDCAM), which made it hard going back to my consumer handcam. I also honed my video editing skills, using solely Final Cut Pro due to software issues between Avid & the XDCAM. I think the most important lesson I learned at film school was what should have been obvious - it really does take a team to make a film, and it's critical that all (creatives especially) involved are seeing the same vision.

Whilst at Uni I worked on 6 short films, 3 of which were "best of the class", and had hopes of getting some of my uni mates together to work on some other projects after we graduated, but ultimately that only resulted in 1 short for the Optus ONE80Project competition in '08. I worked as location assistant on a feature horror flick that had no distributor (still doesn't), and then had to "grow up" and get a real job due to things like a mortgage, credit cards, babies, and supporting my wife while she completed her studies. (I know, feels like a cop-out just saying it..)

I've tried to keep a hand in at least editing, with a copy of FCP 5.1 on a thrashed G5 PowerMac I got from Cashies (pawn store chain here in Oz), but it's not as much fun as working on a real project.

cheers


Travis

Re: Aussie with Aspirations
 

Hi Travis, welcome aboard!

That's not a cop-out mate, that's reality and I'm sure a lot of folks can relate to that.

We'll help you stay connected on the tech / creative side of things -- thanks for joining us,

Re: Aussie with Aspirations
 

Travis, how did you find the film school experience at Griffith University?

I studied journalism at Griffith on the Gold Coast, but having always been interested in film production I gravitated towards "Broadcast Journalsim" and subsequently undertook Digital Video as a Major.

From time to time I wonder how much more I would get out of doing the film course at the QCA campus, but I just don't think I could justify the expense - at this stage I feel the money would be better off invested in my (slowly) growing production business. I feel the main thing I would get out of film school which wasn't overly accessible at the Gold Coast Campus would be connections, contacts, and work experience/intership opportunites.

Re: Aussie with Aspirations
 

Chris
Thanks! My brain says it wasn't a cop out, falling back on my "real job", as my father would say, but my heart says - "You're 33, it's 3 and a 1/2 years since you graduated, and you're still doing admin!"

I'd like to try get into short films, either other's projects, or my own, and having a decent camera would certainly be a good start. My sister's wedding has provided the impetus to look at upgrading from a miniDV handcam, so now I'm hoping it'll be a good starting point.

John
I thoroughly enjoyed Griffith's film school, especially in regards to my passion - writing. The screenwriting lecturer, Charlie Strachan, was amazing, and most of the lecturers either come from, or are still involved in the industry. (Charlie was a regular writer on All Saints, and has had a hand in the Aussie tv industry since the 80's.) My tutors were all active in the industry in one way or another (doco producers largely), and in my final year they did bring in a number of industry people to give lecturers.

I still kick myself over passing up an opportunity to meet Jon Shiff (Ocean Girl, et al) when he was filming H20 on the Gold Coast. He'd invited me to interview him in person instead of via email for an assignment I was writing, but I had 2 assignments due. Should have asked for extensions!

The Griffith Master of Fine Art may be of use to you. Not sure if you'd get in, but they basically look to partner a writer, a director, and a producer, to work on a project over the 2 year course. I'd have loved to do it. May one day... (It would be based at Southbank though.)

Re: Aussie with Aspirations
 

Thanks for that link Travis... given the rather misleading name, that program had entirely slipped my attention. I'd seen it in the course lists but never bothered to read the program description, assuming that the name meant it was some kind of art/philosophy wankery for bludging 'hipster' kids who had cruised through an undergrad degree on their parents welfare but weren't yet ready to assume responsibility for their own lives and get a real job. I though that my only option for film school in Queensland might be starting again as an undergrad, so it's good to find out otherwise.

I'll soon be taking time off from work (mainly wedding videos) for back surgery (resulting from a surfing injury) which will give me plenty of time to consider my options for the future. With likely a 6-12month period of rehab before I can get back into full time work, study is definitely one of the options I'm considering.

Re: Aussie with Aspirations
 

it's not a cop out - you're in the majority!

if you're dying to edit something I can always slip you a few weddings - I've got a backlog that's about to do my head in