How did the Sydney Film School come to be?

In 2004 a team of award-winning filmmakers and teachers left the University of Sydney’s UBS Film School, where they had been working together for ten years. With a board of leading industry representatives and international professionals the team established the Sydney Film School. It’s now Sydney’s fastest growing filmmaking community made up of current students, graduates and teachers, all working together towards common goals: to learn, to grow, to make good films to be seen by audiences worldwide.

What courses are on offer?

SFS offers two years of nationally recognised training, both eligible for VET-FEE Help (government loan to cover course fees): Diploma of Screen and Media in year one and then Advanced Diploma of Screen and Media in year two. In the first year of the program you will learn about all departments in film production. All our classes teach the essential aspects of filmmaking. After completing semester one, students have the opportunity to explore further aspects of filmmaking with longer specialist workshops. The Advanced Diploma of Screen & Media is a one-year intensive course designed to arm graduates with the creative, technical and business skills required to make a mark in a global film industry.

Applications are now open for both the Diploma and Advanced Diploma courses’ July intake. Please check out the SFS website for more details on how to apply. If you’re not quite ready to start your course now, we have an intake for a February 2015 start.

What career paths can graduates expect to follow after their time at SFS?

So many options! For starters, you could be an editor, sound designer, production designer, cinematographer, director, producer, writer, first assistant director and everything in between. The career paths are quite varied – there is so much to the film industry, you’ll find your specialisation during your course. Let your passion lead you!

It’s your Open Day this Saturday May 10 – what should visitors expect?

We will be having teachers from each discipline introduce their course and be available for questions, then have afternoon tea before seeing a selection of students’ films and the filmmakers will be on hand to answer questions. Then the prospective students will have a chance to see the school in action – with a working set, students demonstrating the effects of lighting on a shot, camera placement and more. See editing suites in full swing – both Steenbeck machines, cutting film and digital editing with all the latest software, and see our specialist sound studio. Come and get a feel for the school and see what being a student at Sydney Film School could be for you.

Sydney Film School open day is Saturday May 10.

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