AFTRS

 The Australian Film, Television and Radio School is a statutory authority. It was established through its own Act, the Australian Film, Television and Radio School Act 1973 . It also operates under the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997.

 

AFTRS is governed by a Council which comprises

• Three members appointed by the Governor-General
• Three members appointed by Convocation
• The Chief Executive Officer (ex-officio)
• One AFTRS member of staff elected annually by staff
• One AFTRS student elected annually by students

The principle functions of the Council are to

• Develop and review policy relating to the provision of advanced education and training of creative talent
• Monitor the effectiveness of AFTRS' overall performance
• Monitor financial matters including annual budget estimates
• Oversee matters concerning the internal structure of AFTRS and senior staff appointments
• Provide and maintain strong  links with the screen arts and broadcasting industries
• Develop and review AFTRS' strategic objectives
• Ensure that systems are in place to monitor and control:  i. compliance with the law and ethical standards  ii. financial performance         
  iii. accountability to the Federal government.

 

 

Council Members

MICHAEL SMELLIE - Chair of Council

 

Michael Smellie has more than 25 years experience in the music industry and has held finance and management positions with a range of international music businesses including Sony BMG and Polygram (now part of Universal) in Australia, Brazil and the United Kingdom. He was appointed Managing Director for BMG in Australasia in 1993 and then Head of the Asia/Pacific Region for the organisation. In 2001 Mr Smellie was appointed as Chief Operating Officer (COO) for BMG worldwide and in 2004 for Sony BMG. From 2006 to 2008 Mr Smellie was President of Media Development, Asia Pacific for German media group Bertelsmann.

 

PETER DUNCAN - Deputy Chair

 

Peter Duncan has written and directed the feature films: Unfinished Sky (2008 William McInnes, nominated for 10 AFI and 8 IF awards this year; winner of 4 IF awards, including Best Director); A Little Bit of Soul (1998 Geoffrey Rush and David Wenham, nominated for 2 AFI awards); Children of the Revolution (1996 Judy Davis, Geoffrey Rush, Sam Neill, Rachel Griffiths and F. Murray Abraham, nominated for 9 AFI awards, winner of 3).  Peter has also directed the feature Passion (1999 Richard Roxburgh and Barbara Hershey, winner of 3 AFI awards) and the telemovie Valentine's Day (2008 Rhys Muldoon, nominated for Best Tele-Feature at this year's AFIs).

He also adapted and directed the novel Hell Has Harbour Views for the ABC (2005 Matt Day, Lisa McCune, nominated for Best Tele-Feature at 2005 AFIs).  Peter has 6 feature films currently in development, including 2 with Working Title.  With Richard Roxburgh, Peter is also developing a series of telemovies with the ABC about a wayward criminal barrister entitled - Rake.

A reconstructed and sometime repentant lawyer, Peter is a graduate of both Sydney University (BA, LLB) and AFTRS (BA, Film & Television). He worked in commercial litigation for Allen, Allen & Hemsley for almost 3 years.  Peter served as the student representative member of the AFTRS Council 1991-92.

 

SANDRA LEVY
Chief Executive Officer

 

An award winning film and television producer, Sandra Levy's numerous credits in television as producer include Police Rescue, Palace of Dreams, Secret Men's Business, True Believers and A Difficult Woman. As executive producer she has been responsible for hundreds of hours of drama including Come In Spinner, Bodysurfer, GP, Edens Lost, Secret Weapon and A Dangerous Life. Sandra has produced a number of feature films, including The Well, which was selected for competition at the Cannes Film Festival. She has been a board member of the Australian Film Finance Corporation and the Australian Film Commision and is currently a board member of the Sydney Theatre Company and the NSW Cultural Management Committee.

 

JAN FORRESTER

Jan Forrester has been a media manager, journalist, producer and writer and is currently a media trainer and consultant with Australian and international experience. She has more than twenty years' experience in public and community radio, working in metropolitan, regional and remote areas. She was a member of a voluntary group tasked by the Australian government with implementing a national Indigenous television and online service (NITV) by early 2007. During this time Jan was also contracted by the government to deliver a report on resources, partners and pathways for training Indigenous contributors to the service. NITV is now broadcasting on several media platforms.
In May 2009 Jan travelled to Afghanistan to manage UNDP-funded election training for journalists and editors across the country.

Jan has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Macquarie University and a Graduate Certificate in Public Health from UNSW.

 

TOM BURSTALL

Tom Burstall graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art at the University of New South Wales where he completed a course in Production in 1972. After directing several productions for theatre he joined Crawford Productions, working for several years as a First Assistant Director.   In 1976 Tom went freelance as an Assistant Director working on over a dozen features and several series and mini series shot throughout Australia. Tom has acted as Producer or Co-Producer on DUET FOR FOUR, MIDNITE SPARES, NEIL LYNNE, DEVIL IN THE FLESH, SLATE WYN AND ME and GREAT EXPECTATIONS - THE UNTOLD STORY. Tom devised and developed the idea of GREAT EXPECTATIONS - THE UNTOLD STORY. Tom was Story Editor on SLATE WYN AND ME and GREAT EXPECTATIONS - THE UNTOLD STORY. From 1988 - 1990 Tom was based in Los Angeles where he established Parasol Films Inc. Tom  worked as a Completion Guarantor Representative for Motion Picture Guarantors Ltd, on several Australian and OIS productions. He has worked in an advisory capacity as Expert Film industry Adviser to Deloitte for its submission to the Victorian Government on film studio redevelopments; as consultant for both the West Australian Film Corporation and Film Victoria and as a Board member on Cinemedia Board.  He is a current member of IPI (Independent Producers Initiative) and a current member of the Australian Writers' Guild.

 

ANDREW MASON

Andrew Mason began his film industry career in the early 1970s as an editor before moving to producing and heading a successful commercial production company. He managed Atlab film laboratory and was  co-founder of Australia's first visual company. In 1993 Andrew served as visual effects supervisor and second unit director on The Crow. Andrew produced Alex Proyas' thriller Dark City. Between 1998-2003 Andrew then produced or executive produced a string of US studio pictures including, The Matrix and its sequels, Matrix Reloaded and Matrix Revolution as well as Red Planet, Scooby Doo, Queen of the Damned and Kangaroo Jack.  He established City Productions to develop and produce Australian films  including Swimming upstream (2001) and Danny Deckchair (2003). In 2004 Andrew produced Bruce Hunt's horror thriller Cave and in 2005 was executive producer of French director Christophe Gans' film Silent Hill.  Andrew returned to Australia in early 2009 and produced the highly successful Tomorrow When The War Began. Andrew has been a member of the board of the Macquarie Film Corporation, and spent a number of years as Deputy Chair on the board of the NSW Film and Television Officer. He is currently also a board member of the Sydney Film Festival.

 

STAFF MEMBER 

 

STUDENT MEMBER