AFTRS

The Master of Screen Arts aims to develop exceptional storytellers in the screen arts who, as practitioners, are capable of making a substantial and lasting impact within the Australian screen industry. This intensive and in-depth year of study challenges students to advance their critical and conceptual thinking, creativity, and technique to produce distinctive work.

Students selected for the course will have an opportunity to apply a high level of autonomy, innovative thinking, imaginative ingenuity and expert judgement in the development and realisation of a project, whilst refining their specialist, theoretical and conceptual skills through course work and practical exercises. Students will be challenged to be risk-taking in their ideas and approach and to achieve a high level of creative excellence.

In Incubator, students originate or develop an existing idea for an original screen project. The project may be a proof of concept or prototype for a more expansive future project, a “work-in-progress” or a discrete work. Students will synthesise and critically reflect on a range of dramatic principles, creative ideas, visual approaches and industry specific techniques and apply them to develop their work.

In Advanced Screen Practice, students apply and critically evaluate key theories and concepts that underpin their areas of specialisation through a series of high-level practical exercises.

In Advanced Screen Studies, students will further explore key topics and ideas relevant to their own creative practice and future career. The subject also provides a framework for research that will support the student’s work in Incubator and the Final Project.

In Final Project students realise their screen project as developed in Incubator, according to their vision and expertise within their specialist discipline. As a component of the Final Project, students write an exegesis that reflects on, synthesises and consolidates their story ideas, insights, research and experiences. The Final Project is an exemplar of the student’s creative storytelling for the screen and serves as a springboard from creative ambitions to a career in the screen arts. 

By the end of the course students will be able to:

1. Critically evaluate and synthesise advanced specialist skills and knowledge with relevant screen research and an innovative and original connection to material to create considered, original, complex and coherent stories for the screen.

2. Critically reflect on the complex dichotomy between technical and theoretical knowledge and imaginative immersion, and apply expert judgement in developing self-selected criteria to evaluate the progress of a project’s development and execution.

3. Explain and appraise the benefits and challenges of creative collaboration in screen practice and apply this to create, develop and sustain successful collaborative networks.

4. Synthesise specialist skills with industry standard methodologies in order to evaluate and solve structural and conceptual challenges that arise in the execution of their ideas.

5. Critically evaluate and apply feedback from diverse sectors while maintaining a clear artistic vision for a screen project.

6. Demonstrate adaptability, accountability, entrepreneurialism and resilience in a challenging and changing work environment. 

Advanced Screen Practice 1

Advanced Screen Practice supports the development of skills necessary for the students to realise their Final Projects to a high level of professional practice. This subject is an intense exploration of the process of producing stories for the screen, focusing on the student’s area of speciality. Students undertake a combination of self-directed study and practical coursework to apply and critically evaluate their advanced knowledge and the skills and techniques of their craft.

Advanced Screen Practice 2

Advanced Screen Practice supports the development of skills necessary for the students to realise their Final Projects to a high level of professional practice. This subject is an intense exploration of the process of producing stories for the screen, focusing on the student’s area of speciality. Students undertake a combination of self-directed study and practical coursework to apply and critically evaluate their advanced knowledge and the skills and techniques of their craft.

Advanced Screen Studies

Advanced Screen Studies provides students with the opportunity to explore key topics in screen arts and industries that are highly relevant to their own creative practice and future careers. The subject develops students’ capacities for understanding and debating the complexities of the creative and professional context of their work, and presents them with outstanding and innovative thinkers, inspirational work and evocative ideas that help shape the context in which they work. Advanced Screen Studies also provides a framework for research that will enrich students’ creative development, production and distribution processes with knowledge and insight about their own stories, subjects, themes, creative principles and audiences.

Final Project

In this subject students realise their original screen project as developed in Incubator, according to their vision and expertise within their specialist discipline. As a component of the Final Project, students write an exegesis that reflects on, synthesises and consolidates their story ideas, insights, research and experiences. The Final Project is an opportunity for students to be resilient, innovative and entrepreneurial in how they synthesise their specialist skills with their unique imaginative perspective to create original, authentic and coherent work through storytelling. Students are supported by regular tutorials with their AFTRS Supervisor to identify and resolve challenges in their Final Project realisation, and with Screen Studies staff to provide a framework for the research and writing of the exegesis that will enrich the student's development and insight into their project’s subjects, themes, creative principles and audiences.

The Final Project and exegesis are presented before a panel of AFTRS staff, Industry and practitioners for final assessment.

Incubator

In Incubator, students create or develop an original screen project. The project may be discrete, a “work-in-progress” or a proof of concept or prototype for a larger future project. Students critically reflect on project elements such as story, character, concept, story world, structure, visual approach, genre, platform(s) and market positioning. Students engage in self-directed research, explore antecedents and industry specific techniques and will apply them to the development of their project. This is an opportunity for students to be resilient and adventurous in how they synthesise their specialist skills with their unique artistic perspective to create and develop original, authentic, complex and coherent stories for screen.

 

+ Applicants for a Master of Screen Arts must demonstrate a high degree of originality or technical ability in their specialisation.

+ Applicants will be able to evidence skills, knowledge and understandings deemed to equate to AQF Level 8.

+ Students can specialize in directing (animation, drama or documentary), screenwriting, producing, production design, cinematography, sound design, screen music, or editing. 

Five copies of the following, ensuring it fits into an A4 envelope:

1. Curriculum Vitae

Supply a full CV, attaching 300 words on the strengths and weaknesses of your creative process and how they are reflected in your work.

2. Referee Questionnaire

The referee questionnaire form is to be completed by someone who can attest to your interest in screen culture. The referee must not be a relative or family friend.

3. Portfolio

Your creative portfolio should demonstrate your talent and potential and illustrate your interest in this course. Be selective; we just want your best work. We are more interested in ideas and execution than production values. Clearly outline your role on the work submitted in your portfolio. Work should demonstrate some of these qualities: your talent and potential, passion for storytelling or experimentation in any genre, language or media, your ability to complete complex tasks in a collaborative way or original thinking in development and marketing.

If submitting DVDs please ensure the following: (i) the DVD is separated into chapters that relate to specific projects (ii) in total there is no more than 30 minutes of material (iii) the DVD includes only complete sequences of your work, not cut montages, (iv) the DVD should not be region specific, (v) the format is playable from both a laptop and DVD player. If you have questions please contact Student Services for further clarification.

4. Application Task

Download the MSA required tasks PDF and complete the relevant task associated to your area of specialisation.

5. Proof of Residency

Submit a certified copy of your birth certificate or passport as detailed on the How to Apply page on the AFTRS website.



 

• Applicant Declaration (pdf)
• Application Checklist (pdf)
• Referee Questionnaire (pdf)
• MSA Required tasks (pdf)

 

+ Demonstrated creative potential as evident in support material.

+ Evidence of ability to complete complex tasks.

+ Evidence of original creative thinking.