The Bachelor of Arts Screen: Production is a program designed to develop multi-skilled, adaptable content creators who are comfortable working in various creative roles and can produce content across platforms in response to the needs of employers in the film, television and creative industries. The program combines theory with hands-on learning, providing a framework that encourages the exploration of ideas through various production practices. From whole production to skill-specific exercises, it prepares graduates for entry-level positions in the screen, media and creative industries.
In 2021-2022, the screen industry in Australia employed 55,000 people, the largest sector in any Australian creative industry, offering a variety of positions, from entry-level roles to heads of departments. The Bachelor of Arts Screen: Production program is designed to provide a safe and challenging environment with access to facilities, resources and industry professionals to guide learning on set, providing opportunities to learn workflows from pre- to post-production, trying different roles, and developing skills through a commitment to a creative practice with like-minded collaborators.
Class of 2024 students Mia Schirmer, Hugo Kent, Jake Smith, Grace Rodgers and Annabelle Richens gave us an inside look at some of the crew roles in an AFTRS film production and told us how the culmination of three years of learning and commitment to craft all comes together when shooting a graduation film.
Discover how they experienced their key roles to produce the films featured below.
For Joan
Mia Schirmer, the cinematographer behind For Joan, shared her creative approach when shooting the film and collaborating with the crew to bring her vision to life. She explained how a cine bible contributes to finding the tone and visual language of the film and helps streamline communication on set.
As the cinematographer in this production, Mia created her chosen look through lighting, framing and camera movement, working with the director to materialise the vision for the film and on set to block the movements of actors, camera operator, gaffer and grip, perfecting the shots.
For Joan was directed by Micaela Osfield and produced by Siobhan Mithen in 2023. Micaela said about the film:
“For Joan is a film about Australia in 1956, and my great aunt Joan, who, at 22 years old, had a botched backyard abortion.” She explained how emotionally close she felt to the story and recognised the political edge that women’s rights stories encompassed. “I am heavily aware of the sensitivity of the subject material of this film, and this is why the story has been written and constructed in this way; more as a mystery than a straight drama,” Micaela explained about the film’s tonality.
Mia’s outstanding work on For Joan earned her AFTRS’ prestigious Women in Cinematography Prize, presented by Sony at the Bachelor of Arts Screen: Production graduation ceremony.
Basketball Bert
Hugo Kent and Jake Smith, the directors behind Basketball Bert, shared insights about how they brought the crew together with the same vision and how universal themes strengthened the story.
“Unrequited Love is a strong motivator of the events in Basketball Bert. It’s made very clear in the opening act that basketball is something Bert is deeply passionate about. He’s putting himself through hell by coming back and playing each week,” they said.
“The level of passion needed to have unrequited love for something is difficult to explain, as it’s a relatively unique experience for each person. We wanted to delve into what that passion actually feels like – how singular, meaningful and dramatic it can be. We pushed this representation through the visuals, creating a distinct point of difference between the ‘in-game’ scenes and Bert’s ‘internal’ moments.”
When it came to stylistic decisions on the film, the pair “put a lot of attention on colour, costume and framing in the first act as it was the best way to efficiently establish the roles of each character in the story.”
The director duo left no creative decision unquestioned, creating a strong sense of frame, audio and timing to combine the deep emotional undertones of the piece with the fast-paced delivery of a basketball game.
Get On With It
The director holds the creative vision throughout pre- to post-production, from the script breakdown, turning words into images, to communicating with the heads of department, collaborating on the creative direction of the production, and to reviewing and working through edits with the editor to shape the rushes to the best version of the film. While on set, the key focus for the director is the actors, nurturing performances that are true to the story and which resonate with the audience.
Grace Rodgers, the director behind Get On With It, shared insights about her unique approach to auditioning and working with children on set.
Get On With It tells the story of a young child named Frankie who discovers death is real for the first time at her grandfather’s 73rd birthday party. The film had its world premiere at SXSW Sydney at the Screen Student Showcase program, featuring two other AFTRS productions, with a world premiere for Set Menu and a NSW premiere for Bőr.
One Note Away
A film crew can range from a small crew of six up to hundreds on set; it is the responsibility of the 1st AD to manage the set, leaving the director and head of departments free to focus on the actors and required creative decisions to achieve the shots. The 1st AD bridges information from pre-production to production and is responsible for the shooting schedule, ensuring everything runs smoothly and the film is shot within safety requirements, time and budget.
Annabelle Richens, the 1st AD behind One Note Away, shared her experience when scheduling and considering the crew’s needs to access a place of safe creativity where everyone could deliver their best contribution. She explained how a call sheet distils all the required information for the crew members for each day of the shoot and how she worked closely with the heads of department to ensure all elements aligned with the director’s vision while keeping the production on time and within budget.
One Note Away was written and directed by Marcus Tran and produced by Charlie Peiffer. The film tells the story of an elderly Vietnamese grandmother and her son as he checks her into a retirement village, reflecting on their past and their relationship.
The Bachelor of Arts Screen: Production program is delivered full time over three years and is split into eight interrelated pillars of screen storytelling – Story, Image, Sound, Screen Studies, Character and Performance, Rhythm and Juxtaposition, Screen Business, and Production – each one designed to explore and model current industry practice.
For more information on Admission Requirements, and the evidence you’ll be required to submit, review the Bachelor of Arts Screen: Production 2026 Application Guidance Notes.
FOR JOAN
CREW
Writer/Director – Micaela Osfield
Producer – Siobhan Mithen
Cinematographer – Mia Schirmer
1st AC – Millie Yang
2nd AC – Laura Cadwell
Gaffer – Will Bush and Hugo Bittar
Lighting Assist – Wentian Jin, Jack Sparkes and Xiuyuan Lu
Production Designer – Yasmine Tabikh
Costume Designer – Jana Bassan
1st AD – Grace Rodgers
Editor – Adam Chesher
Music – Micaela Osfield and Joely Osfield
CAST
Lucinda Howes
Isaac Harley
Madeleine Baghurst
Alan Flower
BASKETBALL BERT
CREW
Writer – Hugo Kent
Directors – Hugo Kent and Jake Smith
Producer – Luca Blades
Cinematographer – Charlie Peiffer
1st AD – Felix Dupuy
Production Designer – Micaela Osfield
Editor – Hugo Kent
Music – Micaela Osfield
Sound – Adam Chesher and Jake Smith
CAST
Ed Oxenbould
David Howell
Saxon Cook
Christian Foggiato
Jamie Malik
Eden Toke
GET ON WITH IT
CREW
Writer/Director – Grace Rodgers
Producer – Mia Tikellis
Cinematographer – Mia Schirmer
1st AD – Hugo Kent
Production Designer – Jake Smith
Editor – Hugo Bittar
VFX – Adam Chesher
Music – Grace Rodgers
Sound – Chloe Russell-Alexander
CAST
Gabriella Sengos
Gabriella Hirschson
Alan Flower
Madeleine Baghurst
Kobe Bartlett
Tully Horneman
Eden Hough
ONE NOTE AWAY
CREW
Writer/Director – Marcus Tran
Producer – Charlie Peiffer
Cinematographer – Hugo Bittar
1st AD – Annabelle Richens
2nd AD – Chris Tan
Production Designer – Heidi Shih
Editor – Dillon Fernando
Music – Micaela Osfield and Elise Nolte
Sound – Cade Collins and Nora Haydon
CAST
Rachel Young
Sky Dominic
Mina Vu
Archer Malackey