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Teaching & Learning

The Teaching & Learning team comprises teaching faculty and professional support staff who work together to deliver four course streams – online; short & industry courses; undergraduate (BA); and, postgraduate courses (Graduate Diploma and Masters). The division is responsible for the design, development, scheduling, delivery and continuous improvement of AFTRS curriculum to ensure that AFTRS is fulfilling its remit to provide industry with the highly skilled graduates it needs to thrive now and into the future.

AFTRS is one of only three fully self-accrediting Higher Education Providers. the Teaching & Learning division bridges its industry best practice curriculum with the highest level of academic quality assurance. Teaching staff drawn from industry and supported by ongoing professional development and a research program focussed on creativity and innovation, deliver courses that are future-focussed, industry current and, delivered according to AFTRS unique, practice-based pedagogy. Externally, the team works to ensure the ongoing strength of AFTRS’ reputation for excellence through partnered research projects, conferences, symposia and International film and broadcast school networks.

  • Link to Maia Horniak
    Maia Horniak

    Maia is an innovative film maker, senior lecturer and programme leader wit...

    Maia Horniak

    Maia is an innovative film maker, senior lecturer and programme leader with over 20 years of experience in education, film and digital media, blending creative vision and production knowledge with…

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    Director, Teaching & Learning

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Jane Newton
    Jane Newton

    Jane is the Head of Curriculum at AFTRS, where she oversees the continuous...

    Jane Newton

    Jane is the Head of Curriculum at AFTRS, where she oversees the continuous improvement of curriculum and works with all course teams to develop and enhance their programs. She also…

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    Head of Curriculum

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Dr. Marty Murphy
    Dr. Marty Murphy

    Dr. Marty Murphy is Bachelor of Arts Screen: Production Program C...

    Dr. Marty Murphy

    Dr. Marty Murphy is Bachelor of Arts Screen: Production Program Convenor at AFTRS with over ten years of teaching at the school. An alumnus of the school’s directing course, Marty…

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    Program Convenor, BA

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Maija Howe
    Maija Howe

    Maija’s research explores intersections between screen forms, cultures, ...

    Maija Howe

    Maija’s research explores intersections between screen forms, cultures, technologies and industrial conditions, focusing particularly on amateur, experimental, feminist and queer screen practices. Maija has worked on large scale screen commissions…

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    Program Convenor, MA

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Natalie Pozdeev
    Natalie Pozdeev

    Natalie Pozdeev is a media education specialist, with expertise in practic...

    Natalie Pozdeev

    Natalie Pozdeev is a media education specialist, with expertise in practice-based radio, journalism and digital content training. As Program Convenor of the Graduate Diploma in Radio and Podcasting, she leads…

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    Program Convenor, Graduate Diploma in Radio and Podcasting

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Peter Herbert
    Peter Herbert

    A writer, producer and executive producer for a many national and internat...

    Peter Herbert

    A writer, producer and executive producer for a many national and international companies, among them Crawford Productions, PBL Productions, Taffner Ramsay, Beyond International and Granada, Peter began his career writing…

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    Program Convenor, MASB

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Fiona Whalley
    Fiona Whalley

    As the AFTRS’ Head of Program Resourcing, Fiona is able to share her pas...

    Fiona Whalley

    As the AFTRS’ Head of Program Resourcing, Fiona is able to share her passion for collaborating with others to problem solve, improve processes and develop new procedures with tangible results.…

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    Head of Program Resourcing

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Julia Avenell
    Julia Avenell

    Julia has worked at AFTRS for over 20 years, acr...

    Julia Avenell

    Julia has worked at AFTRS for over 20 years, across a range of disciplines, including Production, Production Design and Screen Content. For the last six years, she has worked as…

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    Learning Designer, Curriculum and Registrar; Staff Member of Council

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Rebecca Ritchie
    Rebecca Ritchie

    Rebecca Ritchie is a Learning Designer at the Australian Film Television a...

    Rebecca Ritchie

    Rebecca Ritchie is a Learning Designer at the Australian Film Television and Radio School.

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    Learning Designer

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Dr. Pieter Aquilia
    Dr. Pieter Aquilia

    Dr. Pieter Aquilia is a scriptwriter, script editor and director, who has ...

    Dr. Pieter Aquilia

    Dr. Pieter Aquilia is a scriptwriter, script editor and director, who has combined her creative practice with a career in academia. Following a 7-year tenure as Head of Screenwriting at…

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    Discipline Lead Creative Projects

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Krista Jordan
    Krista Jordan

    Krista has over 25 years of professional experience in the screen industry...

    Krista Jordan

    Krista has over 25 years of professional experience in the screen industry, spanning creative and commercial filmmaking. Her professional film credits include The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded, Rabbit- Proof Fence,…

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    Discipline Lead MASB (Innovation and Technology); Staff Member of Council

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    Teaching & Learning, Council

  • Link to Andrea Ho
    Andrea Ho

    Andrea Ho is a media professional and an experienced leader, broadcaster a...

    Andrea Ho

    Andrea Ho is a media professional and an experienced leader, broadcaster and content maker. Andrea started her broadcasting career in community broadcasting in Melbourne and NSW, in content production, on-air,…

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    Discipline Lead, Radio and Podcasting

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Kate Stone
    Kate Stone

    Kate is a writer, developer and producer who worked as Head of Development...

    Kate Stone

    Kate is a writer, developer and producer who worked as Head of Development at The Steve Jaggi Company from the start of 2016 where she oversaw the development of a…

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    Discipline Lead, Screenwriting

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Dr. Pearl Tan
    Dr. Pearl Tan

    Pearl Tan is the founder and director of Pearly Product...

    Dr. Pearl Tan

    Pearl Tan is the founder and director of Pearly Productions, a creative boutique creating content with a focus on diverse stories. She is the Discipline Lead in Directing for the Masters…

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    Discipline Lead, Directing

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Richard Welch
    Richard Welch

    Richard Welch is an experienced documentary curator, lecturer and filmmake...

    Richard Welch

    Richard Welch is an experienced documentary curator, lecturer and filmmaker, with over 20 years’ experience in the screen media industry. As Festival Co-Director and a founding member of the Antenna…

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    Discipline Lead, Documentary

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Simon Smith
    Simon Smith

    Simon Smith ACS has been appointed to the MAS teaching team as Discipline ...

    Simon Smith

    Simon Smith ACS has been appointed to the MAS teaching team as Discipline Lead Cinematography.

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    Discipline Lead, Cinematography

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Cameron Patrick
    Cameron Patrick

    Cameron Patrick is an Annie Award nominee and AGSC Screen Music Award winn...

    Cameron Patrick

    Cameron Patrick is an Annie Award nominee and AGSC Screen Music Award winner whose screen experience spans 30 years. He is an accomplished composer and orchestrator of music for film…

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    Discipline Lead, Music

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Justine Angus
    Justine Angus

    Justine Angus is a highly experienced and accomplished sound professional....

    Justine Angus

    Justine Angus is a highly experienced and accomplished sound professional. Having trained as a music engineer, her passion for all things sound led her to the TV and film industry,…

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    MA Discipline Lead, Sound

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Dr. Tara Lomax
    Dr. Tara Lomax

    Dr. Tara Lomax is the Discipline Lead of Screen Studies in the Master of A...

    Dr. Tara Lomax

    Dr. Tara Lomax is the Discipline Lead of Screen Studies in the Master of Arts Screen at AFTRS. She has a PhD in screen studies from The University of Melbourne,…

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    Discipline Lead, Screen Studies

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Dr. Duncan McLean
    Dr. Duncan McLean

    Dr Duncan McLean is a senior lecturer in Screen Studies. A passionate teac...

    Dr. Duncan McLean

    Dr Duncan McLean is a senior lecturer in Screen Studies. A passionate teacher, Duncan has over a decade of experience teaching film history and theory to undergraduate students and has…

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    Discipline Lead, Screen Studies

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Simeon Bryan
    Simeon Bryan

    Simeon Bryan is an accomplished cinematographer who has worked with great ...

    Simeon Bryan

    Simeon Bryan is an accomplished cinematographer who has worked with great success across the full spectrum of film and broadcast industries. His training began in London in 1984 working as…

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    Discipline Lead, Cinematography

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Jenevieve Chang
    Jenevieve Chang

    Jenevieve Chang is a story developer, writer and performer...

    Jenevieve Chang

    Jenevieve Chang is a story developer, writer and performer who has worked in the UK, China and Australia. Most recently, Jenevieve was Development Executive at ABC Drama & Comedy . She has also…

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    BA Discipline Lead, Screenwriting

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Julie Greene
    Julie Greene

    Julie Greene is an Executive Producer and Creative Director and has been w...

    Julie Greene

    Julie Greene is an Executive Producer and Creative Director and has been working in the television and film industry for over 25 years. After completing a Bachelor of Communications in…

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    Discipline Lead, Producing

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Essi Haukkamaa-Judge
    Essi Haukkamaa-Judge

    Essi Haukkamaa-Judge is a Finnish born producer. She has more than 25 year...

    Essi Haukkamaa-Judge

    Essi Haukkamaa-Judge is a Finnish born producer. She has more than 25 years of work experience in the screen industry, working in different production roles in Finland and Australia, and…

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    Discipline Lead, Producing; Academic Board Teaching Staff Member

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    Academic Board, Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Natalie Beak
    Natalie Beak

    Natalie Beak is a Production Designer and Art...

    Natalie Beak

    Natalie Beak is a Production Designer and Art Director who has worked throughout Australia and the UK. Since completing her Masters at the Australian, Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS)…

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    Discipline Lead, Production Design

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Roland Gallois
    Roland Gallois

    Roland Gallois is a film and documentary editor with over 20 years experie...

    Roland Gallois

    Roland Gallois is a film and documentary editor with over 20 years experience. He is best know for his work on the feature film Samson and Delilah which won the…

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    Discipline Lead, Editing

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Indrani Kopal
    Indrani Kopal

    Indrani Kopal is an award-winning documentary...

    Indrani Kopal

    Indrani Kopal is an award-winning documentary director, editor and former Fulbright scholar with over 15 years of global practice spanning Southeast Asia and the United States. As a former video…

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    BA Discipline Lead, Editing

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Dr. Gerald Mair
    Dr. Gerald Mair

    Dr. Gerald Mair was born and brought up on the west coast of Scotland. In ...

    Dr. Gerald Mair

    Dr. Gerald Mair was born and brought up on the west coast of Scotland. In 2004 he relocated to Melbourne in Victoria. As a sound practitioner his career has involved…

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    Discipline Lead, Sound

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Dr. Peter Cox
    Dr. Peter Cox

    Peter Cox is an award-winning television writ...

    Dr. Peter Cox

    Peter Cox is an award-winning television writer and creator who works across a broad range of genres. Peter’s first series was The Insider’s Guide to Happiness which won six awards…

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    Lecturer, Screenwriting

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Catherine Kelleher
    Catherine Kelleher

    Catherine Kelleher is an AWGIE-nominated screenwriter and director. She’...

    Catherine Kelleher

    Catherine Kelleher is an AWGIE-nominated screenwriter and director. She’s worked as a script coordinator and writers' room note-taker on series such as Glitch, Janet King, and The Secrets She Keeps.…

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    Lecturer, Screenwriting

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Kate Blackmore
    Kate Blackmore

    Kate is a filmmaker whose practice spans fiction, non-fiction and experime...

    Kate Blackmore

    Kate is a filmmaker whose practice spans fiction, non-fiction and experimental forms of storytelling. Her debut feature documentary MAKE IT LOOK REAL premiered at SXSW in Austin, Texas, and is…

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    Lecturer, BA Directing

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Megan Simpson Huberman
    Megan Simpson Huberman

    Megan Simpson Huberman is a writer, director, development consultant, scri...

    Megan Simpson Huberman

    Megan Simpson Huberman is a writer, director, development consultant, script editor, story producer and senior development, production, and creative executive in the Australian screen industry. She has written, directed, and…

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    Lecturer, Directing

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Hannah Hilliard
    Hannah Hilliard

    Hannah Hilliard is a multi-award winning AFTRS graduate who has worked as ...

    Hannah Hilliard

    Hannah Hilliard is a multi-award winning AFTRS graduate who has worked as a director in film, television, and commercials. She has written and directed five short films that have been…

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    Lecturer, Directing

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Kirk Marcolina
    Kirk Marcolina

    Kirk Marcolina has worked in television and documentary for over 25 years ...

    Kirk Marcolina

    Kirk Marcolina has worked in television and documentary for over 25 years as a Producer, Director and Editor. Kirk’s features include Limited Partnership and The Life and Crimes of Doris Payne,…

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    Lecturer, Documentary

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Vanna Morosini
    Vanna Morosini

    Dr Vanna Morosini is a writer and producer, and the company principal of F...

    Vanna Morosini

    Dr Vanna Morosini is a writer and producer, and the company principal of Flying Kite Pictures. She is the creator, writer and series producer of Are You Tougher than Your…

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    Lecturer, Producing

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Yingna Lu
    Yingna Lu

    Yingna Lu is a creative producer with a background in advertising. She co-...

    Yingna Lu

    Yingna Lu is a creative producer with a background in advertising. She co-founded Spaceboy Studios with Steve Anthopoulos, which received Screen Australia Enterprise funding in 2023. Lu’s first gig was…

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    Lecturer, Producing

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Virginia Mesiti
    Virginia Mesiti

    Virginia Mesiti is a visual storyteller who i...

    Virginia Mesiti

    Virginia Mesiti is a visual storyteller who is drawn to character driven drama and projects she can build worlds within. Her passion for colour, research and developing a rich backstory…

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    Lecturer, Production Design

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Michael Philips
    Michael Philips

    After qualifying as an architect, Michael worked for the Zimbabwean Minist...

    Michael Philips

    After qualifying as an architect, Michael worked for the Zimbabwean Ministry of Housing before entering the film industry in the 1980s as a set designer. Thirty years on he has…

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    Lecturer, BA Production Design

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Tom Gleeson
    Tom Gleeson

    Tom Gleeson is a cinematographer initially tr...

    Tom Gleeson

    Tom Gleeson is a cinematographer initially trained at ABC TV. He has gone on to work internationally in feature films, commercials, and to documentary subjects as diverse as inside Maximum…

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    Lecturer, Cinematography

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Phillippa Harvey
    Phillippa Harvey

    After studying fine art printmaking and photography at art school in SA, P...

    Phillippa Harvey

    After studying fine art printmaking and photography at art school in SA, Phillippa came to Sydney and began working for Pilgrim Films as an assistant editor, followed by several years…

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    Lecturer, Editing

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Alexander Hoetzer
    Alexander Hoetzer

    Alexander Hoetzer is an experienced visual effects artist with almost 20 y...

    Alexander Hoetzer

    Alexander Hoetzer is an experienced visual effects artist with almost 20 years’ experience in a range of screen industries, across a broad range of disciplines. With experience in film, games,…

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    Lecturer, Animation/VFX

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Dr. Mark Ward
    Dr. Mark Ward

    Dr. Mark Ward is a sound designer and media educator with over 30 years of...

    Dr. Mark Ward

    Dr. Mark Ward is a sound designer and media educator with over 30 years of experience, and currently teaches both the Master and Bachelor programmes at AFTRS.

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    Lecturer, Sound

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Alexander Gastrell
    Alexander Gastrell

    Alexander Gastrell is an AFTRS Foundation Diploma Graduate and is a past r...

    Alexander Gastrell

    Alexander Gastrell is an AFTRS Foundation Diploma Graduate and is a past recipient of the Greg Bell Student Encouragement award from the Australian Screen Sound Guild. Based in Sydney, Alex…

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    Lecturer, Sound

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Greg Wise
    Greg Wise

    Greg has composed, recorded, arranged and produced music for films, televi...

    Greg Wise

    Greg has composed, recorded, arranged and produced music for films, television series, animations, documentaries and commercials. After studying classical piano Greg embarked on a career as a touring and recording…

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    Lecturer, Screen Music

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Leigh Richards
    Leigh Richards

    Leigh is a Sydney-based Filmmaker and Educator who graduated with a Master...

    Leigh Richards

    Leigh is a Sydney-based Filmmaker and Educator who graduated with a Masters in Directing Drama from AFTRS, receiving that year's Travelling Scholarship to the San Sebastian International Film Festival. An…

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    Lecturer, Collaborative Practice

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Rowena Potts
    Rowena Potts

    Rowena Potts is a filmmaker and media anthropologist with a particular int...

    Rowena Potts

    Rowena Potts is a filmmaker and media anthropologist with a particular interest in screen production histories and cultures, documentary practice, and archives. Her award-winning short films, which often explore the…

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    Lecturer, Creative Practice

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Dr. Melanie Robson
    Dr. Melanie Robson

    Dr Melanie Robson is a Lecturer in Screen Studies at the Australian Film T...

    Dr. Melanie Robson

    Dr Melanie Robson is a Lecturer in Screen Studies at the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS), where she has been teaching since 2018. She has a PhD from…

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    Lecturer, Screen Studies

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    Teaching & Learning

  • Link to Dr. Miro Bilbrough
    Dr. Miro Bilbrough

    Dr Miro Bilbrough is a filmmaker, media educator and script editor with th...

    Dr. Miro Bilbrough

    Dr Miro Bilbrough is a filmmaker, media educator and script editor with three decades experience. Her research interests include the intervention of poetic strategies in cine-narrative and the embodiment of…

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    Lecturer, Research & Development

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    Teaching & Learning