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AFTRS APPOINTS NEW SENIOR EXECUTIVES

AFTRS’ CEO Neil Peplow today announced several senior appointments to the School. Dr Ian Lang joins in the new position Director of Curriculum and Registrar and Dr Georgie McClean has been appointed as the School’s Head of Corporate Strategy and Governance.

Dr Lang has had a 25-year career in screen education. He was, most recently, based in China as a visiting professor at the Beijing Film Academy and Communication University of China, as well as the Curriculum Director for Reality Learning Sydney. Previously, he was Professor and Head of the Victorian College of Arts Film and Television School, after having founded the Griffith Film School at Griffith University in 2004.

Dr Lang is also an accomplished documentary maker, having made several productions for both the SBS and the ABC. Dr Lang’s Iranian feature-length documentary ‘Fahimeh’s Story,’ received Australia’s national ‘Independent Spirit’ Award at the Independent Film Awards.

Dr Lang will take up his position at AFTRS on 31 July.

“Ian has a wealth of experience both in Australia and internationally in screen education and in developing and writing curriculums.  He is also a highly regarded filmmaker.  He will bring a strong understanding of the international screen education and production sector to this important new role,” said AFTRS’ CEO, Neil Peplow

Dr Georgie McClean is a media/arts professional with more than 15 years’ experience in public policy and programs. Most recently, she headed up Strategy and Communications at Screen Australia where she was responsible for shaping Screen Australia’s policy development, communications platforms and research agenda, as well as broader strategy including new ways of thinking about audience. Prior to that, Dr McClean was Manager of Policy and Research at SBS where she was responsible for managing policy, including editorial policy, developing a strategic community engagement framework and running a research program aligned with the  SBS Charter.  She has also consulted across the screen industry and education sector through her own company The Gist: Strategy + Engagement.

Dr McClean will join AFTRS on 7 August.

“Georgie will also be an exceptional addition to the Executive team at AFTRS.  I have come to know the quality of her strategic thinking through her work with AFTRS on the major research paper Inclusive Pathways Framework, which she authored, and also through working together on the sector-wide Screen Diversity and Inclusion Network,” said Mr Peplow.

Mr Peplow also announced that Kyas Sherriff, Head of the AFTRS Indigenous Unit has been appointed to the Executive Team. Ms Sherriff is the first Indigenous member of the AFTRS Executive Team in the history of the School.

In other appointments, Alicia Gleeson has been appointed as the new Senior Lecturer, Editing; Pearl Tan is the new Senior Lecturer, Directing; Simeon Bryan is the new Senior Lecturer, Cinematography; Naomi Wenck is the new Senior Lecturer, Producing; Gerald Mair is the new Senior Lecturer, Sound, and Caroline Grose is the new Senior Lecturer, Screenwriting.

Alicia Gleeson has wide and deep experience as a documentary, drama, VFX, sound and animation editor. Stand out credits include Happy Feet, Holy Smoke and The Thin Red Line.

Pearl Tan created the YouTube series Minority Box, has directed the feature film The Casting Game and was named one of Westpac’s 100 Women of Influence in 2016.

Simeon Bryan has had a stellar career as cinematographer and camera operator with film and television credits including A Moody Christmas, Superman Returns and Mrs Carey’s Concert.

Naomi Wenck is a successful independent producer. She produced the feature film Strangerland, starring Nicole Kidman, Hugo Weaving and Joseph Fiennes, and Newcastle, starring Barry Otto and Shane Jacobson.

Gerald Mair is an experienced educator, filmmaker and sound designer.  He has lectured at Swinburne University of Technology and his creative projects include sound production and original music for the video installation for the White Night Melbourne event in 2014.

Caroline Grose was Head of Development at the New Zealand Film Commission for four years. She has also lectured in screenwriting at the University of Auckland and at Unitec, also in New Zealand.