As the year draws to a close, AFTRS has announced that Lyn Norfor will step down from her role as Director, Production & Facilities.
Lyn has been part of AFTRS for 14 years, contributing across multiple roles and transforming the way production is delivered at the School.
An AFTRS alum, Lyn graduated in 2010 with a Graduate Diploma: Screen Business. During her time as a student, she collaborated with Lucy Gaffy on award-winning short films including The Love Song of Iskra Prufrock (2010), which won 12 international and domestic awards, including an AFI for Best Short Film, and The Fence (2012), which screened at the Busan International Film Festival. Lyn later co-founded Emerald Productions, producing titles such as Undertow, Hot Mess, and Here Out West, which opened the Sydney Film Festival in 2021.
Lyn maintained her connection to the School with casual lecturing and producing MA capstone projects, including working with director/writer Vanessa Gazy on Foal in 2014. She returned to AFTRS as a Lecturer in Production in 2018, and became Head of Producing and Production in 2020. In 2022 Lyn stepped into the role of Director of Production, Technology & Infrastructure, taking on new areas of Technology and Facilities, which included the all-important area of cyber security.
CEO Dr Nell Greenwood said Lyn’s leadership had transformed how AFTRS delivered production. The Production team now oversees more than 120 productions a year, ensuring creative impact, professionalism, collaboration, and alignment with learning outcomes – all within resourcing and budgetary limitations and risk thresholds.
“At AFTRS, we talk about change as a river, and my enduring image of Lyn – perhaps because of her love of kayaking – is her fearlessly navigating the tumbling, flowing waters of change, leading her teams with strength and empathy, and her wry sense of humour,” Nell said.
Lyn also played a pivotal role during the pandemic, helping AFTRS become one of the first film schools in the world to resume production and complete all scheduled student shoots through two lockdowns. She was instrumental in the COVIDSafe Industry Taskforce, which allowed the screen industry to continue and thrive during the pandemic.
Nell thanked Lyn for her dedication, leadership, grace under pressure and passionate support of under-represented voices.
“You have made a tremendous impact on our community, and on the careers of so many of our students and graduates who are now out in the industry creating the stories and forging the careers that make us so proud,” Nell said.
Reflecting on her time at AFTRS, Lyn spoke of the creativity, collaboration and community she felt honoured to be a part of.
“After 14 incredible years at AFTRS, I’ve loved every moment of working, studying, teaching and being part of this wonderful, close-knit community,” she said.
“The true highlight has always been collaborating with students and helping realise their big visions and bold ideas across such a huge range of stories, from intimate dramas to ambitious productions that push boundaries. I’ve also had the privilege of working alongside many brilliant teams – in Production, Postproduction, Props and Staging, Production Operations, Sales and Distribution and Teaching – with a special shout out to the Facilities team who keep our amazing building running. It’s been an honour to be part of AFTRS.”
